Newbie mistake-not using RO/DI in 2 reef tanks!

claireputput · 08/18/2014, 11:27 AM

I am shocked that my tanks are up and running and things are thriving-must be due to the seachem nitrate remover and Dr tims phosphate remover, water changes, and skimming, skimming, skimming.
Just realized that when the plumbers installed the RO/DI system they hooked it up to bypass the membrane. I was not getting pure water. Early on the TDS was measuring a little but just barely. I just stopped measuring until I was closer to the 4 month use (when I would maybe need to change the filters) assuming there would not be an issue (we know the definition of assume!)
Well, yesterday when I finally measured, the TDS was the same as my tap! What!
Now, I see where the membrane was bypassed and I understand why I was getting such good flow rather than the gallon every 15 or so minutes, it was filling up the bucket with little to no waste.
That is no longer the issue, it now gives one part purified water for every3 parts of waste. What a difference, I measured after letting it clear the lines and saturate the membrane, it measured 0.
Big newbie mistake but at least it is corrected!

maddmaxx · 08/18/2014, 03:15 PM

good catch. your tanks will like the properly filtered water...

Pife · 08/18/2014, 03:23 PM

Good thing you caught it. What are your parameters? I'm curious

droog · 08/19/2014, 01:26 AM

Ha. I did even worse... my RODI system wasn't labelled at all. I had the clean water feeding into the drain and "collected" the waste water to put into my 130g tank. Doh!

Epizzle · 08/20/2014, 04:40 PM

Thanks for thread. It helps when I install my RODI unit.

claireputput · 08/20/2014, 07:10 PM

Hi, the salinity is 1.025, nitrates had gone to 40, phosphate had climbed to 0.4 and that was running a phosphate remover 24/7!
Water is hard in this part of Oklahoma.
I just tested my water-I dosed with vodka-24 drops (three days) in the 120g plus sump and 14 drops in my 55g plus 10g sump. Today there was trace phosphate and zero nitrates!
Tough lesson to learn but I also got a little burn on the ends of my sps corals in the 120g-I am positive it was from the vodka dosing.

claireputput · 08/20/2014, 07:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pife

Good thing you caught it. What are your parameters? I'm curious

Posted the nitrate and phosphate in post above.

08/18/2014, 11:27 AM	#1
claireputput Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 53	Newbie mistake-not using RO/DI in 2 reef tanks! I am shocked that my tanks are up and running and things are thriving-must be due to the seachem nitrate remover and Dr tims phosphate remover, water changes, and skimming, skimming, skimming. Just realized that when the plumbers installed the RO/DI system they hooked it up to bypass the membrane. I was not getting pure water. Early on the TDS was measuring a little but just barely. I just stopped measuring until I was closer to the 4 month use (when I would maybe need to change the filters) assuming there would not be an issue (we know the definition of assume!) Well, yesterday when I finally measured, the TDS was the same as my tap! What! Now, I see where the membrane was bypassed and I understand why I was getting such good flow rather than the gallon every 15 or so minutes, it was filling up the bucket with little to no waste. That is no longer the issue, it now gives one part purified water for every3 parts of waste. What a difference, I measured after letting it clear the lines and saturate the membrane, it measured 0. Big newbie mistake but at least it is corrected!

08/18/2014, 03:15 PM	#2
maddmaxx Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Jersey Shore Posts: 3,003	good catch. your tanks will like the properly filtered water... __________________ One Life One Shot Current Tank Info: 40B Mixed reef

08/18/2014, 03:23 PM	#3
Pife Registered Member Join Date: May 2013 Posts: 7,408	Good thing you caught it. What are your parameters? I'm curious __________________ Brandon I'm not saying let's get rid of all the stupid people.* I'm just saying let's remove all the warning labels and let the problem work itself out. Current Tank Info: 150g DT plumbed to an 80g frag tank and 220g sump in the basement. ~6-MP40s ~ 12 ATI powered t5s ~ Reefbrites and Radions supplementing ~ Custom GEO Skimmer ~ GEO CA Reactor 6x24~ Iwaki 70 Return ~

08/19/2014, 01:26 AM	#4
droog Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Posts: 736	Ha. I did even worse... my RODI system wasn't labelled at all. I had the clean water feeding into the drain and "collected" the waste water to put into my 130g tank. Doh!

08/20/2014, 04:40 PM	#5
Epizzle Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2014 Posts: 50	Thanks for thread. It helps when I install my RODI unit.

08/20/2014, 07:10 PM	#6
claireputput Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 53	Hi, the salinity is 1.025, nitrates had gone to 40, phosphate had climbed to 0.4 and that was running a phosphate remover 24/7! Water is hard in this part of Oklahoma. I just tested my water-I dosed with vodka-24 drops (three days) in the 120g plus sump and 14 drops in my 55g plus 10g sump. Today there was trace phosphate and zero nitrates! Tough lesson to learn but I also got a little burn on the ends of my sps corals in the 120g-I am positive it was from the vodka dosing.