phosphates

luckydog104 · 09/13/2007, 03:51 PM

I am using ro/di water made from my unit at home, but my phosphates are still above 2 in my ro/ di water. I am testing this with a aquarium pharm. test kit. I do not have a tds meter. The kit was the only one available at my lfs. I bought my filters for my ro unit at buckeye field supply and they are less than 2 months old . So what can I do do get my phosphates down?

acrodave · 09/13/2007, 03:56 PM

try more water changes, polyfilter and cut back on feedings

luckydog104 · 09/13/2007, 04:09 PM

That is what I have done for my display tank but the water from ro unit has the high phosphate reading. How do I fix that , I have new filters in the unit.

papagimp · 09/13/2007, 04:12 PM

oooh, I had the same problem only ammonia and nitrates and phsophates were all way to high even after being filtered. I just quit using the ro unit since the filters i kept getting weren't anybetter. I got too sick of dealing with it and buy my ro water from the LFS now. I'd find a better filter to use. Sounds like the membrane may not be doing it job correctly. Does your unit have a DI filter as well? as in Ro/DI? or just an RO unit? A DI filter may help with that...I think.

bertoni · 09/13/2007, 04:33 PM

Either the RO-DI is not working, or the test kit is bad. I'd get both possibilities checked. RO-DI should remove phosphate.

AZDesertRat · 09/13/2007, 04:41 PM

Test your TDS levels in tap water, RO only water before DI and RO/DI product water. I suspect your DI is way past the point of exhaustion and is releasing phosphates, as well as silicates and nitrates into your finished water. When DI nears exhaustion it begins to release weakly ionized substances and the above are three of the bad ones.

jsr · 09/13/2007, 05:19 PM

I was using the API test kit for P04 and it was faulty. The color from my saltwater tests matched the freshwater results. Bought a new kit and the results are now correct.

Sk8r · 09/13/2007, 05:39 PM

That's a huge reading. Do you have algae?

If not, I doubt the reading.

luckydog104 · 09/14/2007, 10:49 AM

membrane , di resin and all filters are new , less than two months old. I will try to find another test kit or tds meter but will have to order one. Thanks.

papagimp · 09/14/2007, 10:52 AM

lucky, when i bought my initial ro/di unit, the filters lasted alot less than two months, went bad, i replaced them, and same thing happened. They wouldn't last long even new, I thought one brand would be just as good considering their just simple filters but apparently not.

AZDesertRat · 09/14/2007, 11:30 AM

There is a big difference in the quality of replacement filters. i think most if not all the Sponsors here on RC will do you right but I cannot say the same about other vendors who are out to make a buck and couldn't care less about you or your reef system. E-bay is a perfect example. There are lots of less than honest vendors there so you really have to know what you are looking for before talking to them.

09/13/2007, 03:51 PM	#1
luckydog104 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: tenn Posts: 268	phosphates I am using ro/di water made from my unit at home, but my phosphates are still above 2 in my ro/ di water. I am testing this with a aquarium pharm. test kit. I do not have a tds meter. The kit was the only one available at my lfs. I bought my filters for my ro unit at buckeye field supply and they are less than 2 months old . So what can I do do get my phosphates down?

09/13/2007, 03:56 PM	#2
acrodave REEF NERD Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: maryville tn-- work in knoxville Posts: 4,187	try more water changes, polyfilter and cut back on feedings __________________ Peace,Dave Superman puts on Tim Tebow pajamas when he goes to bed The Heisman as a sophomore nuff said Less technology more biology Tattoos are the only art you can take to the grave Current Tank Info: 26gal bow,20gal mantis tank/fuge150wHQI,20k AB Seio 620 maxijet1200x's 2 on a wave maker. all sps

09/13/2007, 04:12 PM	#4
papagimp COMAS Rocks! Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Oklahoma City, OK Posts: 8,185 Blog Entries: 2	oooh, I had the same problem only ammonia and nitrates and phsophates were all way to high even after being filtered. I just quit using the ro unit since the filters i kept getting weren't anybetter. I got too sick of dealing with it and buy my ro water from the LFS now. I'd find a better filter to use. Sounds like the membrane may not be doing it job correctly. Does your unit have a DI filter as well? as in Ro/DI? or just an RO unit? A DI filter may help with that...I think. __________________ 58g Softie & 75g Stoney Member, Central Oklahoma Marine Aquarium Society Current Tank Info: 58g Mixed Reef Project - Started June 2011

09/13/2007, 04:33 PM	#5
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	Either the RO-DI is not working, or the test kit is bad. I'd get both possibilities checked. RO-DI should remove phosphate. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

09/13/2007, 05:19 PM	#7
jsr Premium Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Cedar Park, TX Posts: 409	I was using the API test kit for P04 and it was faulty. The color from my saltwater tests matched the freshwater results. Bought a new kit and the results are now correct. __________________ Just my grain of salt... Current Tank Info: 135G Oceanic Mixed, 4 x 140W VHO, Octopus NW200, 3 x Koralia 4's, 30G Sump, 140# Live Rock, 120# Live Sand, ATO

09/13/2007, 04:09 PM	#3
luckydog104 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: tenn Posts: 268	That is what I have done for my display tank but the water from ro unit has the high phosphate reading. How do I fix that , I have new filters in the unit.

09/13/2007, 04:41 PM	#6
AZDesertRat Moved On Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: NW Phoenix Posts: 16,621	Test your TDS levels in tap water, RO only water before DI and RO/DI product water. I suspect your DI is way past the point of exhaustion and is releasing phosphates, as well as silicates and nitrates into your finished water. When DI nears exhaustion it begins to release weakly ionized substances and the above are three of the bad ones.

09/13/2007, 05:39 PM	#8
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	That's a huge reading. Do you have algae? If not, I doubt the reading. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

09/14/2007, 10:49 AM	#9
luckydog104 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: tenn Posts: 268	membrane , di resin and all filters are new , less than two months old. I will try to find another test kit or tds meter but will have to order one. Thanks.

09/14/2007, 10:52 AM	#10
papagimp COMAS Rocks! Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Oklahoma City, OK Posts: 8,185 Blog Entries: 2	lucky, when i bought my initial ro/di unit, the filters lasted alot less than two months, went bad, i replaced them, and same thing happened. They wouldn't last long even new, I thought one brand would be just as good considering their just simple filters but apparently not. __________________ 58g Softie & 75g Stoney Member, Central Oklahoma Marine Aquarium Society Current Tank Info: 58g Mixed Reef Project - Started June 2011

09/14/2007, 11:30 AM	#11
AZDesertRat Moved On Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: NW Phoenix Posts: 16,621	There is a big difference in the quality of replacement filters. i think most if not all the Sponsors here on RC will do you right but I cannot say the same about other vendors who are out to make a buck and couldn't care less about you or your reef system. E-bay is a perfect example. There are lots of less than honest vendors there so you really have to know what you are looking for before talking to them.