TDS reading and green hair algae problem!

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mrwizard

Aquarium Advice Freak
Joined
Oct 19, 2011
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470
Hey all, I've got an issue with green hair algae that's driving me up the wall! Everything was fine for a few months, only a few diatoms which quickly cleared up, then, BAM green hair algae was everywhere. Now my nitrates has always been around the twenty mark, not sure why or how, I've tested the water that comes out of my 4stage rodi unit and it tests 0.
I've tested for phosphate in the tank but that was 0 to but I'm guessing that's cause the hair algae is using it up?
So decided to test my Tds and it was at 75 :/ could this be my problem? And could my rodi cartridges need changing already? After only 4months? I thought it was every 6months they need to be changed?
Look at the state of the tank :( depressing looking at it.
 

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Ya that's a lot of algae.. the TDS reading can cause it over time but I think the issue is mainly a flow problem. Do you have any flow blowing into the rocks cause if debris can settle in the nooks of the rock it will break down and pretty much become algae fertilizer. What size is the tank with how many gph total? My brs 4 stage has been going for 9 months now with 3-4 TDS entering the Di 0 exiting, was yours brand new or used and do you utilize a flush kit?
 
Mrc8858 said:
Ya that's a lot of algae.. the TDS reading can cause it over time but I think the issue is mainly a flow problem. Do you have any flow blowing into the rocks cause if debris can settle in the nooks of the rock it will break down and pretty much become algae fertilizer. What size is the tank with how many gph total? My brs 4 stage has been going for 9 months now with 3-4 TDS entering the Di 0 exiting, was yours brand new or used and do you utilize a flush kit?

Yeah tell me about it, hate looking at it nowadays!
I have 1 p/h pointed at the front glass and the other pointed at the back, trying to keep any debris floating around suspended in the water column til the weir can suck it up and get caught in the filter sock, which I change every 3days, sounds like my plan isn't working lol, do you think getting a p/h just to blow at the rocks would help solve it?
The tank is a 90gallon with a 20g sump, over the top of my head I can't remember the total gph, I'll go thru my build thread and get back to you on that one.
Yeah I bought the rodi unit brand new, and i flush it after every use, I have some of the resin that goes in one of the cartridges spare some I'm gonna change that out as soon as, I need to pick up the other two so ill try do that this weekend, it was giving me a 0 Tds reading when I first started, gonna have to test it every time I use it from now on just to be safe.
 
The best way to get rid of green hair algae and long term prevention of nitrates and phosphates in my finding has been the "vodka method". I use regular sky vodka, for your size tank you do 24 drops every other day. For long term care 24 drops a week. It cleared my tank of all hair algae and dropped phosphates and nitrates completely to zero in one week. It will not harm coral or fish!!! It works great!
 
Lacie257 said:
The best way to get rid of green hair algae and long term prevention of nitrates and phosphates in my finding has been the "vodka method". I use regular sky vodka, for your size tank you do 24 drops every other day. For long term care 24 drops a week. It cleared my tank of all hair algae and dropped phosphates and nitrates completely to zero in one week. It will not harm coral or fish!!! It works great!

Really? Vodka? Are you pulling my leg lol, never hear of this method, I'll have a read up on it thanks. Was thinking the nitrates were coming from the base rock I used, I never cleaned them before going in tank, might be a cause might not be I'm at a loss As to where the trates come from lol
 
mfdrookie516 said:
Where are you testing TDS? In the tank or the new water before it has been mixed?

I'm testing new water before its mixed, it's off the scale if I test the tank lol. I use a water butt to store my ro water, I've never tested it for anything after it goes in there, I'll have to do that an see what results I get.
 
Ok, just wanted to make sure. Those guidelines for replacing membranes and resins are just that... guidelines. What most people don't consider when dealing with RO/DI replacements is that water quality varies from place to place. A TDS reading of your tap water would help figure out exactly what the cause may be. If you have nasty water coming in, it's going to use up the resin a lot quicker than it would if you had very clean, low TDS water to begin with. I'd start there.
 
mrwizard said:
Really? Vodka? Are you pulling my leg lol, never hear of this method, I'll have a read up on it thanks. Was thinking the nitrates were coming from the base rock I used, I never cleaned them before going in tank, might be a cause might not be I'm at a loss As to where the trates come from lol

I'm really not joking! I was so nervous to try it at first but the results are unreal! It made my tank look beautiful! I've also heard its best to use a higher quality vodka I.e. sky, svedka is actually what I use. I use a children's medicine dropper to put it in there! Makes maintaining your tank a dream! ?
 
mfdrookie516 said:
Ok, just wanted to make sure. Those guidelines for replacing membranes and resins are just that... guidelines. What most people don't consider when dealing with RO/DI replacements is that water quality varies from place to place. A TDS reading of your tap water would help figure out exactly what the cause may be. If you have nasty water coming in, it's going to use up the resin a lot quicker than it would if you had very clean, low TDS water to begin with. I'd start there.

Ok I'll go test the tap water now, be bk with results shortly.
 
Lacie257 said:
I'm really not joking! I was so nervous to try it at first but the results are unreal! It made my tank look beautiful! I've also heard its best to use a higher quality vodka I.e. sky, svedka is actually what I use. I use a children's medicine dropper to put it in there! Makes maintaining your tank a dream! dde01

Sounds gd, gonna have a read up on it tonight. As long as my fish don't start swimming in circles drunk I'm open to suggestions haha
 
Just tested my tap water, it tested at 230ppm :0 definitely gonna change all the cartridges this weekend if I get chance to go to the Lfs. Might see if I can pick up a Powerhead to point at my rocks 2. I need this hair algae gone so I can enjoy my tank again.
 
I'd be inclined to only replace the resin at this point. I'd say your membrane will need to be replaced more often than the typical guideline, but the resin is a lot cheaper to replace, and it's likely the only thing that needs replaced right now.
 
The vodka/vinegar/sugar methods are just dosing carbon. The same results can be achieved with a biopellet reactor. And dosing carbon is not the same as running carbon.
 
mrwizard said:
Sounds gd, gonna have a read up on it tonight. As long as my fish don't start swimming in circles drunk I'm open to suggestions haha

I won't make your fish drunk haha, you are putting in such a small amount it doesn't affect them what so ever. Read up on it. I did my research before trying and like I said it has worked very well for me!
 
mfdrookie516 said:
I'd be inclined to only replace the resin at this point. I'd say your membrane will need to be replaced more often than the typical guideline, but the resin is a lot cheaper to replace, and it's likely the only thing that needs replaced right now.

That's perfect I have a tub of resin here already, I'll change it tomorrow and make some water, see what results I get back. I can't remember 100% but I'm sure it said replace the membrane every 12months but I'm just gonna change it at 6 like the cartridges.
 
The tank in the picture is 90 gallons? I have a 50 and it looks way bigger. What are your dimentions? My first thought when I saw your pictures is 6 fish is too many for a 30 gallon tank but maybe the picture is deceiving....
 
Animal-Chin said:
The tank in the picture is 90 gallons? I have a 50 and it looks way bigger. What are your dimentions? My first thought when I saw your pictures is 6 fish is too many for a 30 gallon tank but maybe the picture is deceiving....

Haha yeah it is, it's 3ft across the front, 2 1/2ft deep and 2ft front to back. And there's 8 fish lol, the engineer goby and a starry blenny aren't so camera friendly lol.
 
Ok, just wanted to make sure. Those guidelines for replacing membranes and resins are just that... guidelines. What most people don't consider when dealing with RO/DI replacements is that water quality varies from place to place. A TDS reading of your tap water would help figure out exactly what the cause may be. If you have nasty water coming in, it's going to use up the resin a lot quicker than it would if you had very clean, low TDS water to begin with. I'd start there.

This is the issue with my water. It is awful and my resin only lasts about a month of making enough for top off and weekly 10% changes for my 55 and 36.
 
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