Do I need DI resin?

[KonradTO]

Hi all,
Funny thing, I just found out after almost 1 year since I started my first tank that my RODI system is actually a RO only system, so no DI resin filters. Now, can I add a DI filter after the RO stages or I need a new system? I never checked with a TDS meter but I sent my RO water for a ICP test and silicates were very high (400ug/l) and there was also some tin in my dt and ro water but not too high (around 10 ug/l).
I always had problems with corals not growing much and algae thriving in my system, I start to think that this played a role..

 

[KonradTO]

Would this work?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

There are at least three scenarios where the DI is important.

1. Very high copper in the tap water. RO alone will cut out a lot, but not so much that the highest home tap water would be OK to use after RO alone.

2. Some tap water has very high silicate, and it is often intentionally added by water supply companies. You might get endless diatom problems if you do not remove a substantial part.

3. Water supplies using chloramine will leave a lot of ammonia in the post RO water. It may be OK for top off by ATO, but perhaps not for making large batches for large water changes.

 

[Pntbll687]

Hi all,
Funny thing, I just found out after almost 1 year since I started my first tank that my RODI system is actually a RO only system, so no DI resin filters. Now, can I add a DI filter after the RO stages or I need a new system? I never checked with a TDS meter but I sent my RO water for a ICP test and silicates were very high (400ug/l) and there was also some tin in my dt and ro water but not too high (around 10 ug/l).
I always had problems with corals not growing much and algae thriving in my system, I start to think that this played a role..

If silicates were the only thing that was high, then that's probably not your issue growing corals.

I would invest in a tds meter, either an inline one, or a hand held one to check the actual tds of the product water after the RO membrane.

Can you post the ICP test results of the RO water. This will greatly help in determining if you need DI or not, and will help advise if you need certain type of DI resin over another

 

[KonradTO]

There are at least three scenarios where the DI is important.

1. Very high copper in the tap water. RO alone will cut out a lot, but not so much that the highest home tap water would be OK to use after RO alone.

2. Some tap water has very high silicate, and it is often intentionally added by water supply companies. You might get endless diatom problems if you do not remove a substantial part.

3. Water supplies using chloramine will leave a lot of ammonia in the post RO water. It may be OK for top off by ATO, but perhaps not for making large batches for large water changes.

Do you think 2ug/l of Cu could give problems with corals and cuc? I had several mexican turbo dead for some reason.

 

[KonradTO]

If silicates were the only thing that was high, then that's probably not your issue growing corals.

I would invest in a tds meter, either an inline one, or a hand held one to check the actual tds of the product water after the RO membrane.

Can you post the ICP test results of the RO water. This will greatly help in determining if you need DI or not, and will help advise if you need certain type of DI resin over another

Sure, I attached it

 

[KonradTO]

If silicates were the only thing that was high, then that's probably not your issue growing corals.

I would invest in a tds meter, either an inline one, or a hand held one to check the actual tds of the product water after the RO membrane.

Can you post the ICP test results of the RO water. This will greatly help in determining if you need DI or not, and will help advise if you need certain type of DI resin over another

I had Tin, Copper (2ug/l) and silicates higher then normal. The rest seemed quite ok to me after reading in the forum..

 

[gbroadbridge]

Do you think 2ug/l of Cu could give problems with corals and cuc? I had several mexican turbo dead for some reason.

I don't believe that will be an issue.

That is below the Copper level in natural seawater.

 

[Gp!]

I would get an rodi system. They aren't too costly compared to everything else.

You never know when the water processing might change or your municipality decides to buy water from somewhere else for some reason or another

 

[KonradTO]

I would get an rodi system. They aren't too costly compared to everything else.

You never know when the water processing might change or your municipality decides to buy water from somewhere else for some reason or another

Well I basically have already everything excluded the DI resin stage, it would not make sense to buy the whole thing. If it would benefit the tank than I can connect it to a DI filter. Otherwise I see it quite unlikely that they change water source here in my small village in Germany xD

 

[KonradTO]

I don't believe that will be an issue.

That is below the Copper level in natural seawater.

What about other numbers? Does it look ok?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

2 ug/L copper is likely not a problem ( I measured mine at about 10 ug/L once, but was not overly worried), but it is not below copper in unpolluted seawater, which averages about 0.4 ug/L.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I do not suspect the tin is a problem, but ICP alone cannot say much about tin toxicity since chemical form is critical.

 

[KonradTO]

Well now I have some red rusty algae on my sand. Cannot tell if its cyano or dino or diatoms, I never had problems with diatoms before aside from the cycling part, but I recently did a big water change so it might be why diatoms appeared again..Maybe for peace of mind I could add a DI stage to my RO system. Any suggestion? Is the aquamedic one ok? I have access to the EU market so a bit less of choice..

 

[KonradTO]

I do not suspect the tin is a problem, but ICP alone cannot say much about tin toxicity since chemical form is critical.

I don't know if it helps but I think it could both come from the old pipes in the building and from some pvc tubing I used for the overflow

 

[KonradTO]

Ok, I looked a bit around and it seems that tropic marin has its own brand of DI resin, which is supposedly of good quality (in general their stuff seems quite hi end to me). I can purchase a cheap DI resin filter, like the aquamedic and connect it to the RO system I have. In that way I would have a respectable rodi system for less than 50€

 

[KonradTO]

Anyone did something similar, starting from a RO and adding the DI stage after?

 

[Hypan]

Just run your r/o outlet to the add on d/I canisters. There are a couple companies making add on d/i kits.
no different than having them all on one bracket. They will just be seperate. I added two additional d/I canisters to mine so I can run cation/anion/mixed bed.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Ok, I looked a bit around and it seems that tropic marin has its own brand of DI resin, which is supposedly of good quality (in general their stuff seems quite hi end to me). I can purchase a cheap DI resin filter, like the aquamedic and connect it to the RO system I have. In that way I would have a respectable rodi system for less than 50€

I'm sure that would be a decent way to go.

 

[KonradTO]

What is the difference between running your DI resin in a filter vessel and in a mesh bag in the ATO container? I am going to get a supplementary stage for my RO system, but I was thinking that if there is no difference I could simply keep the DI resin in the ATO container and keep it always filled with RO water. Any downside from that?