High nitrate question....help!

[cmor1701d]

I switched my 100gpd membrane to a 150. The 150 has a 98% rejection rate and I am getting much better performance.

Remember to waste the first 3 - 4 gallons when you put the new membrane and DI in.

How are you making your PWC water/mix?
Are you using a heater and a small power head to mix?

 

[bavass]

I switched my 100gpd membrane to a 150. The 150 has a 98% rejection rate and I am getting much better performance.

Remember to waste the first 3 - 4 gallons when you put the new membrane and DI in.

How are you making your PWC water/mix?
Are you using a heater and a small power head to mix?

I might have to look into that instead of going down to 75gpd.

I run my for 20-30min when I replace the DI.

When I make my PWC water/mix I use the 5 gallon plastic jugs that are for water fountains. So I cant use a heater or a powerhead. My temps stay pretty constant and I use a airpump and wooden air stones for 24-48 hours before doing the pwc.

 

[johnmaloney]

So I added the clean up crew some sand stiring snails. 3 hours later nitrates are up to 15 ppm! Could that just be nitrates coming out of the sand from the snails digging around?

cuc wont decrease nitrates and as they eat algae they will be releasing stored nitrates so they are more likely to do the opposite. The newly available nutrients can either be dealt with a competing algae like chaeto/turf algae scrubber/caulerpa etc.. or water changes and the like.

 

[bavass]

cuc wont decrease nitrates and as they eat algae they will be releasing stored nitrates so they are more likely to do the opposite. The newly available nutrients can either be dealt with a competing algae like chaeto/turf algae scrubber/caulerpa etc.. or water changes and the like.

It came back down after a day or two

 

[cmor1701d]

I run my for 20-30min when I replace the DI.

When I make my PWC water/mix I use the 5 gallon plastic jugs that are for water fountains. So I cant use a heater or a powerhead. My temps stay pretty constant and I use a airpump and wooden air stones for 24-48 hours before doing the pwc.

OK, so under ideal conditions a 75gpd membrane will produce ~3 gallons/hour. The 150g[d membrane would do about 6.25 gallons/hour. To waste the first 3 - 5 gallons you need to run it for over an hour when replacing the membrane.

How are you mixing the salt in the bucket. Is your PWC water temp the same as the tank temp?

 

[bavass]

OK, so under ideal conditions a 75gpd membrane will produce ~3 gallons/hour. The 150g[d membrane would do about 6.25 gallons/hour. To waste the first 3 - 5 gallons you need to run it for over an hour when replacing the membrane.

How are you mixing the salt in the bucket. Is your PWC water temp the same as the tank temp?

I was looking at the 150gpd membrane at Aquarium Water | Reverse Osmosis | RODI Water | ReefKeeper Water | Products and answers for your water treatment needs. I think I am going to order it. As far as the PWC the temp is usually within a degree or two of my tank. I fill the jugs with RO/DI, add salt and put an airstone in it and let it turn the water over for 24-48 hours.

 

[cmor1701d]

Sounds like a plan. Good luck.

How's the algea problems? Still have cyano?

 

[bavass]

Question does Cyano grow in water flow?

I say yes unless this is not enough flow? This was not there on Thursday after a 15g water change when I left home for the weekend. So this has grown since Thursday!

YouTube - algae flow.3GP

 

[cmor1701d]

None of it was there, or just the sand part?
That's a pretty serious case. I would use the Boy's to get it under control, then work on eliminating it. It will tale several treatments to rid the tank of that cyano.
What bulbs are you using over your tank and how long are they on each day?

 

[bavass]

None was on the macros there was some on the sand which I cleaned on Thursday when I did the water change. I added 4 1/2 spoon fulls of Boyds tonight. You say it will probably take a few treatments. When should I cut the skimmer back on? After 24 hours then cut it off for 24 hours when I do the second treatment?
Here is a link to the light fixture I bought in Feb Nova Extreme Pro HO T5. The Actinic Blues run for 12 hours and the 10k run for 10 hours. The Blues come on at 9am the 10k's come on at 10am and cut off at 8pm and then the Blues cut off at 9pm. At that point the 2 blue LED's come on for moonlight.

 

[Greenmaster]

The red cayno feeds on yellow and blue light... green algae feeds on red light... brown algae feeds mostly on blue

 

[cmor1701d]

Yes, keep the skimmer off for 24 - 48 hours after each treatment.

Cut your lighting back to no more than 3 hours/day for the rest of the week. That may help a bit.

 

[bavass]

Yes, keep the skimmer off for 24 - 48 hours after each treatment.

Cut your lighting back to no more than 3 hours/day for the rest of the week. That may help a bit.

what about corals?

I did clean a lot of the algae out tonight before I added the Boyds

 

[bavass]

I noticed some detritus on the underside of my rock even though I have been using a powerhead when I do water changes. Would I hurt anything if I took each piece of live rock out in a bucket of tank water when I do a water change and scrub them with a toothbrush? Or should I do a few pieces each water change? Could be part of my nitrate problem

 

[bavass]

So I ran a little test while I was gone over the weekend! The clear blue plastic 5g water jugs from water fountains that I use for my water changes. I tested the water gowing into one of the jugs Thursday when I was making top off water for my roommate to add while I was gone. The TDS reading was "0" today the TDS reading of the water in the jug is 177!!!! Sounds like the plastic is leaching? These jugs were cleaned with vinegar with in the last few weeks. I am now trying a bleach mixture in one to see if I can get the TDS down. If not guess I am buying a Rubbermaid grey Brute trash can since they are the only ones that are atleast USDA approved. So should have less leaching

 

[redneckgearhead]

wow thats good to know, never would have guessed it!

 

[cmor1701d]

I'm a bit shocked that those jusg are leaching anything, Maybe the sw mix is caustic to that plastic and started breaking ti down. I've been using a 45g BRUTE for top off water since 2006. I check my tds in that 2x/year. If it gets to 5 the next time it's due for a fill I rinse it our and scrub ti down. Good as new.

The corals can take reduced lighting for a week. Even in the equatorial waters of the pacific there is the occasional week long sqall that reduces sunlight.

 

[bavass]

I'm a bit shocked that those jusg are leaching anything, Maybe the sw mix is caustic to that plastic and started breaking ti down. I've been using a 45g BRUTE for top off water since 2006. I check my tds in that 2x/year. If it gets to 5 the next time it's due for a fill I rinse it our and scrub ti down. Good as new.

The corals can take reduced lighting for a week. Even in the equatorial waters of the pacific there is the occasional week long sqall that reduces sunlight.

yep I am probably going the brute route as well. What are you using to clean it? I have been using the jugs for god knows how many years> Hard for me to belive aswell but something is creating TDS of 177 one of the jugs was 248. We will see what cleaning with 10:1 Bleach and water does. Will add water and test tds tomorrow night when I get home

 

[cmor1701d]

I just rinse with hot water to remove the bacterial slime that builds up over a year. Yes, even in total darkeness in 0 tds water, bacteria will find something to live on <g>.

 

[mrg02d]

I am also shocked that the jugs are leaching something! I use them as well, but never thought they could leach something as they are food grade items. It has been said that plastic water bottles seem to leach something dangerous so I guess it is possible!

Whats a good alternative? I like them because they let me shake the you know what out of the water to really mix the salt well! I can then cap it to keep it clean and simply shake well whenI plan to use it. (Get the 02 exchange going)

Rubbermaid, eh? Wouldnt that leach something as well?
Matt