My Acro is turning brown):

[BrandonS]

Also, my RODI systems are coming today. Ill be doing probably a 50% change for both tanks and replace tap with RODI.

Keep in mind large changes are not always the best.

As many wiser than me say "nothing good happens in this hobby fast"

 

[BrandonS]

from time to time I still see people using tap water on a reef tank, has it ever any example that shows it is possible to run reef tank using tap water? Is this why people still trying to run one with tap water? For me if I don't have a way to acquire RODI water or unit, I will give up trying to set up a reef tank. But I want to know if it is possible since people still use tap water.

I would imagine it depends on the tap. Good clean tap would probably be ok. For instance up in Seattle they have like 10 TDS out of the tap in some places. Depending on what that TDS is and how established the reef is. Ability to process extra silicate, etc.. also export methods would matter. If you have an algae scrubber it would pull much out.

 

[Fishbird]

Can you post here what you got for RODI systems? At one point I think you said you ordered 2 stage systems but the smallest I've seen is a 4 stage. (Granted, I have definitely not looked at every RODI system in the world

I think it'll help people here help you if you use the terms typically used in reefing forums.

Tap water is untreated water that you would drink. Whatever comes out of the tap at your house/business
RODI water is water that has specifically been filtered to remove all the "stuff" in tap water
Filtered water: Water that has been filtered to some degree but is not RODI water

RODI water doesn't have all the things corals need. RODI water is a blank slate so you can add all the things corals need and know exactly what's in your tank.

The salt you have will contain calcium, alkalinity, magnesium, minor and trace elements.

Corals consume alkalinity and calcium especially quickly.

You can replace those elements either by doing regular water changes or by dosing. Either way you should be testing regularly (at least once a week but really probably every day if you're trying to figure out a dosing schedule).

When you dose you only want to replace what has been consumed. As another poster said, you want stability.

I'd be worried that the Kent Marine product is going to eventually make things in your tank unbalanced. It's specifically for growing coralline algae. There are much more precise accurate ways of dosing (and probably it's cheaper to dose two part manually as well). Do you have an ATO on the tank at your father's business?

 

[nano_ryan]

Outside perspective here. Humble yourself and listen to the experienced reefers here. You seemed to take the responses as an attack when most were only trying to help you.

I know. Thank you

 

[nano_ryan]

Can you post here what you got for RODI systems? At one point I think you said you ordered 2 stage systems but the smallest I've seen is a 4 stage. (Granted, I have definitely not looked at every RODI system in the world

I think it'll help people here help you if you use the terms typically used in reefing forums.

Tap water is untreated water that you would drink. Whatever comes out of the tap at your house/business
RODI water is water that has specifically been filtered to remove all the "stuff" in tap water
Filtered water: Water that has been filtered to some degree but is not RODI water

RODI water doesn't have all the things corals need. RODI water is a blank slate so you can add all the things corals need and know exactly what's in your tank.

The salt you have will contain calcium, alkalinity, magnesium, minor and trace elements.

Corals consume alkalinity and calcium especially quickly.

You can replace those elements either by doing regular water changes or by dosing. Either way you should be testing regularly (at least once a week but really probably every day if you're trying to figure out a dosing schedule).

When you dose you only want to replace what has been consumed. As another poster said, you want stability.

I'd be worried that the Kent Marine product is going to eventually make things in your tank unbalanced. It's specifically for growing coralline algae. There are much more precise accurate ways of dosing (and probably it's cheaper to dose two part manually as well). Do you have an ATO on the tank at your father's business?

I bought 2 Aquatic Life RODI Buddie four stage filtration(one for both tanks). I have the Auto Aqua Smart ATO lite, for top off in the 150.

 

[Steven Garland]

If your tank had more than 1 acro,and you had a drop from 14 to 9,everything would probably be gone.

I have done nothing but keep pico sps tanks and have another one in yhe works. Its tough. And I mean like 2-7g pico's.

I had a 2g cube sps picp for about 2 years and it was tough. It will teach a lot and when you think you have it figured it,it throws you a curve ball. Take the advice people are giving you and use what works for you. Different mothodologies work differently for different peoples tanks.

 

[nano_ryan]

I didn't want to make a new form so I used this one. My new RODI systems came today, and prepared 10 gallons for a water change on my 20 long. I checked for nitrates in the new water, and was surprised to see it was 10ppm! My tap is about 20-30ppm, cause its well water, but I expected to filter all nitrates out. And I did let it run for about 15mins for the membrane to flush. What can I do to remove all nitrates?

 

[dnyceli]

Does that unit have di? You shouldn’t be seeing Po4 or NO3 after it’s gone through sediment, carbon and di. If you are then the filter unit you got is not adequate. If you bought that from Bulk Reef Supply , I’m sure they could work with you if you send that unit back and ask for their suggested unit

 

[nano_ryan]

Does that unit have di? You shouldn’t be seeing Po4 or NO3 after it’s gone through sediment, carbon and di. If you are then the filter unit you got is not adequate. If you bought that from Bulk Reef Supply , I’m sure they could work with you if you send that unit back and ask for their suggested unit

Yeah it has DI. Could something be leaching nitrates into the water? Or the filter its self has nitrates in it?

 

[Stigigemla]

If it is a new osmosis it should take down the nitrate something like 30 to 100 x. So 20 ppm in will be 0.2 to 0.5 nitrate out. And then the DI should take all of the rest. Is it a new osmosis or a used You bought?
It could also of course be a fault with Your nitrate test. I recommend Salifert. Red Sea is better but more complicated to use. So use a new test, check Your water before and after the DI.

Off Topic. I have one customer thats reading a lot on the net. And he finds the most curious things about usual mattters. I have to spend a lot of time talking him out of dubious practices and values he finds. In the net You will find just as much desinformation as information.

If You stay on the BRS Youtube videos You will practically only find good practice. Of course they are selling stuff but the videos about reefkeeping are good. If You are getting Your advice from an LFS only rely on a dedicated reef shop.
An expert on dog food usually knows nothing on reefkeeping.

 

[dnyceli]

Can you post a pic of your RO/DI unit?

 

[bsr2430]

 

[tehmadreefer]

Man you guys are getting trolol’d Im willing to wager.

 

[BrandonS]

Man you guys are getting trolol’d Im willing to wager.

Never thought of that but some of the stuff is pretty bad huh. Lol. O well, karma points

 

[TriggerFinger]

Also starting to think the same thing...the pic in the avatar looks to be around my nephews age, who is 12...and he would totally do something like this

Man you guys are getting trolol’d Im willing to wager.

 

[nano_ryan]

Does that unit have di? You shouldn’t be seeing Po4 or NO3 after it’s gone through sediment, carbon and di. If you are then the filter unit you got is not adequate. If you bought that from Bulk Reef Supply , I’m sure they could work with you if you send that unit back and ask for their suggested unit

If it is a new osmosis it should take down the nitrate something like 30 to 100 x. So 20 ppm in will be 0.2 to 0.5 nitrate out. And then the DI should take all of the rest. Is it a new osmosis or a used You bought?
It could also of course be a fault with Your nitrate test. I recommend Salifert. Red Sea is better but more complicated to use. So use a new test, check Your water before and after the DI.

Off Topic. I have one customer thats reading a lot on the net. And he finds the most curious things about usual mattters. I have to spend a lot of time talking him out of dubious practices and values he finds. In the net You will find just as much desinformation as information.

If You stay on the BRS Youtube videos You will practically only find good practice. Of course they are selling stuff but the videos about reefkeeping are good. If You are getting Your advice from an LFS only rely on a dedicated reef shop.
An expert on dog food usually knows nothing on reefkeeping.

Can you post a pic of your RO/DI unit?

Ok heres a picture of nitrates for only RO and only DI without salt mix.

 

[nano_ryan]

Should I close off the waste line so all water has to push through the DI cartridge? Since 2 lines is coming out of waste and DI.

 

[dnyceli]

I don’t understand your nitrate test you posted. Why would you have a test with just R/O and delete the DI portion? It has to run through both. I see after it passes through the DI after the R/O portion it shows zero nitrates; what is the concern??????

 

[dnyceli]

I’m not familiar with this unit. If the unit has a flush line it is only used during the flush process before and after you are making water to flush out the membrane. After flushing, you could close the value to make RO/DI water for your tank. You should never use the flush water for your tank

 

[nano_ryan]

I don’t understand your nitrate test you posted. Why would you have a test with just R/O and delete the DI portion? It has to run through both. I see after it passes through the DI after the R/O portion it shows zero nitrates; what is the concern??????

You are very correct. The instructions for this unit states to use both lines, yet that doesn't work. I plugged the waste line so that water must be also forced through the DI. Sorry for the confusion. Rookie mistake