Is a tds reading of 9 too high??
Complicated question which you will get a million answers for. Some people will say yes, some will say no. I used to run with 6-8 all the time with out problems.
I think the difficulty is not know what that 9 is. I believe if it was all copper then you’d be in trouble, but the likely hood is low. In time though if you get a lot of evap or do a lot of water changes it could build until it becomes a problem. Or if something like a rock in the tank obsorbs it then chemistry changes and it is released again it could be a problem.
My opinion is that this is one of those things that is just too difficult to get in their and meausre every little thing in the tank. 9 would probalby be fine and some people have run tanks putting in 15 all the time.
What sort of RO unit are you running? DI? How many pre filters? GPD? How high is your tap water? City or well?
[quote=“Gordonious, post:2, topic:1536”]
Complicated question which you will get a million answers for. Some people will say yes, some will say no. I used to run with 6-8 all the time with out problems.
I think the difficulty is not know what that 9 is. I believe if it was all copper then you’d be in trouble, but the likely hood is low. In time though if you get a lot of evap or do a lot of water changes it could build until it becomes a problem. Or if something like a rock in the tank obsorbs it then chemistry changes and it is released again it could be a problem.
My opinion is that this is one of those things that is just too difficult to get in their and meausre every little thing in the tank. 9 would probalby be fine and some people have run tanks putting in 15 all the time.
What sort of RO unit are you running? MELEV’S REEF DI? YES How many pre filters? 3 THEN THE DI GPD? LISTED AT 25 How high is your tap water? 250-270 City or well? CITY FROM TIDEWATER. 7 GAL CHANGE EVERY WEEK ON A 65 GAL + SUMP.[/quote]
Another thing to consider is what did it used to be?
Going from 250 to 9 is definitely a HUGE improvement. If when the RODI was new TDS was only 7 then you’ve only gone up 2 ppm and I wouldn’t worry. If you used to be at 0 TDS and are now at 9 then it is about time to change filters.
[quote=“Cdangel0, post:4, topic:1536”]
Another thing to consider is what did it used to be?
Going from 250 to 9 is definitely a HUGE improvement. If when the RODI was new TDS was only 7 then you’ve only gone up 2 ppm and I wouldn’t worry. If you used to be at 0 TDS and are now at 9 then it is about time to change filters.[/quote]
i hope the filters are not in need, as I know i haven’t even put 250 gallons through it. the di discoloring is moving up, but only about halfway.
here is my procedure–maybe it’s off
push about 20 gals through RODI, keep h2o in a plastic tub, aerated, covered, and unsalted, take from that to top off about 1/2 gal a day, on thursday, set up 7 gals in a separate tank w/proper sg, and saturday drain and fill the tank. the fresh rodi water therefore lasts about 2 weeks. anything wrong there that’d cause my green algae outbreak??
[quote=“moliken, post:5, topic:1536”]
[quote=“Cdangel0, post:4, topic:1536”]
Another thing to consider is what did it used to be?
Going from 250 to 9 is definitely a HUGE improvement. If when the RODI was new TDS was only 7 then you’ve only gone up 2 ppm and I wouldn’t worry. If you used to be at 0 TDS and are now at 9 then it is about time to change filters.[/quote]
i hope the filters are not in need, as I know i haven’t even put 250 gallons through it. the di discoloring is moving up, but only about halfway.
here is my procedure–maybe it’s off
push about 20 gals through RODI, keep h2o in a plastic tub, aerated, covered, and unsalted, take from that to top off about 1/2 gal a day, on thursday, set up 7 gals in a separate tank w/proper sg, and saturday drain and fill the tank. the fresh rodi water therefore lasts about 2 weeks. anything wrong there that’d cause my green algae outbreak??[/quote]
Are you measuring the TDS right after it comes out of the DI filter, or are you measuring in your water storage container? I ask this because you will always get a higher TDS reading after the water has been stored even for a few hours due to accumiliation of bacteria in your storage container. I just added a dual in-line TDS meter to my RODI and I love it. I prefer to use 0 TDS water thereby eliminating any possibility that a problem could be related to the quality of my source water. I recently added a second DI to my filter so that once the TDS starts to creep up I simply take the second DI and put it in the first postion and put a new cartridge in the second. This allows me to keep using the resin longer while still getting 0 TDS water.
I hope this makes sense.
“Are you measuring the TDS right after it comes out of the DI filter, or are you measuring in your water storage container?”
after storing it. so ellen, is it possible that storing the water is contributing to my algae prob?
“I hope this makes sense.”
it does
When I measure the TDS of the water right out of my RODI it measures 0ppm TDS. After it has been sitting in the brute can a week the TDS measures 7ppm. Bacteria will thrive even with the min amount of food. After I empty the barrel I clean the barrel out with a mild bleach solution to remove the slime that develops on the inside of the barrel. I do not add new water without cleaning as I have tested this and it doubles the TDS by the time I went to use the water.
Is this causing you problem, I doubt it. IMO since the TDS is 9 while not ideal is better then most use.
Lets assume (for this example) that the 9ppm is 50%/50% nitrates and phosphates. Putting this in a bucket the TDS may increase to 15ppm. While originally the TDS was nitrates and phosphates you didn’t add additional of these but what makes up the additional TDS? I would guess the additional TDS is related to bacteria and other airborne spores, pollen and dust. I have read that Cyano spores can travel around the globe on the air currents.
The lower the TDS for RODI the better. If this is a sudden increase I would check the RoDi unit otherwise clean the bucket and test the output and the storage bin separately.
I would think the 9 TDS might be part of the source but there might be other sources feeding the outbreak. Diatoms and waste stuck in the sand bed and rocks are probably providing the nitrates and the food you feed your fish is providing nitrates and is a major source of phosphates. (food is necessary evil)
[quote=“moliken, post:7, topic:1536”]
“Are you measuring the TDS right after it comes out of the DI filter, or are you measuring in your water storage container?”
after storing it. so ellen, is it possible that storing the water is contributing to my algae prob?
“I hope this makes sense.”
it does[/quote]
I doubt this is your problem as I store my water also. The point I was making is if you are getting 0 TDS before your water is stored then your DI resin is still good, but if you are getting 9 then I would definitely change your resin.
I think you may be overfeeding. What and how much do you feed your fish and corals?
about 1 cube -2 cubes [usually 1 1/2] frozen cyclops/brine/mysis/squid every other day. the/ means “or,” not and. i vary it.
sometimes i add about 1/2 a people shrimp to feed the meateating corals and treat the shrimp and crab and rbta. i feel that i am or have been overfeeding, but nothing seems to go towaste, it’s all gone really quick a minute or so, and everything is always hungry. i add 8 drops kent iodide every day, if that means anything??
tested my freshwater i made last weekend, this evening and it’s now 14 on the tds, so something is happening.
Do you test iodine or just dose? Many are going to post about this so I will be first so everyone else can +1 me; DON’T ADD OR DOSE UNLESS YOU TEST.
Replace the filters in the ro unit
no i don’t test. ooops. am i an idiot? could excess iodide cause the extra algae?
porter, lotsa thanx, but you say “Replace the filters in the ro unit” why? they should not be used up after the small amount run through them, [under 250 gals] should they? testing water right outta the rodi , the tds is about 2, the same as when i first tested.
ok am i reading this right? as your water ages it gains tds? but at rodi exit it is lower? so some how your water is getting higher tds as it sits in your container before you use it. and you are not over feeding. i feed more than that in my 90. are you cleaning skimmer often and filter sock ect. seems tank is holding nitrates ect and not lowering.
[quote=“martinfaimly, post:13, topic:1536”]
Glen, thanks for the answer and questions
ok am i reading this right? as your water ages it gains tds? YES but at rodi exit it is lower? YES so some how your water is getting higher tds as it sits in your container before you use it. YES and you are not over feeding. i feed more than that in my 90. are you cleaning skimmer often and filter sock ect. YES seems tank is holding nitrates ect and not lowering. ZERO READING ON TRATES/TRITES[/quote]i did some reading on iodide,and this may be the issue. boy, i hope so, b/c that is easy to stop. i am not putting in any more of kents iodide, which i had been using since first shrimp in january. doing a 10% water change today
this evening and it's now 14 on the tds, so something is happening.I read this to be new water tested as 14ppm TDS. If it was water that was sitting then is bacteria.
correct sitting aerated water. any opinions on the iodide contributing to the algae??