I think I made a mistake

TRichardson79 · 11/18/2009, 04:48 AM

I have been storing my water in a rubbermaid roughneck 14g container. I used it for top off and a recent water change, I did test it for phosphates before I used it to topoff, it came back 0. I used an API test kit. Within the past day GHA is starting to pop up.... I filled up the container again and I used my TDS meter to check it and it had a reading of 72.
Could this be why the algae is popping up? I tested the tank water for phosphates and it came back 0. I don't know how reliable that is though. My nitrates are on the rise too, 20 ppm.
I need guidance on what I should do next! I stopped using that container and discarded all of the water already.

Chi6488 · 11/18/2009, 05:37 AM

You didn't say if you have ro/di system or not. I would test water coming out of that if you have one. The test water while stored in the roughneck.

TRichardson79 · 11/18/2009, 05:50 AM

My apologies. Yes I do have a ro/di unit. 0 tds out of the unit. I filled the container up on sunday night after my water change.

MichaelLitoris · 11/18/2009, 06:04 AM

If a tank is young this could be perfectly normal. To get rid of the hair algae you need either a vegetarian fish like a lawnmower blenny (never worked well for me) or a Sea Hare (they are amazing, but after the algae is gone either return it to the LFS or feed some Nori)

I have had hair algae under very low nutrient conditions, don't panic. It sure is a nuisance though.

TRichardson79 · 11/18/2009, 06:15 AM

I just don't want it to get out of control. And yes it is a young tank. The nerite and astrea snails seem to stay busy though.

fishy125 · 11/18/2009, 07:00 AM

I also have one of those containers and had trouble in the past!

HKAVR45 · 11/18/2009, 07:46 AM

You said you used the container for a recent water change. Did you mix salt in it?

If you didn't rinse the container out thoroughly, the salt residue could be the reason you're hitting 72ppm on the TDS meter.

A number of people use the roughneck/brute for water storage without issues.

11/18/2009, 04:48 AM	#1
TRichardson79 Registered Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Iowa Posts: 112	I think I made a mistake I have been storing my water in a rubbermaid roughneck 14g container. I used it for top off and a recent water change, I did test it for phosphates before I used it to topoff, it came back 0. I used an API test kit. Within the past day GHA is starting to pop up.... I filled up the container again and I used my TDS meter to check it and it had a reading of 72. Could this be why the algae is popping up? I tested the tank water for phosphates and it came back 0. I don't know how reliable that is though. My nitrates are on the rise too, 20 ppm. I need guidance on what I should do next! I stopped using that container and discarded all of the water already.

11/18/2009, 05:37 AM	#2
Chi6488 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Ocala, FL Posts: 237	You didn't say if you have ro/di system or not. I would test water coming out of that if you have one. The test water while stored in the roughneck. __________________ 110 Gal 30" tall tank; 2 @ 250 Watt MH 14k ; Reef Octopus extreme 160; 1/10 jbj chiller; 4 stage ro then into dual di resin; MP40W powerhead. 20" zebra eel, yellow tang, two clowns, red hawkfish, yellow wrasse and bubble coral; carpet anemone 34 gallon red sea max with 3 sea horses for the wife 90 Gal with 4 urchins, big snail, 2 sargeant majors caught from the keys. Horseshoe crab and about 5 starfish from gulf of mexico

11/18/2009, 06:04 AM	#4
MichaelLitoris Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 53	If a tank is young this could be perfectly normal. To get rid of the hair algae you need either a vegetarian fish like a lawnmower blenny (never worked well for me) or a Sea Hare (they are amazing, but after the algae is gone either return it to the LFS or feed some Nori) I have had hair algae under very low nutrient conditions, don't panic. It sure is a nuisance though. __________________ 100 gal (48x24x20) bare bottom with 250 pounds of live rock, 33 gal refugium and sump combo 2 x 250w XM halides, 2 x 54w T5 actinics, ASM G-3 skimmer

11/18/2009, 05:50 AM	#3
TRichardson79 Registered Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Iowa Posts: 112	My apologies. Yes I do have a ro/di unit. 0 tds out of the unit. I filled the container up on sunday night after my water change.

11/18/2009, 06:15 AM	#5
TRichardson79 Registered Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Iowa Posts: 112	I just don't want it to get out of control. And yes it is a young tank. The nerite and astrea snails seem to stay busy though.

11/18/2009, 07:00 AM	#6
fishy125 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 62	I also have one of those containers and had trouble in the past!

11/18/2009, 07:46 AM	#7
HKAVR45 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Clifton Park, NY Posts: 50	You said you used the container for a recent water change. Did you mix salt in it? If you didn't rinse the container out thoroughly, the salt residue could be the reason you're hitting 72ppm on the TDS meter. A number of people use the roughneck/brute for water storage without issues.