14ppm TDS in my ATO water....

[xtlosx]

So i just took some water out of my ATO and used the probe in my inline TDS meter and it had 14ppm TDS.... Why in the heck would there be any of that in my ATO container? Do you guys take your container offline ever, clean it, and put it back into service? I don't have a powerhead in mine and it's only 10G on my 150G which goes relatively quickly...

Wondering if this is why I'm having all of my issues in the first place.

 

[StaySalty]

Whats the tds as it comes out of your Rodi? Is ur container food grade? If not maybe its leeching contaminants into the water

 

[cet98]

interesting...what type of container do you use?

 

[xtlosx]

Whats the tds as it comes out of your Rodi? Is ur container food grade? If not maybe its leeching contaminants into the water

It is 0 TDS coming out, and it's a aqueon 10G glass tank.... I did notice some weird growth in my ATO tank just now on the aqualifter and on the glass bottom of the tank.... time to clean this bad boy.

Going to make a 5G bucket of fresh ATO water in the bucket I know is clean, and use a new aqualifter in there for the next few days while I clean this glass tank.. if this solves my cyano and nutrient issues, I'm going to lose my mind.


Never thought ot check my ATO container.

 

[xtlosx]

I don't have a powerhead in this 10G tank either......

We'll see over the next few days how things go with actual 0 TDS water into the tank vs this 14ppm or who knows what it is at the bottom.... I need to tank this tank, clean it with vinegar and let it dry.

Replace it and see what happens and also put in a powerhead to keep the water moving.

 

[cet98]

that makes me want to test mine now....sorry this is happening to you....

keep us posted please

 

[xtlosx]

that makes me want to test mine now....sorry this is happening to you....

keep us posted please

Will do.. I just pulled my aqualifter out of my ATO reservoir now, cleaned it with some nice hot water, and letting it air dry... I'm making 5G of fresh RO water into on my holding buckets, and will just use that externally of my stand for the next few days while I figure out how to get that 10G ATO tank out, cleaned with vinegar and replaced....

Here I am, battling the worst cyano outbreak of my life with a tiny bioload, and the water I'm working so hard to make sure is 0 TDS is actually 14+ TDS going into my tank.....

I've been chasing my tail the entire time and I feel like an idiot to be honest.

 

[Cubbies]

It could be the reason for your problems.

 

[xtlosx]

It could be the reason for your problems.

I'm beginning to think so... I have a bucket ready now, with my aqualifter in there and will see how that performs for several days.. I should see marked improvement rather quickly.

What is the growth and other crap in my ATO tank?!? Do you guys keep your covered? Powerheads inside to move water? Mine goes through about 8-10G every 5 days so I figured it was moving quick enough, but apparently not...

 

[nmbeg]

Geez wanna check mine now

 

[xtlosx]

Well my concern is, this is from the top 1-2" of water that I just filled from clean RO water about 45 minutes ago... Lord knows what the water by the growth on the bottom of my ATO tank is... I'm guessing I'm spinning my wheels pulled phosphates out and I'm just freely and nicely putting them right back in along with whatever weird bacteria that is.

 

[cet98]

I keep a 5.5gal glass tank in my stand that has a HDPE panel covering it...I have no residue, detritus or growth buildup anywhere...I also keep it in a dark cabinet so no light source to speak of....no pump and the tank lasts a week before I need to add more RO/DI water....

 

[xtlosx]

I keep a 5.5gal glass tank in my stand that has a HDPE panel covering it...I have no residue, detritus or growth buildup anywhere...I also keep it in a dark cabinet so no light source to speak of....no pump and the tank lasts a week before I need to add more RO/DI water....

My tank is sitting on the end of my stand, and gets light from the fuge light... Now I need to figure out how to isolated it (wrapping it in something that prevents light) and keeping it clean...

Regardless, I will pull it this weekend, clean it real well and put it back in service all the while monitoring it. Thinking I need to cover it somehow now too.

edit: Where did you get your HDPE panel? I'm thinking I need to do the same thing...

 

[cet98]

I bought a sheet from Menards...its a black panel and helps keep out light from above. ...

 

[xtlosx]

I bought a sheet from Menards...its a black panel and helps keep out light from above. ...

Wow.. Disgusting.. So I just put my hand in my ATO tank for the first since last December really, and I just scrubbed off a film of jelly like bacteria from the bottom, the sides everywhere... What the heck?!?! Disgusting.... No wonder I've been having issues.

So I'm going to empty it this weekend, clean it, and get a top for this thing to keep bad stuff out, maybe even put a sheet on the side to keep it light free completely.

Disgusting.... absolutely awful. If this cures my problems, it's going to be a Christmas miracle. What a stupid thing to have to worry about.

 

[StaySalty]

What a stupid thing to have to worry about.

Yea seriously, considering how many things we have to worry about in this hobby you'd think we would catch a break with a simple container with rodi water.

 

[xtlosx]

Yea seriously, considering how many things we have to worry about in this hobby you'd think we would catch a break with a simple container with rodi water.

Literally just ran my finger along the glass and the "jelly" like crap just pulled irght off and brown'ish stuff floated all in my top off tank. No wonder things got worse the longer I went from a water change. I ended up feeding my tank the very garbage I was ripping out.

I need a drink....... or several now.

 

[StaySalty]

Haha well atleast you've got it sorted. Should be an improvement from here on out.

I haven't setup my ato yet but the same thing happened to me in my salt mixing container. Nothing except RODI water and reef crystals salt touched this 32 gal grey food grade brute can that I was using for mixing up saltwater.

One day i just happened to look inside during the day and found the same brown filmy looking junk in the container. Later I found out that I wasn't the only one to experience that with reef crystals. Apparently now we know we can get it just from pure rodi water. I wonder what causes that...

 

[xtlosx]

Thinking this time I'm going to put a small powerhead in there to keep the water moving? Maybe that or upon covering it like a fortress with HDPE I should have better luck...

This might be one of those maintenance items that gets scrubbed and cleaned once every quarter or something now.

 

[Peka]

This is interesting. I'm going to have to check mine now. Always something we don't think of checking. Thanks for sharing this.