Triton test results

fish doctor · Jul 9, 2015

R.o unit is letting to much pass you may need additional filters . Check your local water co. For a current list of water quality
And go to a better salt brand
Also run a pura filter pad as a fail safe

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jul 10, 2015

greg0385 said:
So I should try doing water changes with a different salt such as instant ocean or red sea?
Or should I use some type of detox/filter to remove the harmful elements and retest to see if they come back without doing a water change?

I don't think it matters which salt, as long as it is a quality brand. The Triton detox humic acids may help, at least temporarily. I've heard that GFO can help reduce aluminum.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jul 10, 2015

metrokat said:
Poly-filter is supposed to remove metals. Copper can be removed with cuprisorb also.

This is what they sent me:

Our aquarium grade Poly-Filter (R) is pretreated with synthetic saltwater to
eliminate trace element stripping then rinsed in sterile, highly filtered low
TDS water. If you need to remove ultra low part-per-billion, heavy metals such
as copper, lead, mercury, cadmium etc. our wet Poly-Filter (R) discs should be
used in our Fin-L-Filter (R) or Kold Ster-il (R) System. Poly-Filter (R) wet discs
are extracted in sterile, ultra pure water for low part-per-billion metals adsorption.

Unfortunately, I've not seen data from them on either aluminum (not a heavy metal) or tin, which are the two main concerns here. It may be worth a try, however.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jul 10, 2015

fish doctor said:
R.o unit is letting to much pass you may need additional filters . Check your local water co. For a current list of water quality
And go to a better salt brand
Also run a pura filter pad as a fail safe

While tap water could be a source of tin (perhaps from old pipe solder ) or aluminum, many people have these in their reef aquaria when using 0 ppm TDS RO/DI water, indicating that the fresh water is not likely the source for these people, and perhaps by extrapolation, not here either.

Unless the DI is seriously depleted, I doubt this is the source.

greg0385 · Jul 12, 2015

Filters are getting close to the end of their lifespan but still showing 0 TDS.

I believe my next step is to mix up a fresh salt water mix and send another triton test of the fresh mix saltwater before i do a waterchange to narrow down if the issue is from incoming water or the problem is something inside the tank.

Does that sound like a good way to narrow down the issue?

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jul 12, 2015

I think it unlikely to be the water or salt, but testing it obviously won't hurt anything.

greg0385 · Jul 12, 2015

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
I think it unlikely to be the water or salt, but testing it obviously won't hurt anything.

I do agree, but the only things that I haven't changed since having problems are
Incoming water
Return pump
Skimmer pump

I have looked at the two pumps and they seem to be in great condition with no signs of rust/cracks.

I keep thinking that the issue is something that I haven't changed from the 2 tanks I have had issues with and I'm hoping it's not my incoming water.

Thanks for your help

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jul 12, 2015

Do you use PVC pipes?

No metal parts of any kind?

greg0385 · Jul 12, 2015

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
Do you use PVC pipes?

No metal parts of any kind?

None that I know of. All pvc plumbing

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jul 12, 2015

FWIW, Ehsan of Triton has suggested that some PVC may be a source of tin.

greg0385 · Jul 12, 2015

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
FWIW, Ehsan of Triton has suggested that some PVC may be a source of tin.

If that is true then how to do you remove it?

I am asking my landlord about the plumbing from the well to the house.

I know from under the house to the RODI is all pvc. I don't the age of the pvc but the house was built in the 60s-70s

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jul 12, 2015

greg0385 said:
If that is true then how to do you remove it?

I am asking my landlord about the plumbing from the well to the house.

I know from under the house to the RODI is all pvc. I don't the age of the pvc but the house was built in the 60s-70s

Any PVC prior to a working (0 ppm TDS) RO/DI should be unimportant. I meant the tank plumbing.

greg0385 · Jul 12, 2015

Oh! Sorry, yes all PVC plumbing.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jul 13, 2015

If that is the source (and I have no way of knowing if it is or not), then replacing it or frequently using something that helps export it may help. Triton Detox, for example, may bind tin, but I've not seen data on that.

greg0385 · Jul 13, 2015

I do think it's something inside the tank that's causing the leaching but before I go taking apart my tank, I want to rule out that it's the water source.

Then a complete cleaning of the sump and probably remove the sand bed although I like the look of a sand bed vs a bare bottom tank. Plus a small bowl of sand would have to be placed somewhere inside the tank for my wrasse.

Other than doing that, if that doesn't solve the problem then I have no idea where to go from there.