Silicate and copper problems

[Scotty Fraiser]

According to a water test Svc. My silica is testing 1 mg/l. Copper is testing .09 mg/l. Doing a 15 percent water change every 14 days. Tank is about 4 years old and these tests are consistent. I am using a rodi unit and an auto top off. Changed all filters in unit a couple months ago. Running brs Gfo in a reactor. Changing 2 cups every thirty days. Any other suggestions to reduce silica and copper. My water is cruddy going into my rodi unit. 430 tds going in and around 2 coming out. When I changed all filters it dropped to 0 but was back up to two within 50 gall of filtering. Can't afford to change them weekly!!!

 

[Gregcoyote]

Where's the copper coming from? The silica can be imported in some salts and Purigen will help remove it, but the copper is a different matter. Was anything in the tank ever exposed to copper medications?

I would double check the copper test.


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[Scotty Fraiser]

No copper treatments of any kind. Always used rodi since new. Guy at water testing Svc made a special note that he checked it twice!!????

 

[Gregcoyote]

It has to be entering the system somewhere. Broken heater, something dropped into the tank, something. Copper doesn't just materialize. Although .09mg/l doesn't seem like very much.

Anyone else have any ideas?


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[Gregcoyote]

Look at this:

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-04/rhf/feature/

This is fascinating. The copper could be coming from your foods.


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[Scotty Fraiser]

Tank hasn't had a heater in it since March. Is it possible rodi isn't removing all of it?

 

[Gregcoyote]

I would not suspect the RO/DI. Natural seawater has about .25ppb (billion) of copper. Not sure how that translates into .09mg/l.


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[Ingy]

.09 mg/l = .09 ppm or 90 ppb


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[Gregcoyote]

That seems like a lot of metallic copper.


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[Gregcoyote]

.09 mg/l = .09 ppm or 90 ppb


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What's the concentration when we treat with copper? I haven't used it for 25 years.


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