Daily algae battle from the sun

Thanks for the offer but I'll pass on the drive to Conesus. I'm going to find a TDS around here and get it tested at this point. It seems to be needed.

Other than that I had actually posted this for a way to battle the algae not eliminate it's growth. I had just accepted that the algae was going to grow like nuts and I just want to combat it with snails or something similar. I ended up with more information to help diagnose the tank.

CaliDreamin - Wouldn't hooking up an RO unit to the faucet take days to make enough for a water change?

Steve - Those were the exact words he used and he's said it to me more than once in the last two years.
 
I started using a RO/DI when I switched my 55 from fish only to reef. I had a lot of HA on the live rock. Within about 2 months worth of regular water changes it was gone.

I threw hermit crabs, turbo snails, mower blennies, sea hares, etc at the problem. IMO, cleanup crews can't eat it quickly enough.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14950238#post14950238 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by CaliDreaminjC
PS- I would be VERY surprised if the claim of Tom at TRS using tap in his tanks were true. I will most certainly ask! :)
Click to expand...

I was kinda surprised at that too but when I popped over there this afternoon to finally see the FW section (awesome) I asked him and it is true. I should've asked him if he treated the tap water w/ anything before using it but I always think of those questions after the fact... :rolleyes:
 
I pretty sure he dumps it right in. He'll respond with people make this hobby harder than they need to.

Steve - Thanks!
 
I guess I stand corrected, about Tom using tap water. That is very interesting.

I think I am going to continue with using RO/DI water though
 
Don't care who uses what. Tap water is generally a problem and unpredictable. Sunlight is usually a plus.
 
I agree. If someone is having long term success using tap water for reef tanks, then they are the exception and not the rule.
 
Personally,

I'm hooking an RO unit up for myself real soon.

But in the interim, I've been using either purchased RO & even "Distilled Water" and I've been having a lot better luck with it in my personal experience.

Ever since I stopped using TAP for anything, my results have been better. I live near the same region as you, my water is supposed to be pretty clean & good too.

But regardless of that, I still think purer water works better for salt tanks in comparison to any tap.

So it seems to me that I agree with what most of you guys have said for advice.

I think your problem is TAP Water too.

It's certainly possible that Tom at trs also uses only tap on his systems as well. But he may still have a decent pre treatment & possible more extensive maintenance / cleaning schedule with those tanks in the shop. Than some people at "home" have the time for.

I will say one thing on TOM, however he does it. He's never steered me wrong on any of the advice he did give. 'An however done, I love those tanks of his! You can't deny that.

But things done in a shop/business can not always be done by one person with a more limited schedule at home.

I am the guy who takes care of my tanks at home. TRS & other shops have multiple employees working there constantly doing things. Some things when the shop is not even open. There's help, unlike at home where there is more limited schedules & people to work on it all.

I would still reccomend RO for the at home hobbyist when you can.
 
I completely support using tap water but I do completely agree with you. If my living situation were a little more permanent I would have one set up and I will when I can.

In the mean time I'm going to test the water and load it up with nasarious snails. All coral is living well. Softies only so it's no huge rush. I'll keep you posted on what it tests at.

I'll write back in the morning.
 
What is the tds(total disolved solids ) on that best water in the world. Do you know what's in it.? Do you have copper pipes? Oops.
Free copper can kill invertebrates even at levels well below hobby grade test kits can detect. Not to mention: phospates, nitrates, silicate,arsenic and a host of harmful heavy metals,chlorine and chlorimene,etc. Why test ? Every time you do a water change you may be changing the chemistry.
 
No I agree. That's why I said I'm going to set one up for my own tank when I can. I'd rather run RO water but I know that you can have great success with tap (at least my tap). This is my mothers tank and coral is living fine. So there isn't anything in her tap water that's too bad.
 
maybe your tap waters quality was better over the winter when it was much colder, and now its warming up.

at least when I lived in AZ, they said if you put tap water in the fridge for a day it will improve its quality. The cold would help kill some of the bad stuff.
 
space is tight in our place. i use a faucet adapter. it only takes a couple of seconds to hook up. also use it to make ro drinking water.
 
If you're hooking a unit up to your faucet how long do you let it sit there in order to do a water change? I have to do 35 gallon minimum changes and that's not going to be made in just a couple hours.
 
I called my local water company about the parameters of the water. He told me that they add some kind of phosphates to the water. He then informed me that the town that I live in has 3 RO filling stations that I can use for free. Just a little sweat and lifting. He also gave me 2 55 gallon drums that they used for chlorine and he cleaned them out for me. Was the best call I could have made because I noticed a difference immediately. They add ozone to the water too so it is an added bonus.
 
I would definitely test for chlorine in those free drums after you have water soaking in them for a few days, could get very bad if that got in your tank!

its going to be pretty tough to get rid of the chlorine that was being stored in it. It goes into the plastic and is near impossible to get out. power washing won't ever work.
 
I was told that the chlorine would dissapate. Looking at one of the drums, the only thing I can read is the first 4 letters of what it contained and that is Sodi....The guy didn't know exactly what was stored in it, but I didn't think that plastic absorbed much of anything. I only use about 5 gallons of it every other day. I fill a bucket and have a 1/8" tubing that does 3 drips per second in the fuge to keep up with evaporation. Can't afford a ATO right now, so I just came up with that.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14990729#post14990729 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dalee26
....The guy didn't know exactly what was stored in it....
Click to expand...

Vessels with that type of description tend to stay far away from my system ;)
 
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