Tank and Coral issues

Just got off the phone with a worker from a local water district who wishes to remain unnamed.

What he had to say was very disturbing. He sais most of the local water districts are reporting very high amounts of heavy metals. They two leading they way are copper and lead. This guy actually knew a little about our hobby. He also spoke of the high amounts of Barium, extremely high numbers to be exact. With the amounts they are seeing he sais it's not hard to have traces make it through our RODI systems no matter how many filters you add. I asked him why Glenn was not seeing issues. He said certain areas of Roseville were the very last communities to go on ground water. And are most likely using newer full aquifers. While the rest of us are getting water from very old next to dry DEEP water wells. Water that's been down there a very long time absorbing minerals.

So I reached out to some people who have been in this hobby for a long time and have some expertise in this ie: Randy Holmes Farley.

What was recommended was to aggressively attack the heavy metals since they cause the most damage. And he agreed with something I heard from somebody else. Alternate between GFO and Rowaphos. Since Rowaphos is aluminum based it will remove the Barium and after 3 weeks use gfo as it will remove the aluminum while adding some barium. I am also going to try and get my hands on a new product by two little fishes called heavy metal remover.

I did just 2 days ago add new poly filter (the brand not type). And new rowaphos.

I also plan on contacting Triton to see about shipping several samples if water over to Germany to have it run through the ICP since the us operation isn't up and running yet. It appears it will be about $40 per sample. If we can get 7 to 10 of us to go together we might be able to save on shipping. But according to them we will be able to see exactly what's there and how much. They did say in Germany they constantly battle copper and barium with well water and that they find it making it through RODI systems all the time.

PM me if interested in sending your sample to Triton with me.
 
Just got off the phone with a worker from a local water district who wishes to remain unnamed.

What he had to say was very disturbing. He sais most of the local water districts are reporting very high amounts of heavy metals. They two leading they way are copper and lead. This guy actually knew a little about our hobby. He also spoke of the high amounts of Barium, extremely high numbers to be exact. With the amounts they are seeing he sais it's not hard to have traces make it through our RODI systems no matter how many filters you add. I asked him why Glenn was not seeing issues. He said certain areas of Roseville were the very last communities to go on ground water. And are most likely using newer full aquifers. While the rest of us are getting water from very old next to dry DEEP water wells. Water that's been down there a very long time absorbing minerals.

So I reached out to some people who have been in this hobby for a long time and have some expertise in this ie: Randy Holmes Farley.

What was recommended was to aggressively attack the heavy metals since they cause the most damage. And he agreed with something I heard from somebody else. Alternate between GFO and Rowaphos. Since Rowaphos is aluminum based it will remove the Barium and after 3 weeks use gfo as it will remove the aluminum while adding some barium. I am also going to try and get my hands on a new product by two little fishes called heavy metal remover.

I did just 2 days ago add new poly filter (the brand not type). And new rowaphos.

I also plan on contacting Triton to see about shipping several samples if water over to Germany to have it run through the ICP since the us operation isn't up and running yet. It appears it will be about $40 per sample. If we can get 7 to 10 of us to go together we might be able to save on shipping. But according to them we will be able to see exactly what's there and how much. They did say in Germany they constantly battle copper and barium with well water and that they find it making it through RODI systems all the time.

PM me if interested in sending your sample to Triton with me.

Am I reading this right? Rowaphos is aluminum based? I thought rowaphos was iron based which makes it a brownish red appearance. Seachems phosgaurd is aluminum based which gives it a white appearance. Unless the formula has changed?

Can someone chime in and verify?

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2004/6/review

+1 for the Triton test!
 
I am in -- tired of looking at the die off in my tank from this issue. Without knowing the exact issue we are chasing our tails
 
Am I reading this right? Rowaphos is aluminum based? I thought rowaphos was iron based which makes it a brownish red appearance. Seachems phosgaurd is aluminum based which gives it a white appearance. Unless the formula has changed?

I believe muttley is correct...
 
I believe muttley is correct...

Sorry, was just making sure.... Looks like Triton is coming to the US on Oct 15. Unique corals is taking the water samples.. Not trying to advertise just seeing if it may be cheaper in the future. Its on their homepage.
 
I had a sediment issue when the city switched to well water in January. After a month it went back to normal. My Tds currently hovers around 30.
 
I spoke to Sam -- he was getting his info from a Triton water testing video that was recommending rowaphos for removing Barium .. perhaps it is a different formulation in Europe. I also saw information in some of the forums discussing Triton water testing that was recommending rowaphos.

You are right Seachem is the Aluminum based phosphate remover that is for the removal of barium.

Sam also has additional information about what else is in the water that I am sure he will be posting later today.

About time for an investigative reporter to pay a call on our water district
 
I spoke to Sam -- he was getting his info from a Triton water testing video that was recommending rowaphos for removing Barium .. perhaps it is a different formulation in Europe. I also saw information in some of the forums discussing Triton water testing that was recommending rowaphos.

You are right Seachem is the Aluminum based phosphate remover that is for the removal of barium.

Sam also has additional information about what else is in the water that I am sure he will be posting later today.

About time for an investigative reporter to pay a call on our water district


Yeah, Rowa is huge in Europe for water treatment. They may use several different formulas... I am with you about the water .... May need to "Call 3" lol
 
What would the test consist of? Would it be testing tank water? Tap?

I'd think about doing it if someone else from the Elk Grove area doesn't, I think it would help to have tests from multiple areas to compare.
 
Hey guys. Take a good look at your RO systems. And tank. What me and Jeff noticed and was only confirmed by one source today is that the deeper wells they are using are hitting gas pockets. Who I spoke to didn't know how it would effect our systems but since after investigating our systems both of us have noticed oily film on glass and in our RODI systems. This really sux. I don't even know if the ICP can test for petroleum and how it would make it through our carbon and membranes. But I did notice right after all this started that after I took my hand out of my tank that it seemed to have an oily feeling after the water dried. When usually the salt in the tank made my skin dry.

An email went out to Triton earlier. I did ask if it would be faster if we waited for u.s. location to open or to ship to Germany. I wouldn't mind the extra cost as it would more than pay for itself even if I could just stop the death in the tank even a week earlier. I did run down the entire situation and gave a link to this thread.

Sorry about the Rowa phos mix up. In his most recent MACNA video he mentions Rowaphos as an aluminum based phosphate remover that also removes barium when it's at contaminant levels.
 
Hugo might have something here. What exactly does a water softening system do? I had seen my neighbor in Natomas have it installed. What does it remove? Calcium deposits, etc? That might be another option. You guys might have to temporarily get some water from your reef while a solution is found. I can only think your system will get better once good water replaces the bad water.
 
According to a website on water softening "The ion exchange process found in water softeners is a very effective way of removing up to 99.5% of barium from drinking water."

So that maybe why Hugo has good water if there is a excess of Barium in the water locally.
 
Hugo is in Antelope right? Is anyone else in Antelope having any issues? He may also be on just a good water source.
 

Similar threads

Back
Top