RO/DI Questions

[Skujio]

Evening stick heads! Looking for some second opinions in light of the situation im in. So the story goes I've been struggling since the start with most all acropora and just recently I've seen a decline in full tank health as a whole. Lately I've been upping water changes to be on top of weekly maintainance and this is when I observe a drastic change in coloration and tissue health.

Parameters are as follows.

Salinity - 1.026
Temp - Always between 78.0 and 79.0 F
Alk - 8q+ dkh
Cal - 470
Nitrate - 25
Phos - .17
Running carbon in TLF reactor
Reverse Photo fuge

Recently I've added a calcium reactor to the system and its kept alk stable to the point of 7.5 to 8.5

I have a hunch that it may be my source water leaching chloramines even through the 4 stage RODI system and chloramine block. Has anyone ever ran into this problem?





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[minus9]

I run a 7 stage system and I still get worried about stuff getting through. I just sent in an ATI ICP test, which also tests your RO DI water. $45 well doesn't for peace of mind.


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[Skujio]

I run a 7 stage system and I still get worried about stuff getting through. I just sent in an ATI ICP test, which also tests your RO DI water. $45 well doesn't for peace of mind.


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I may have to bite the bullet and send in ICP alongside upgrading my RODI. What I see usually is not a bleaching or a browning out or no bite marks on affected acropora. The tissue slowly "dries out" and burns away, not even rtn.

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[minus9]

A few things can cause that, low iodine being one, but it's well worth the money getting an ICP test. Like I mentioned, ATI tests your RO DI as well. I've used Triton in the past, but they don't offer the RO test.


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[Skujio]

A few things can cause that, low iodine being one, but it's well worth the money getting an ICP test. Like I mentioned, ATI tests your RO DI as well. I've used Triton in the past, but they don't offer the RO test.


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Ordering an ATI test now

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[Opus123]

You can just buy a test kit and do it your self. Bulk Reef Supply sells them.

 

[Skujio]

You can just buy a test kit and do it your self. Bulk Reef Supply sells them.

A chloramine test kit I assume?

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[Opus123]

A chloramine test kit I assume?

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You have to compare total chlorine vs free chlorine. Looks like the Hanna colorimeters are more accurate but a lot more expensive. Worth it though if you want to test your RO water on a regular basis to see when chloramines are getting past your carbon filters. I've seen people post that they just go to a pool store and buy the total chlorine and free chlorine test kits there and they work fine. In the link below they talk about how to read the strips for chloramines and they also have a video.

Disclaimer: My water doesn't have chloramines so I've never used any of these products, I'm just going by what I've read. I do put a few drops of Seachem's Prime in my RO water just in case it has any chlorine still in it.

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/insta-test-free-total-chlorine-strips-lamotte.html

 

[Skujio]

You have to compare total chlorine vs free chlorine. Looks like the Hanna colorimeters are more accurate but a lot more expensive. Worth it though if you want to test your RO water on a regular basis to see when chloramines are getting past your carbon filters. I've seen people post that they just go to a pool store and buy the total chlorine and free chlorine test kits there and they work fine. In the link below they talk about how to read the strips for chloramines and they also have a video.

Disclaimer: My water doesn't have chloramines so I've never used any of these products, I'm just going by what I've read. I do put a few drops of Seachem's Prime in my RO water just in case it has any chlorine still in it.

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/insta-test-free-total-chlorine-strips-lamotte.html

Appreciate everyone's input [emoji106]

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[ThRoewer]

Would it actually help to catch whatever chloramines may make it through the RO/DI system if you add an additional carbon block as an additional final stage?

 

[bshow24]

On another note, nitrate and phosphates are a bit high. My SPS freak out if nitrates are above 10 and phosphates above .1. Plus algae starts to show up.

Ideally, I am for nitrates between 2 and 5, and phosphates around .03

 

[Systemwizardinc]

I run a 7 stage system and it looks like it takes every thing out

 

[Uncle99]

On another note, nitrate and phosphates are a bit high. My SPS freak out if nitrates are above 10 and phosphates above .1. Plus algae starts to show up.

Ideally, I am for nitrates between 2 and 5, and phosphates around .03

^^^^^THIS^^^^^^^

25 nitrate and .17 phosphate is too high

Those numbers posted above are right on point!