Ati icp result, rodi silicon super high!

[Jilet]

Just recieved the test result and the rodi water result showed 34460 mg/l, everything else was 0. Could this be an error?

 

[Jilet]

Test result

 

[rkpetersen]

Silicon is one element that frequently breaks through RODI systems, but not that much.

What is the TDS of your RODI product water, measured at home?
That much silicon would give you a TDS of around 35 ppm.

Also, what did your tank water silicon come back as?
If it's normal or only slightly elevated, you likely aren't using water with markedly elevated silicon for top off.

So it's possible that measurement is some kind of error.
Contamination of the sample before mailing would be more likely than an error on ATI's part, imo.
They've tested dozens of RODI water samples for me and I've never seen any suspicious numbers.

They probably toss the samples as soon as they're run, but you could email them and see if they still have it;
if so, maybe they could run it again.

 

[Jilet]

Thanks for your reply.. my tank water came back at 527 which makes sense. The rodi sample was straight from the filter after rinsing the tube. My tds is currently at 0, never been over 5tds..

 

[Jilet]

Here are the rest of the result from my tank sample. Anything i should be worries about?

 

[rkpetersen]

Overall that doesn't look too bad, except your tin is quite high and that often indicates rusting steel.
Also your nitrate is dangerously low; some corals and algae won't like that.

Silicon is slightly elevated but not horrible.
Silicon in my tanks usually runs 150-200, and that's with 0 silicon in my RODI water.
That severely elevated silicon reading must be some kind of error.
Personally I'd probably send another sample if they can't re-analyze the one you already sent in.

 

[Jilet]

So i spoke to ati icp and was informes that silica/silicon do not show up on tds meter and that to change ro membrane. My membrane is pretty new so not sure what could cause the high silicon.

 

[adrianr514]

So i spoke to ati icp and was informes that silica/silicon do not show up on tds meter and that to change ro membrane. My membrane is pretty new so not sure what could cause the high silicon.

If you go through my post history I have a write up about how 0TDS can still have contaminants. You need an EC meter to be able to read these.

 

[Jilet]

So EC meter will detect silicon?

 

[rkpetersen]

If you go through my post history I have a write up about how 0TDS can still have contaminants.

Yes this is true, but not at the level of silicon that his report indicates.
35 ppm silicon is not going to read 0 ppm TDS.

 

[adrianr514]

Yes this is true, but not at the level of silicon that his report indicates.
35 ppm silicon is not going to read 0 ppm TDS.

Here’s a quote from @Randy Holmes-Farley ”Silicate will not show up well on a TDS meter unless the pH is high enough to form silicate (Si(OH)3O-; pH above about 9). Otherwise, it will mostly be in the form of silicic acid, Si(OH)4, which is not conductive.“

So yes, it’s completely possible to have a 0 TDS reading and 35ppm of sulicate

 

[Jilet]

Yes i agree, but how is it that my tank water result is not anywhere near rodi water silicon level, i mean 500 vs 34000. There is no way my tank consumes that much silicon. I use the rodi to make salt water for my tank so am confused.

 

[djrice69]

Silicone can come from your rodi housing the part where the oring is. Also silicon isn’t water soluble so our tds meter won’t be able to measure it, but if heated with plasma/argon burning in icp machine you can see it read numbers as it vaporize for the detector on the icp to register on their equipment.

 

[Jilet]

So does ec meter detect silicon??

 

[Jilet]

Silicone can come from your rodi housing the part where the oring is. Also silicon isn’t water soluble so our tds meter won’t be able to measure it, but if heated with plasma/argon burning in icp machine you can see it read numbers as it vaporize for the detector on the icp to register on their equipment.

So should i clean out that oring part of the housing to avoid silicon?

 

[adrianr514]

So does ec meter detect silicon??

I’ll leave this one for @Randy Holmes-Farley but I’m guessing no?

 

[djrice69]

So should i clean out that oring part of the housing to avoid silicon?

Just keep the silicon on the oring it shouldn’t be a problem silicon help prevent leaks on rubber. Sometimes oring are made of viton but shouldn’t cause problems for a reef tank

 

[adrianr514]

I run this before my DI whenever my Slicates test high. It’s 250ml of phosguard and poly-bio poly-filter.

 

[rkpetersen]

Here’s a quote from @Randy Holmes-Farley ”Silicate will not show up well on a TDS meter unless the pH is high enough to form silicate (Si(OH)3O-; pH above about 9). Otherwise, it will mostly be in the form of silicic acid, Si(OH)4, which is not conductive.“

So yes, it’s completely possible to have a 0 TDS reading and 35ppm of sulicate

Nope, still don't buy it. Silicate won't show up 'well', but 35000 ppb is massive. It would result in some TDS reading.
I could do the experiment to prove it, but probably won't bother.

 

[Jilet]

I just tested the ro water and it was 7 from 287 from tap water. After di filter its goes down to 0 to1, back n forth. So am pretty sure the ro membrane and di resin is still good.