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Source of p04? Could it come from the water bottles??

falconut

NJRC Member
I had a terrible brown stringy algae problem a while back and I believe it was PO4 leaching from my LR. I started changing my GFO every few days for a month and the algae finally went away. Now I just change it every month or two.

But, if you got salt water from a LFS that tested that high, it's probably from the RODI water they're using. I used to get RO from my LFS, until one day when I picked up my bucket, got home and opened the bucket and their was what looked like fish poop on the bottom. So, don't always trust their water.
 
Agreed. I am leaning towards the conclusion I've been paying good $ for bad water and my rocks are releasing the p04 back into the water. I'll take your advice and swap my gfo weekly and others advice to test the water I'm currently buying.
If my new lfs isn't dead on with parameters I'll tie the bulletins start doing my own water.
 
Bob (magic) was kind enough to loan me a TDS meter. Thanks Bob!

So now for the results.

My tap water is 347. I tested the rodi I got at my lfs which is right down the street... and I had to retest a few times to make sure I was reading it right.....2250 out of the jug.
 

magic

Officer Emeritus
Officer Emeritus
Bob (magic) was kind enough to loan me a TDS meter. Thanks Bob!

So now for the results.

My tap water is 347. I tested the rodi I got at my lfs which is right down the street... and I had to retest a few times to make sure I was reading it right.....2250 out of the jug.

Bryan

I checked the meter before you picked it up and it was accurate. Wow 2250 you could chew that water!!

Bob
 

redfishbluefish

Officer Emeritus
Officer Emeritus
Wow! WOW! You have to be able to see a color difference with that water. There are no actually standards, but the EPA recommends not drinking water over 500.


As I typed this a thought came into my little pea-brain....this is RO/DI water we are talking about and not saltwater? If it's saltwater, the number makes sense.
 

redfishbluefish

Officer Emeritus
Officer Emeritus
With that tds it might be the rodi waste water.

Not even close.....if we make some assumptions.....the average US drinking water TDS is 350. If we assume 1 "clean" gallon of water for 3 gallons of waste on the RO/DI unit (that's what I get with my 75 gpd unit), that calculates to a TDS of 467 for the waste water.
 
Not even close.....if we make some assumptions.....the average US drinking water TDS is 350. If we assume 1 "clean" gallon of water for 3 gallons of waste on the RO/DI unit (that's what I get with my 75 gpd unit), that calculates to a TDS of 467 for the waste water.

Knowledge is power!
 
Not even close.....if we make some assumptions.....the average US drinking water TDS is 350. If we assume 1 "clean" gallon of water for 3 gallons of waste on the RO/DI unit (that's what I get with my 75 gpd unit), that calculates to a TDS of 467 for the waste water.


I don't think it would be that high even because the the filters are removing a fair amount of the particulates. But in any case not even close.

What is the fish store doing bottling the water they take out of the tanks during water changes? That is just terrible. They must be doing something terribly wrong.
 
Does the ro/di salt water need to breath before testing? Those numbers are crazy. Time for a nice RO/DI system.
 

redfishbluefish

Officer Emeritus
Officer Emeritus
Time for a nice RO/DI system.


+1


Unfortunately the specific gravity doesn't tell you anything in regards to what is there. In addition, that phosphate number is through the roof.


I would write off that unmentioned LFS and fully agree with Mark.....buy a RO/DI unit.
 
Did you confront rich about the results? Seems like crazy high numbers. 1+ on the ro/di investment it's a must have for anyone in the hobby I would recommend one from bulk reef supply I have a 6 stage filtering my well water 320-360 ppm in from the tap down to 2-6 ppm prior to DI and 0 ppm final product.
 
Did you confront rich about the results? Seems like crazy high numbers. 1+ on the ro/di investment it's a must have for anyone in the hobby I would recommend one from bulk reef supply I have a 6 stage filtering my well water 320-360 ppm in from the tap down to 2-6 ppm prior to DI and 0 ppm final product.

+1 for the BRS...I have the 5 stage plus and its well made and works extremely well. 0 TDS...with crappy well water.
 

kschweer

Administrator
Staff member
Officer Emeritus
Moderator
Take a look at the spectrapure 90gpd refurb units. Hard to beat for $130
 
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