Am I Loco?
- Thread starter bigbris1
- Start date
- Status
- Location
- Brooklyn, NY
So in = tap---Fine
Out = RO----Fine
Where is the 3rd waste line going? You seem to indicate that it is looped back into the Out w/ the RO somehow which means you are mixing the RO and the waste which essentially gives you the same water as before it went through the RO membrane. Why bother at all? You are accomplishing nothing for your water quality beyond passing it through the micron and carbon stages prior to the RO membrane. Just pull the RO membrane altogether and filter through the micron and carbon and you'll have fine drinking water without waste ( think Brita) and then you can run the same ( ill-fated imo) experiment on your aquarium you intend to run on carbon filtered tap water.
Drinking water has plenty of minerals in it and thus a measurable TDS, so I don't understand your last post at all. Reef Aquarium water needs to be VERY low in TDS for long -term success. NYC tap water is quite low in TDS, but one thing it is not low in is PO4 which is actually added to the water supply and carbon and micron filters will not remove it. RO membranes and/or DI resins will.
- Location
- Kings Park, NY
They are all still here but we're not "Haters". We hate the fact your performing "Tests" with living things for your own personal fact finding mission instead of listening to all of those who have tried to give you a "Clue".
I just got new filters for my RO/DI unit today (Thanks Russ) and here are my numbers.
Tap (In) = 161
Waste = 217
RO (Out) = 0
This is out of a 4 stage Coralife. It's running at 2:1 waste to RO which for me is plenty acceptable.
But I have to ask what the article you posted was supposed to prove/show ?
- Location
- Bay Ridge, BK
I'm still here, not a hater, just 100% sure you will have a healthy algae display in due time. We go through this often on the online reefkeeping forums. Someone like yourself will come along, think they are special and have found some magic way to either A. not do water changes, B. not filter their water properly C. keep animals that they aren't ready for alive.
It always ends poorly. You would be better off to listen and have a successful tank than ignore all the people who are giving you good advice and eventually kill your animals and succeed in growing lots of algae. Perhaps you like green? Here is a picture of something you can achieve if you keep going at the current rate.
Of course, you will disappear by that time nor will you share with us when you start seeing little patches of algae start forming. My guess is you will buy some more fish to take care of it.... then you will eventually give up.
It always ends poorly. You would be better off to listen and have a successful tank than ignore all the people who are giving you good advice and eventually kill your animals and succeed in growing lots of algae. Perhaps you like green? Here is a picture of something you can achieve if you keep going at the current rate.
- Location
- Kings Park, NY
He does have the title "Algae Farmer" 
Sorry I missed this question you posted earlier Randy, I'm just ignoring the teens and tweens here.
Before I set the tank up I had the RO and wastewater teed to the same line and that's what we were drinking. As per the bottled water link I posted earlier, I think drinking that water was harmless.
I started the tank (cycling the rock) with conditioned tap water. Then I filled the tank with the same water we were drinking, a mix of RO & wastewater figuring if we could drink it, the fish can live in it.
IMHO 30-40ppm TDS isn't gonna kill us.
Also, I knew the rock would be leeching minerals back into the water so using pure RO would be fruitless at that point.
After setting up the tank, I "rewired" the RO filter in that the wastewater goes up to the faucet (for now) and the RO water goes into my bucket. I also added 1 micron sediment filter and 5 micron carbon filters yesterday.
After further testing I got a rating of 0ppm TDS at the RO out while the faucet (wastewater) was running. When I turn the faucet off the RO out goes as high as 10ppm TDS.
I have yet to test the wastewater for TDS but since it is so low from the tap I feel this is unnecessary.
I did test for PO4 and got a measurable reading so going forward I will use 0ppm TDS RO water for the tank and utilize a PO4 additive (like Phosban) to adsorb PO4 for the long-term success of the tank.
Thanks for posting here and I look forward to lengthening our discussion.
I reworked the tubing to the RO unit so for drinking water we have basically filtered water going thru the sediment & carbon filters and up to the faucet. Waste water goes in the drain via a saddle valve (didn't realize I still had one on there). RO water goes into the bucket albeit veeeery slowly.
Also, I realized that the way I had it before, the faucet was acting like a flow restrictor of sorts forcing more water over the membrane. I just have to add a ball valve to the waste line to restrict flow a bit more and that should make for slightly more flow of RO.
I'm happy with this setup.
Also, I realized that the way I had it before, the faucet was acting like a flow restrictor of sorts forcing more water over the membrane. I just have to add a ball valve to the waste line to restrict flow a bit more and that should make for slightly more flow of RO.
I'm happy with this setup.
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Aaaaaand we have diatoms!
Got a diatom bloom that started yesterday. Tank params:
PH: ~8.0
NH3/4: ~0.0
NO2: ~0.50
NO3: ~0.10
PO4: ~0.25
Ca: 400
dKH: ~12
Temp: ~80
Gonna do a 20-25% wc then wait it out.
Dosing C-Balance as needed.
Still have the yellow tang, coral beauty, 2 firefish, banded goby, like 4-5 blue legged hermits, 2 red legged hermits, 2 nassarius snails and 1 turbo snail. 30 coral pieces including LPS, SPS, softies, a sponge and a gorg.
Feeding mysis & seaweed salad twice daily.
Thought you haterz might like to know.
Got a diatom bloom that started yesterday. Tank params:
PH: ~8.0
NH3/4: ~0.0
NO2: ~0.50
NO3: ~0.10
PO4: ~0.25
Ca: 400
dKH: ~12
Temp: ~80
Gonna do a 20-25% wc then wait it out.
Dosing C-Balance as needed.
Still have the yellow tang, coral beauty, 2 firefish, banded goby, like 4-5 blue legged hermits, 2 red legged hermits, 2 nassarius snails and 1 turbo snail. 30 coral pieces including LPS, SPS, softies, a sponge and a gorg.
Feeding mysis & seaweed salad twice daily.
Thought you haterz might like to know.
- Location
- Kings Park, NY
Enough of the Haterz I'm pretty sure you can spell.
PH is a little low. with your phosphates as high as they are your diatom bloom is going to be followed by a hell of an algae bloom. I'm curious why it's that high. I'm guessing this was the water made by mixing the waste water back in and/or before the filter change?
I'm pretty sure you can spell.PH is a little low. with your phosphates as high as they are your diatom bloom is going to be followed by a hell of an algae bloom. I'm curious why it's that high. I'm guessing this was the water made by mixing the waste water back in and/or before the filter change?
Enough of the Haterz
PH is a little low. with your phosphates as high as they are your diatom bloom is going to be followed by a hell of an algae bloom. I'm curious why it's that high. I'm guessing this was the water made by mixing the waste water back in and/or before the filter change?
Do you even have a tank set up yet???
No waste water going into my tank now, just pure RO. I'm guessing the extra nutrients are being leeched into the water either by feeding, the early water mixes, the rock, sand or a combo of all. My tank will rock. You'll see.
Feed into the nonsense all you want but I've done this before.
Thanks.
- Location
- Kings Park, NY
Yeah actually I do. I also had one setup in 1990. Hamilton MH and 2 VHO's. Amiracle wet/dry. Back than that was high tech. You ask a question than argue every answer you get so obviously you really don't need any of us or our advice. Any pictures of your tank?
Speaking of advice I'm going to do what my dad said to do if something was annoying. Ignore it.... Eventually it/they go away.
Sent from my DROIDX using Reefs
Speaking of advice I'm going to do what my dad said to do if something was annoying. Ignore it.... Eventually it/they go away.
Sent from my DROIDX using Reefs
It's funny you say that, I'm wishing you'd go away but you keep coming back. Part of what makes a great community is helping others. I know you think I buck at advice given but there's no one way to do things when it comes to reefing. With time you will learn that.
Now go away
Please.
I thought that most RO systems, come with a flow restrictor! (it's a small plug with a pin hole in it), check the instruction sheet for your system.
Chris Jury
Experienced Reefer
- Location
- Kaneohe, HI
It's good there's a diverse community here, because I for one simply have zero patience for antics like this. My approach: come ask some questions in a few months, after you've killed several hundred dollars worth of livestock and are ready to listen.
It's good this is a diverse, patient community
It's good this is a diverse, patient community
the 'downside' is, that you will have less waste water :champagne for the family to enjoy!
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