And the sun came out
Low Alkalinity
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ying yang
2500 Club Member
Hi there ,hope all is well,I also live in a rented flat on second flat and I installed my rodi unit under the sink in a permanent position,I'm a plumbing and heating engineer ,so could of used any fittings I wanted but choosed push fir fittings as just so much simpler and quicker ,all you need is a pipe cutter for the copper pipe and can buy one for £15,and a plastic pipe cutter be better but can just use hacksaw for the plastic rodi pipe,just sand off any rough edges.
As can see unit itself I screwed on backboard and hung it there.
Turn off water ,find incoming cold mains and cut into pipe and use pushfit tee and I then bought brass fitting so my flexi braided hose for cold water could go on fitting then add little tiny piece off copper and insert into tee,then add another small piece off copper pipe then add pushfit elbow to it then add whatever length of copper pipe you need,then I added a elbow washing machine valve then attached fitting that come with my rodi unit and inserted rodi pipe into it
Waste pipe from rodi unit just goes into a saddle fitting that you attach to waste pipe under sink,just need drill a hole in waste pipe just little larger than the rodi pipe then Insert into saddle fitting and screw onto waste pipe ,it's really simple and anyone can do it,even if never done diy before.
I would charge a customer £50 for doing all I just explained and I would supply fittings and copper pipe
I bought a ready made ,ready to use rodi unit with booster pump ( reason for booster pump is live on second floor flat and flow rate not so good so pumps help draw water out better/faster)
Edit: just looked at picture above and my colour changing di resin yellow near the top,so looks like needs changing, so will go look that in a moment ha ha
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ying yang
2500 Club Member
This the rodi unit I got ,50 gpd booster pump unit,mine came to £180 but that spare set off filters and membrane and spare di plus a 2 inline tds meter.
They got excellent customer service also and an English Company,last time I rang to order sediment filter and carbon block,they got my local water report and informed me about they use chloramines so be best I get different kind off carbon block as be more suitable,they had nothing to gain as same price, but that tells me good customer service.
Also I'm originally from Bradford/Yorkshire,which part you from ? North/south/east or west Yorkshire?
They got excellent customer service also and an English Company,last time I rang to order sediment filter and carbon block,they got my local water report and informed me about they use chloramines so be best I get different kind off carbon block as be more suitable,they had nothing to gain as same price, but that tells me good customer service.
Also I'm originally from Bradford/Yorkshire,which part you from ? North/south/east or west Yorkshire?
gbru316
Well-Known Member
I don't buy that a specific gravity of 1.025 yields an alkalinity of 5 dKh with no appreciable consumption in the tank.
OP is using a swing-arm hydrometer -- which can easily read "high" if there are any bubbles on the arm.
I suspect low salinity coupled with measurement error. OP -- when you test your salinity, do you make sure there aren't any bubbles on the arm? Do you have the funds for a glass hydrometer or refractometer?
OP is using a swing-arm hydrometer -- which can easily read "high" if there are any bubbles on the arm.
I suspect low salinity coupled with measurement error. OP -- when you test your salinity, do you make sure there aren't any bubbles on the arm? Do you have the funds for a glass hydrometer or refractometer?
OP
OP
spamvicious
Well-Known Member
Tank is 135 litres. I’ve got 2 clowns and a watchman goby plus a fire shrimp, sea urchin and cuc. They all seem very happy. The xenia looks a bit more tired than it did but the GSP looks fine.
OP
OP
spamvicious
Well-Known Member
I used a portable refractometer to check the salinity and it was 1.025 and the measurements are illustrated in the images I provided when re testing.
thatmanMIKEson
Reefing ain't easy$
Yeah I wouldn't do rapid changes, no need if everything is happy, the safest thing to do is like I said change water, maybe more often with known values in terms of alkalinity and monitor as time goes on but if your unfamiliar with alkalinity I wouldn't go dumping a bunch of stuff from your pantry in your tank, when it's seemingly happy.
OP
OP
spamvicious
Well-Known Member
Lol that all looks very complicated. I’m actually in Bradford and I use Pet City in Tong for my water.
OP
OP
spamvicious
Well-Known Member
Excuse what is probably a stupid question but can diatoms etc have any affect on alkalinity?. My tank is well and truly in the ugly phase at the moment.
ying yang
2500 Club Member
May look complicated but once start doing it,all falls into place .
Aw cool a fellow bradfordian ,I'm originally from belldean area ,bottom off allerton but then moved to scholemoor in lidget green.
And that tong city used to be a good looking place and lots off choice in saltwater but been many years since been there as been in liverpool for 15 years now
OP
OP
spamvicious
Well-Known Member
Nice. I love Liverpool, one of the places I’d move to. I was in London for ten years but came back home after it got too expensive lol.
There’s only two places in Bradford that do salt water fish, pet city is one. There’s another one in Buttershaw but I’ve been warned off it by a few places.
thatmanMIKEson
Reefing ain't easy$
I'm not sure but diatoms are not a big deal they are either because your system is new or you have silicates in your water, or in your top off water. Still nothing to worry about. I'm not sure on their roll dealing with alkalinity.
ying yang
2500 Club Member
Yeah just after I moved to Liverpool, a shop opened up on main road that's inbetween Buttershaw and that estate opposite, is it woodside I think ,been away that long I forgot the names lol
Never been to it,but looked prices online and much cheaper than lfs's over here but Liverpool much more expensive than bradford on anything ,one good thing about Bradford it's dirt cheap ha ha.
Isn't there a saltwater shop in Wibsey no more ? Used to be anyway
ying yang
2500 Club Member
From Google 5 show up,well 6 as pets at home ,not sure if they do saltwater fish or not.that first screenshot on Wakefield Road just does freshwater I think ,but up tong Street got maidenhead aquatics so I think that should do saltwater, been there once but years ago so can't remember lol
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spamvicious
Well-Known Member
Yeah only Pet City is suitable. The other one marine world is the one I’ve heard a lot of bad things about, it’s on Halifax road near Woodside estate. Check out some of the reviews of the place. QSS is really good but doesn’t do salt water. BMC just do corals but are supposed to be really good and the Maidenhead aquatics is at tong garden centre but they don’t do salt water anymore.
ScionFRSguy
Active Member
If your test kit is reading correctly then your alk is on the ***** low side. I would try getting a better quality refractometer to ensure your salinity is on point then try testing the ALK again. Saliferts is an excellent choice for ALK tests. Do make sure you're using 4ML of tank water to test instead of 5ML. Always avoid raising your ALK rapidly. It's going to really mess things up.
Rmckoy
7500 Club Member
I run mine in my kitchen sink . I bought a adapter from the hardware store . Screws into the faucet
mijan
Well-Known Member
Here is what I would do. Since you get your RO and saltwater from your LFS take a water sample in to be tested. Ask the LFS what level the alk is at that they are selling to you. If it is at a higher level then what you are testing for at home ask if they could test your water.
If there is a discrepancy then either your test kits are off or you are making a mistake somewhere in the testing process.
If, however, they sell their water at that low of an alk level then there is ways to raise it to your desired level from the use of baking soda to various products designed to raise alk.
Or you can just skip this all together and just buy their RO and a salt mix and make your own saltwater at home.
If there is a discrepancy then either your test kits are off or you are making a mistake somewhere in the testing process.
If, however, they sell their water at that low of an alk level then there is ways to raise it to your desired level from the use of baking soda to various products designed to raise alk.
Or you can just skip this all together and just buy their RO and a salt mix and make your own saltwater at home.
gbru316
Well-Known Member
Calibrated with reference solution?
I don't know of a single salt that mixes up that low (alk). Something isn't right (and it might be at the LFS).
