hansnfrans
New member
If I only use RO water in my tanks, will my phosphates be almost non-existant, or do phosphates come from other places too?
Where do phosphates come from?
- Thread starter hansnfrans
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DaRealDvs1
New member
I believe RO does not remove Phos.
hansnfrans
New member
Does DI remove any phosphates?
hansnfrans
New member
My whole reason for the original question is I am battling brown diatoms right now in my 29 gallon reef.
mm949
New member
if the tank is less than 6 months..if your chemistry is right on this should burn itself out in a few weeks...minimize light to 6 hours till cured....carbon will help....if it has live rock use a baster or small pump a blow out the core of the rock weekly till no more stuff comes out...everything organic that breaks down will produce po4...clean any and all mechanical filters weekly...finer/lower micron is preffered....
DaRealDvs1
New member
I definitely never said it added to it......
just doesn't remove them if your local water has it.
Rod Buehler
New member
Great post. Especially about the "anything organic that breaks down will produce po4." But, thats why I dislike filtersocks.. They allow the detritus to be trapped and then broken down by the water passing over/through the detritus. Then po4 is produced.
Without the socks, the skimmer and filterfeeders will remove the detritus befor it has a chance to break down and convert to po4.
Before its broken down, its easy to remove, but once its broken down, its pretty tough.
Diatoms are usually fed by silicates. RO will not remove silicates, but DI will.
MiddletonMark
Premium Member
FWIW, when I let my DI cartridge get spent [and start leaching stuff back, higher TDS after it] - I got diatoms.
Phosphate is introduced in food, too. The tank will need to process or export it continually [on a small fashion] ... whether through consumption by filter feeders/etc, skimming, water changing/debris removal - the quicker the better, whichever method IMO.
I ran some phosphate tests on a few different frozen foods...mysis, Formula 2, flakes and some skimmate even for fun. I had borrowed a very expensive digital Hanna phosphate colorimiter to do it.
Now I am by no means a scientist and this was not intended to be a scientific test...just a guy, melting some cubes in 10 ml's of RO/DI water and testing the clear water after letting things melt/dissolve for an hour.
The numbers ranged from 1.5 to 2.5 mg/L of phosphate....Bearing in mind, I start sweating when my tank gets over .03 mg/L.
Also bearing in mind that this was a tiny water sample, so that amount of Phos distributed through my 425 gallon system would be small.
So yes...As we expect, there's phosphates in food, frozen or otherwise.
Now I am by no means a scientist and this was not intended to be a scientific test...just a guy, melting some cubes in 10 ml's of RO/DI water and testing the clear water after letting things melt/dissolve for an hour.
The numbers ranged from 1.5 to 2.5 mg/L of phosphate....Bearing in mind, I start sweating when my tank gets over .03 mg/L.
Also bearing in mind that this was a tiny water sample, so that amount of Phos distributed through my 425 gallon system would be small.
So yes...As we expect, there's phosphates in food, frozen or otherwise.
hansnfrans
New member
how expensive are DI kits?
You mean the DI filters for an RO unit?
Add-on kits are $30-$50....Resin refills are all over the map depending on what you get. If you buy pre-packaged ones, they are like $30 each. I buy bulk DI resin and split it with friends, 50 pounds at a time, so my refills are like $3 each. You can get resin refills on-line at a number of places.
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mm949
New member
the bags aid in removing the detirtus BEFORE it has a chance to breakdown.....i have used bags to actually lower po4 in the tank without chemicals...any mechanical filter that is abused will degrade water quality..bags are a very useful tool...you can gravel vac with them and they are very easy to change and clean..unlike the dreaded "sponge filters"...i have never had a bag filter produce po4...:eek2:
craftytony
OT Godfather
I am very interested in Rod's belief in not using filter bags. I do believe they aid in removing detritus before it has a chance to breakdown, but only if you make sure to change your bags regularly. Matt, how do you clean your bags? I wash mine in the washing machine, then soak in bleach, then soak in water with chlorine remover. This has gotten to be a pain. And I find myself not changing the bags soon enough.
Rod, I'll have to stop by sometime this week so you can explain your philosophy on this matter more
Rod, I'll have to stop by sometime this week so you can explain your philosophy on this matter more
Rod Buehler
New member
Every method can work, but I cant help thinking that the water passing over/through the detritus that is trapped in the bag is being broken down somewhat before it is being removed, and... from your post....
If the detritus is not being traped with water passing through it breaking it down, it can be removed a little easier. (filter feeders and skimmers can remove the detritus, but cannot remove broken down detritus/po4)
Running socks work well for you and many others and if it works, go with it. I am just sharing my views and why I personaly dont use them
If the detritus is not being traped with water passing through it breaking it down, it can be removed a little easier. (filter feeders and skimmers can remove the detritus, but cannot remove broken down detritus/po4)
Running socks work well for you and many others and if it works, go with it. I am just sharing my views and why I personaly dont use them
