Dry Rock Leach

[E46Twist]

Okay do I have been cooking 50 lbs of dry rock in this order: Tap water changed out every few days for 2 weeks, then put the rock in a bath of RODI and 10% vinegar for a few days, then vinegar up to %25 for a couple more days. Then another rodi soak for a week, then a good pressure wash. It then sat for almost a month so I gave it another rodi bath. TDS went from 0 to 147 overnight. Now I know rock is just going to leach stuff, but I was wondering if you guys had an idea if this is high or low for rock leach. Also it is a mix of all sorts of different rock.

 

[disc1]

Okay do I have been cooking 50 lbs of dry rock in this order: Tap water changed out every few days for 2 weeks, then put the rock in a bath of RODI and 10% vinegar for a few days, then vinegar up to %25 for a couple more days. Then another rodi soak for a week, then a good pressure wash. It then sat for almost a month so I gave it another rodi bath. TDS went from 0 to 147 overnight. Now I know rock is just going to leach stuff, but I was wondering if you guys had an idea if this is high or low for rock leach. Also it is a mix of all sorts of different rock.

TDS won't tell you that. That could be calcium or it could be phosphate. Or it could be CO2 from the air and isn't related to the rock at all. In reality it is probably a mix of these things and more.

Test for the thing you care about. If it's phosphate then test for phosphate.

 

[JMorris271]

Do you have any annacharis or water hyacinth? Will suck phosphates right up.

 

[E46Twist]

I do not, I also do not have a freshwater phos test kit, guess I need to get one.

 

[Ztrain]

You do RODI to get rid of the stuff you don't want that you don't know about. But almost right after you've made it, the contaminants start pouring back in. Obviously your not going to be getting stuff like chlorine etc. But there is gasses and bacteria in the air. Residues on your containers etc. You are adding a ton of stuff when you add salt mix too it. As long as you've filtered it for the bad stuff you don't know about and are careful not not introduce stuff you should be okay.