a more sensitive phosphate test??

[pocilipora]

I may be wrong but Im thinking you may have a dirt trap for a sand bed. I recently had a dino algae problem. I did everything under the sun to kill it. Nothing worked... untill I removed all the sand! Makes me re think this whole deep sand talk. But having said that, I rinsed all my sand and have now added it back to the tank. No algae so far, but its only been 2 days

[pocilipora]

Isnt DI water more pure than RO I cant see there being a problem unless your water is just nasty.

[christyf5]

Well, as everyone knows, I have pretty much had problems from the beginning, even after rinsing my sandbed with FW to get rid of the flatworms. I don't know about it being the sandbed as the algae seems to come in cycles. One or two months of having a nice tank then a month of hell, alternating back and forth. Its really frustrating.

[christyf5]

I always thought that RO takes out the particulate stuff and DI condenses out the chemicals and stuff.

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by christyf5

Well I tested the water I used before at 14 whatever on Jacks TDS meter.

Chrsity, TDS should measure 0 for clean RO/DI water. 14 says there is something wrong

[christyf5]

well nuts

[Aquattro]

It "could" be the meter....

[EmilyB]

If the DI cartridge is exhausted, it will be throw back crap into the tank, I believe. My DI tests at 3ppm right now, which is really high for me, I am awaiting new DI cartridges. The water from the RO portion only measures at 5ppm. However, that is dissolved solids...someone will explain what those are I hope???

I test phosphates at source zero. Then I pollute my tank with phosphates, feeding my zoo...

So I water change a lot.

And btw, has Brad told you how to get that Berlin performing? He's the only guy who still likes them...

[christyf5]

yeah, that would be nice. I'll get the water tested ASAP.

[pocilipora]

I know the reason I got an RO unit was that I was burning through DI cartridges extremly quickly. That told me that my make upwater was still contaminated. RO unit fixed that problem. Ive never used a TDS meter, but I do have one.