Before and After Hair Algae ruined my tank!!!

[TheBimbo]

Before and after photos before algae ruined it... My hairy mushrooms have shrunk down and look horrible, most of the smaller red mushrooms are completely hidden under the h/a... I know that everyone says that I should have an r/o unit, but I emailed Mr. Fenner with my algae problem, and he says that you can have a successful tank without one of them. I know that I changed my bulbs to quickly, and started using K/M products on advice from one of their reps... Liquid Reactor & Coral-Vite. Within 1 month my tank went to worst that I could've ever imagined. My husband wants to tear it down and at times I look at it and want to take a bat to it!!! I just want it back to the way that it was in the first place, I think it was doing great without me adding x-tra stuff to it... Do you guys think that with weekly water changes, and careful feeding, that I can get my tank back to way that it was??? I am soooo upset right now... Is there any way that leaving the lights off for a few days will help with the H/A or is that a horribly bad idea??? I think I just need a boost of hope that my tank isn't dying completely... thanks!!!

http://img78.photobucket.com/albums/v236/thebimbo/175_bowfront_before_algae_took_over.jpg
http://img78.photobucket.com/albums/v236/thebimbo/DSC00006.jpg

[patsfan1130]

Whoa!

Fret not..I think we've all been there before to some degree. your going to need some buckets and some toothbrushes to scrub the rock clean. I highly recommend the use of an RO/DI unit. sure it's possible to run a tank without one but everyones tap water is different. My tapwater is barely drinkable from the faucet, let alone for an aquarium while my brothers on the other side of town is fantastic.

[davetkoch]

^^What patsfan said and here are a few suggestions, also:

Have you checked your phsophate, nitrate levels?

Cut the feedings if there are high nutrient levels in your tank.

Try to remove as much of the algae by hand as possible. Use your fingers like scissors, and make sure you don't let the hair algae you pull out get back into the water column. Use a container of fresh water to rinse off your hand after every cutting you pull out. Do this as much as possible. See below for another alternative method.

Weekly water changes help keep nutrient levels lower and the inhabitants will ALWAYS benefit. Take that time to siphon off detritus accumulation on the rock and very lightly on the sandbed. I've also found that you can remove the large intake attachment of the siphon and just use the vinyl tube to remove the hair algae. Move it against the hair algae and rock in a saw-like fashion. This gets ALOT out. The scrubbing works too--although it entails more work.

If you're using vitamin/element supplements, you might want to cut back to just iodine. Sometimes adding too many supplements can get things out of whack. If you're going to be doing weekyl water changes, most of the essential elements are already present in the popular salt brands.

Employ a phsophate removing resin such as Phosban or Phosguard. New carbon every few weeks is good also if you're not using it. Re: using the phosphate resins... You'll need to keep up with phosphate level checks to make sure the media isn't saturated. If your levels rise, pull the old phsophate media and replace it with new resin.

Also, what type of sandbed are you employing?



Good luck with the hair algae--I know how you feel!

[Freed]

To get rid of it you need to get a Bali Dolabella Sea Hare from www.blowfishaquatics.com This will make quick work of it. I have 3 in my 180 and they are almost 1/2 to 3/4 of the way thru my hair algae. Freed

[TheBimbo]

http://www.thatpetplace.com/Products/KW/tap%2cwater%2cfilter/Class//T1/F71+1044+0198/Itemdy00.aspx

We did buy one of these, and are going to tackle the rock this weekend, I can't do this without my husband as I am only 5' 1" in height and it is a large tank!!! My husband will be the one handing me the rock, then replacing the rock into the tank. We have done this routine 2 times now... What is the best way to do this? Scrub it in removed tank water or freshly mixed salt water??? Does it have to be Salt or can it just be the purified water??? I just hate to do this the wrong way and it not work... I love my tank and it is killing me that I let it get like this... I just wanted it to be just like everyone else's... But heck... I will be happy for it to be just like it was B/F the hair algae... Thanks so much for anyone that can get me through this... :) Christy

[davetkoch]

Regarding the tap water filter, I have used the AQ Pharm unit and it doesn't really provide the results you're looking for, IMO. I have consistently detected .2 phosphate coming out of it. Of course the performance will be dependent on how bad your water is, but IMO, the resin is expended very quickly, especially with city water--well Pittsburgh city water in this case. :lol: If you're filter isn't getting the phosphate out to begin with, you're battling a losing cause. You should test your tap water for phosphates with and wthout the filter. If they're detectable, then that could be the source of your problem.

You'll quickly spend the equivalent of a decent RO/DI unit by going this route. Trust me--I've been there. :rolleye1: Try to get an RO/DI unit ASAP; they're worth the investment. Check out the Selling forum--you should be able to find a great deal on a slightly used unit.

Melev sells a good unit new for $150, also-- http://www.melevsreef.com/ro_di.html

[smallreef]

ROWAPHOS!!! worked wonders for me

[vonswedge]

Great Scott! I can't let my tangs see that, theyll have a heart attack:D

[hammerhead]

theres no reason not to get a RO/DI unit they are cheep now. You can get a good unit of ebay for under 100$. You need good quality water and low Phos. If you can add a sump with a refugium will help alot. Algae Eating Sea Hares are awsome they will make quick work of that hair plague.

[Sullyman]

How much of your rock is from the original 55 set up? It could be full of phosphate and nitrate, leaching them into the tank and giving the algae a perfect diet. Is it new sand or did you move a lot of it from the 55 too?

[Vincerama2]

I hate to say it (or glad to maybe) but my tankw was much worse than that and now, there is NOT hair algae at all.

I started with RO water, then added a DI cartridge.

My first attack, after I was practically in tears was taking out each rock, and SRUBBING it with a toothbrush in a large bucket of tank water. (I had water change water close at hand). The key is that you have to get on top of the situation...which means, removal of the existing hair algae. This has the major advantage that the nutrients required by the algae is locking into this algae that you are scrubbing away! So the tank will have much less nutrients when you return the LR (though there may be some die off).

OK, having scrubbed them...go out and buy a small army of hermit crabs...Scarlet legged ones are the best, IMO. Also get a bunch of TROCHUS snails if you can find them, or Astraea if you can't. The trochus are amazing.

The thing is that the snails can't really get the long hair algae, but the hermits can. AND the hermits can't deal with a freaking forest, so you have to hit it first. I'll post some before and after pics to make you feel better.

V

[Vincerama2]

Just as I setup the tank and as GHA was getting a foothold

http://www.mindspring.com/~vlok/pictures/start_tank.jpg

http://www.mindspring.com/~vlok/pictures/start_tank.jpg

The forest of despair

http://www.mindspring.com/~vlok/pictures/algae_tank.jpg

http://www.mindspring.com/~vlok/pictures/algae_tank.jpg

After "The final battle" using hermits, snails and a toothbrush (and adding DI to my RO)

http://www.mindspring.com/~vlok/pictures/clean_tank.jpg

http://www.mindspring.com/~vlok/pictures/clean_tank.jpg

Take heart, you can win. Like I said, I don't see GHA anymore.

V

[Cakepro]

Okay, I'm going to tell you what I did but I am not telling you to do this. Do it at your own risk.

My 75 gallon tank looked four to ten times worse than Vincerama's. Honestly. Even the sandbed was covered in hair algae, and I could pull an entire Solo cup's worth of hair algae off of a couple of rocks without even making a dent in it. It was unbelievable. No water changes, high nutrients, and overall neglect was to blame. I was ready to tear it down, scrub the hell out of the rock and black it out for 8 weeks, which was what was suggested I do by a reefer I highly respect. On a whim (and because I couldn't stand the thought of doing all that work) I decided I was going to do something risky: large and frequent water changes with Crystal Seas Bio-assay salt. I did about four water changes a few days apart and 15 gallons each time (made with RO/DI water, of course), and I added one lawnmower blenny, one sailfin tang, and an army (about 50 of each) of bluelegged hermit crabs, scarlet reef hermits, and astrea snails. I swear to you ~ and my friends can attest to this ~ within 3 weeks it was completely algae free. To this day (and it's been several months), there is not a single strand of hair algae in my tank. I didn't think it was going to work but rather was a last-ditch effort to avoid tearing down my tank, doing all that work to the rock, and throwing away my sandbed. Not a single one of my corals was negatively affected, either (LPS and soft corals only; no sps in this tank). My fish and inverts did wonderfully too.

I think it was either the combination of the things I tried or a direct miraculous answer to my prayers from God Himself. Either way, it worked. :)

~ Sherri

[Charlie Davidson]

Good algae farm! I know, I was there- And I Know you do not want to hear it again, but --- r/o! What kind of filtation do you have? Macro algae in the slump should help alot. Good skimmer? Water flow? ALK should be keep on High end. Most people that have given up on the thier tank did so because they spent alot on fish and little on equipment. Reading on Reefcentral has been my best help!!!

[bkiba]

I know some people are scared off by the cost of RO/DI units (most reefers probably not :) ) but I found a homemade unit on ebay for $35 +$37 for shipping. Has 5 stages inc RO and DI, and also a 4 gallon tank. And it works great. Gets my tds down to less than 20 ppm from about 200 coming in on my tap water. I'm sure I could get the quality a little better with some fine tuning but this is fine for me. It uses up a lot of waste water that comes out around 500 ppm TDS, but my plants love it.

Here is the website of the guy I bought it from
http://www.jimstrains.com/main.php3?primNavIndex=4&

good luck with your algae :(

[TheBimbo]

Originally posted by Sullyman
How much of your rock is from the original 55 set up? It could be full of phosphate and nitrate, leaching them into the tank and giving the algae a perfect diet. Is it new sand or did you move a lot of it from the 55 too?

Ok... I had the 55 f/w set up long b/f the saltwater. Notice it says f/w... lol... honest mistake but way to make to make me giggle... :) I have alot of reading to finish here and then I can start to answer all of your re-plies... :)

[Narkon]

Just don't give up. Once you understand it, and conquer it, you will love your tank again.

[TheBimbo]

Again. Thank you to everyone that has responded to this post. These are my readings as of yesterday :Amonia=0.25, Nitrite=0, Nitrate=20, PH=8.4, Temp= 78, Salinity=1023 ... I also want to point out some of the other aspects of my tank... I do have a sump in the basement, with a skimmer and also have a uv unit... I feed a small amount every other day with p/h turned off and they eat every bit of it... I almost feel like I am starving them sometimes... I have completely stopped adding any x-tra stuff to my tank!!! We have a ton of crabs and snails even the huge turbo snails, I have 2 emerald green crabs also... I have a Yellow tang that sometimes I see picking at the forest, also have noticed that my damsels pick at the forest too... The only thing that I can remember doing was adding 2 nice size pieces of LR, from the LFS directly into my tank without rinsing it... Which come to think of it is around the time that my H/A took off... I do not use any thing else in my sump like carbon or other types of filters like that...I do however have a bag of nitrate and a bag of phosphate remover in my sump... I have roughly a 3" livesand bed... Also have a plan for a very simple and cheap refugium from a R/C member, that I am trying to talk the hubby into helping me with... Please keep in mind that I have 3 children, 2 of which are into sports, cheerleading and football. I do not work and $$$ isn't growing on any of my trees in the back yard... lol... I got alot of my fish and rock while I was doing the Saltwater Dept. at my LFS... so the discount was awesome, got everything at cost!!! I would love for my tank to be rid of the H/A, and I can see a long weekend in front of me... thanks everyone for the advice...:wave:

[Narkon]

Good luck, really. Understand the short on $$$, since I work and my wife stays home with our son in the house we just bought and refloored. That is why I don't have a tank.

Also, you should not say f/w (freshwater right?) was a mistake, just not who you are today. I never had anything bigger than 29, but had 3 of those. Was raising Africans and some low PH fish in the end. Now want to get into S/W.

[Masoch]

Hi,

I can sympathise! I had a similar problem just after our second daughter was born last year. Young tank ... maintenance went awry ... store-bought distilled and / or supposedly RO/DI water ... lousy skimmer ...

A bunch of little things (and two big things) went a long way.

First, better cleaners. I added some cerith and nassarius snails to keep the sand clean. Later, I added a conch before knowing my tank's too small to support one long term ... awesome cleaner, but, alas, I believe he's passed on from a lack of food. I also picked up some colonista snails and grazing asterinid stars. These guys now do the bulk of my cleaning -- and my asterinids eat HA! You need a boatload of the colonistas and asterinids to do much, but they will reproduce well in hermit-less tanks (I've seen a 10X increase in numbers over a year).

Next, I added a HOB refugium. Up until recently, I was pulling out a handful of macro every couple weeks, from a 1 gallon refugium hooked up to a 20 gallon tank! Now that my tank's settled down, it's more like a handful every couple of months.

Then, after convincing my wife that the lead service into the house is really bad, we got an RO/DI system. TDS of 0.

Finally, I got a Remora skimmer. Everything helped a little, but within weeks of the Remora's addition, the HA was melting. We still get the odd tuft, but nothing to worry about.

There's no single solution to nuisance algae because there are a bunch of problems that lead to it. For some people, it's the water they use. For others, inadequate nutrient export. And sometimes people just need the right cleaning crew.

HTH

[Sullyman]

I got alot of my fish and rock while I was doing the Saltwater Dept. at my LFS... so the discount was awesome, got everything at cost!!!
Might be time to do some more at the lfs!

[M0oN]

Step 1: Find two heavily emaciated tangs.

Step 2: Add them to the tank...

:rollface:

[davetkoch]

Step 3: ???

Step 4: PROFIT!

Sorry, couldn't resist the joke. :)

Seriously, though, have you been able to test the phosphates present in the aquarium water and your tap water? I noticed you didn't have a phosphate reading when you posted your parameters.

[charlesgage]

Maybe i am way off keel here but i had a MAJOR red hair algea problem in my 55, a lighting issue more than anything, i hand cleaned all of the rocks and then shortened my lighting cycle and dosed 3 tabs of maracyn, 2 days gone, been about 3 weeks no sign of it ever coming back.

[IGOLOW]

I know that you are going to work on the problem but as far as a water filtration unit, we found on ebay for about $100 and it was a six stage filter, it had a 5 gallon holding tank, spout so that it could be filtered as dinking water if desired, came with an extra bag of crystals.
I got it and it made a world of difference, I also bought a TDS meter and checked to see if it really was worth it and how much of a difference it actually made and here is what I got.

Tap water 220 ppm
filtered water 0 ppm

The company itsself is selling them on ebay or at least they were here is the name and if you can not find it let me know and I will get you the info.
Watergeneral mfg. co.

[IGOLOW]

I know that you are going to work on the problem but as far as a water filtration unit, we found on ebay for about $100 and it was a six stage filter, it had a 5 gallon holding tank, spout so that it could be filtered as dinking water if desired, came with an extra bag of crystals.
I got it and it made a world of difference, I also bought a TDS meter and checked to see if it really was worth it and how much of a difference it actually made and here is what I got.

Tap water 220 ppm
filtered water 0 ppm

The company itsself is selling them on ebay or at least they were here is the name and if you can not find it let me know and I will get you the info.
Watergeneral mfg. co.

[TheBimbo]

Well that was a very long read... I have been gone all day running kids here and there... Now it is my time!!! I am using Blondee1970's one test kit that tests for the phosphate, it is coming out at Phosphate- 0.5 It had been higher than that before though... I really don't want to tackle anything in my tank right now as I was windexing earlier, and don't like to mess with the tank on a cleaning day!!! Just wanted to get back to you guys with that bit of info... There is such great advice flowing in here though, and again thanks!!! Oh... the new fish/pet place mag. came in the mail and my Lionfish and large shrooms are on page 96... I guess I'll be receiving a 15.00 gift certificate from them right directly... :dance: So that will be nice... but will check back here later on and see if anyone has anymore advice...
Christy :)

[Vincerama2]

Hey Christy...just to confirm...you keep the windex far away from the tank right? I mean, if you must clean the glass of the tank, use vinegar!

V

[TheBimbo]

Originally posted by Vincerama2
Hey Christy...just to confirm...you keep the windex far away from the tank right? I mean, if you must clean the glass of the tank, use vinegar!

V

Oh Yes!!! I was doing pictures and the sliding doors etc... I will most times just use plain water when doing the tank though... But once in a while I may use a tad on the paper towel then wipe the tank fron the bottom upwards to the top with the lid closed!!! I do know better than to spray around my tank... Although that was great to point out... I do nut runs around my house, clean this then run upstairs and clean that, back down the stairs etc... :) Gotta love having the upstairs and the downstairs, great exercise!!! :rollface:

[davetkoch]

.5 is definitely up there, and not to keep badgering on you on this ;) , but how is your tap/source water testing on phosphate?

[TheBimbo]

Originally posted by davetkoch
.5 is definitely up there, and not to keep badgering on you on this ;) , but how is your tap/source water testing on phosphate?

:eek: :eek: :eek: Oh my gosh!!! my phosphate reads 0.5!!! I feel like an idiot... Amonia- 0 nitrite- 0 nitrate- 0 ph- 7.9 these are right out of my faucet... wow... now I understand the whole r/o unit hype... Wish the hubby was still awake so that I could show this to him, but he is in bed for the night... I know that when I tested it from the tap water filter it was barely anything, the slightest hint of a color was there and that was it... So I guess the filter is better than the tap water until I can convince the hubby that I must have this r/o unit no matter what!!! But this isn't going to be happening because he is sooo against it... My b-day is coming up in August so I guess I know what to ask for. :rolleyes: Anyone have a used one for sale cheap??? I can wait all week for it to produce enough water for a water change!!! Thanks everyone for the help... :rollface:

[davetkoch]

Heheh... Isn't it much better to atleast know where alot of the problem is stemming from? ;) It was pretty enlightening the first time I checked my tap water too. :rollface:

Keep checking the Selling forum, and pounce on the next 4 stage RO/DI you see that's going for about $75. The sooner you get it--the better, because it will still take work to get rid of that stuff even after you have the filter. If you want to sell the idea of an RO/DI to your hubby, tell him that you will spend $60 buying replacement cartridges for the Aquarium Pharmceuticals pseudo-filter between now and then, and this will PAY FOR ITSELF. He'll appreciate you're keen economical sensibilities. ;)

BTW, how do people on this forum address you? I am rather hesitant to call you by your screen name. :p

Take care,
-Dave

[TheBimbo]

BTW, how do people on this forum address you? I am rather hesitant to call you by your screen name. :p

Take care,
-Dave [/B][/QUOTE]

Normally, the same question is asked...:lol: The name is Christy, but the hubby has been calling me this for about 11 years now... there is a little store near us, when I go in they call me TheBimbo, even if I rent a movie thats what they write... I really have never taken any offense to it though. Seriously, I have a great sense of humor... But wow about those levels, that really floored me... I just won a $ 15.00 g/c for that fish place in lancaster, b/c they used a photo that I had submitted a couple months ago on page 96 of their new catalog... they however didn't put the age right, it should've been 1 1/2 years instead of 2 1/2 years b/c my tank just turned 2 ... But hey that can go towards something for the tank, like maybe a r/o unit... it doesn't have to be the top of the line just something to make the water right... But we'll have to see, as I will mention the " over time " about the cartridges... So thanks for the good Idea... Christy:rollface:

[firemouth4416]

I read the whole thing, really, You need a strong healthy cleanup crew to turn the sand and start on the hair algea. You also would prevent most of this problem with a big cheap refuge in the basement. Plumb a rubbermaid container with 2 bulkheads inline to your sump. Put a light on it 24 hours a day and all the algea will grow in the sump and not the tank......eventually when you have enoughguys eating the tank clean that is.
just an idea for what it worth

[TheBimbo]

Thanks firemouth4416 ... I am about ready to go and wake up the bear in the bed and tell him all of this... but that's not a good idea as he has to drive to Baltimore in a few hours... But In the morning I am going to be doing alot of cut/copy/ pasting and printing... I think that most of this is going to be up to me though b/c he is getting sick of the problems, and it is actually my tank as I do the reading and the daily maintnance, as much as I can that is... So it is going to be a fight to get all of this help from him... Wish me luck b/c I'm gonna need it...
:wave:

[Mickey]

Christy - some more ammunition for you. I used a TWP from ThatFishPlace for almost two years before giving in to buying an RO unit. With monthly water changes I was going through a cartridge a month @16.95 a piece. It won't take long for you to make up the cost of the RO/DI unit.

On the other hand it really all depends on your tap water. Get a hold of the water report that the company is required to provide. You might even contact them and talk about it. I have found those folks very helpful. some of the key items have already been mentioned here, phosphate and nitrate in your water. but you also want to know if the water is apt to vary with the seasons or something. In other words, if it is great 9 months of the year and only has a phosphate problem for 3 months, well..........

Make sure you are using a real good iron based phosphate remover product like RowaPhos or Phosban. the others are aluminum based and will leach phosphate back into your water if you don't change it quick enough.

Good luck and hang in there. We have all had our problems but we need to persevere.

Mickey

[phishlet]

Take a look at this unit from FilterDirect on eBay. This is the unit I have (though it looks like they changed their di filter) and it works great at a great price. TDS is usually 0 or 1 coming out depending on the TDS of the tap water which is usually between 169 - 198

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=46310&item=4302234891&tc=photo

[TheBimbo]

Mickey and Phishlet : I appreciate your help, I just wish that I didn't have to wait until the weekend to tackle this... But I really have no other choice, but it will get accomplished this weekend for sure... I did look at the r/o unit off of e-bay. those cartridges for this unit, do you have to use their repalcements??? I mean is there a universal type, one that will fit anther brand??? We tend to get alot of our stuff from Lancaster, so that will be a question that I'd have to be able to answer... Thanks... Christy

[Narkon]

Here is what a local seller of RO/DIs told us on our local board about RO/DIs


Buckeye Field Supply:

We routinely get emails and phone call asking good questions about Reverse Osmosis (RO) and Deionization (DI) systems used in the marine aquarium hobby. Seems like many people have many of the same questions. I thought it might be useful for to start a thread with some frequently asked questions, and of course - responses! I'll post one FAQ now, and add additional ones periodically. Feel free to let me know if you have a particular issue you'd like to have addressed in future FAQ's.

So here goes!...

Question: Will Buckeye filters fit properly in my RO/DI system?

Response: We hear this question frequently – and with good cause. There is typically little if any information provided by original equipment suppliers in this regard. Fortunately this is an easy riddle to solve for RO/DI system owners! Filter cartridges (e.g., sediment filters, carbon block filters, GAC cartridges, DI resin cartridges), and therefore the internal dimensions of the housings that contain them, come in only a few standard sizes. The sizes are very different from each other, so you don’t have to worry about making precise measurements of your housings.

Housings are typically designed to accommodate filters of one of the four following dimensions:
2.5� diameter x 10� length
4� diameter x 10� length
2.5� diameter x 20� length
4� diameter x 20� length

Nearly all residential RO/DI systems used in the marine aquarium hobby are designed to utilize 2.5� diameter x 10� length filters. Now – one note just to complicate things – you’ll sometimes see filters for these housings that measure 9 3/4� or 9 7/8� in length – no problem! They will fit just fine in standard 10� housings.

Also note that there are filters with dimensions other than those listed here, but there is a very high likelihood your system uses the 2.5� x 10� filters.

Question 2: Do I need to do anything special when I install new cartridges in my RO or RO/DI system?

Response: Well, yes and no. New sediment filters can simply be installed, and you're done. As for carbon blocks, RO membranes, and DI resin, that's another story...

Manufacturers recommend flushing new carbon block cartridges for at least 10 minutes before using the product water. Don't run the flush water through the rest of your system.

Manufacturers recommend flushing new RO membranes for up to 40 minutes to remove preservatives before using the product water. Don’t run flush water through your DI resin.

Run 1.5 gallons of flush water through new DI resin before using the product water. Avoid contaminating (bacteria/mold/fungus, etc.) DI resin. Minimize storage time. Store DI resin in an airtight container to keep it moist until use. Store unused DI resin in an opaque container to avoid exposure to light during storage. Clear shipping bags are inappropriate for long term storage. Treat your resin gently! If resin is exposed to freezing temperatures during shipping, allow it to warm at room temperature for 24 hours prior to use.

For those of you with chloramine issues, Catalytic GAC should be rinsed thoroughly, then wetted for 12 hours before installing.



kris4647 wrote:
From a water quality standpoint do you see any problems with having a Resin Only set up? Running through a sediment/carbon then through multiple DI cartridges? I have 0 TDS but still seem to have a very managable diatom problem.


You'll find a deionization only system will produce water of high quality, but it will be more expensive over the long haul than a RO/DI system. Some people run a duel DI, swapping "DI2" into the "DI1" position when "DI1" is exhausted. And yes, you're right. A DI only system will produce no waste water.

:Quote:
Would a silicate/type resin help?Is there any difference in the resin? :End Quote:
There are many many different types of resin. For purposes of this hobby, I wouldn't worry about this. We sell nuclear grade resin (top o' the line) that will give you very good service.

:Quote:
My problem is I dont have a drain for the R/O wastewater in my setup. :End Quote:
Sorry, but I don't understand what you mean here. All RO systems have a waste water port. Are you saying you just don't have a convenient place for the wastewater to drain (e.g., laundry tub, washing machine, floor drain, flower garden)? Remember that if need be, you can add a longer piece of tubing to the waste water port on your system to allow you to reach a drain.




Question 3: How do I know when its time to replace my RO membrane?

Response: The life span of a RO membrane is dependant upon how much water you run through it, and how “dirty� the water is. In this case, “dirt� includes substances like chlorine and particulate matter. Membranes can function well for a year, two years, or more. To test the membrane, measure the total dissolved solids (TDS) in the water coming in to the membrane, and in the water produced by the membrane. Compare that to the membrane’s advertised rejection ratio, and to the same reading you recorded when the membrane was new. Membranes also commonly produce less water as their function declines.

How do you measure TDS? With a meter like this: http://www.buckeyefieldsupply.com/showproducts.asp?Category=42&Sub=1



Hope this helps.

[tygger]

Originally posted by patsfan1130
Whoa!

Fret not..I think we've all been there before to some degree. your going to need some buckets and some toothbrushes to scrub the rock clean. I highly recommend the use of an RO/DI unit. sure it's possible to run a tank without one but everyones tap water is different. My tapwater is barely drinkable from the faucet, let alone for an aquarium while my brothers on the other side of town is fantastic.


What are the factors that determine if the water is drinkable?

[Narkon]

Well if you gag from the chemical smell, or you finish and your mouth still taste of extreme chlorine, then you might have a problem.

[tygger]

Originally posted by bkiba
I know some people are scared off by the cost of RO/DI units (most reefers probably not :) ) but I found a homemade unit on ebay for $35 +$37 for shipping. Has 5 stages inc RO and DI, and also a 4 gallon tank. And it works great. Gets my tds down to less than 20 ppm from about 200 coming in on my tap water. I'm sure I could get the quality a little better with some fine tuning but this is fine for me. It uses up a lot of waste water that comes out around 500 ppm TDS, but my plants love it.

Here is the website of the guy I bought it from
http://www.jimstrains.com/main.php3?primNavIndex=4&

good luck with your algae :(


What else can you use the waste water for?

BTW - I'm waiting for my RO/DI unit from this guy... Just won an auction on ebay for a 6 stage RO/DI unit.

[TheBimbo]

What else can you use the waste water for?

BTW - I'm waiting for my RO/DI unit from this guy... Just won an auction on ebay for a 6 stage RO/DI unit.

Welcome to the r/c... I do not know how to do the whole Welcome thing, sorry... They say that this waste water is great for watering you plants, I don't see why you couldn't put it into extra jugs to have it on hand for that purpose... Not sure of any other uses but I'm sure that there are plenty!!! :)

[Narkon]

Well living in Texas, basiclly all we use it for is watering the plants, otherwise they die, and well you already have the water.

[tygger]

Originally posted by thebimbo
What else can you use the waste water for?

BTW - I'm waiting for my RO/DI unit from this guy... Just won an auction on ebay for a 6 stage RO/DI unit.

Welcome to the r/c... I do not know how to do the whole Welcome thing, sorry... They say that this waste water is great for watering you plants, I don't see why you couldn't put it into extra jugs to have it on hand for that purpose... Not sure of any other uses but I'm sure that there are plenty!!! :)


Thanks for the welcome :)


Originally posted by Narkon
Well living in Texas, basiclly all we use it for is watering the plants, otherwise they die, and well you already have the water.

Good idea, I'll have to find some storage containers. I don't like to waste anything... thanks!

[hammerhead]

It's just unfiltered water that the waste line produces. You can use it for anything you want. It's no differant then the water that comes out of the faucet.

[M0oN]

African cichlids love RO waste water ;)

[Vincerama2]

I hate when people call it "waste" water.

Consider this;

You have a bucket of tap water. Perfectly drinkable...it better be considering the billions spent on making tap water drinkable!

Now your run this one bucket though a 6 stage RO unit. You now have;

1/4 bucket of RO water
3/4 bucket of water that has been run through 5 filter stages, but also contains whatever it is that the 1/4 bucket of RO rejected..

So the "waste" water that you have is actually extremely well filtered water. Sure the RO membrane concentrates some impurities, so that the "waste" water has more, but it's stuff that has already passed through 5 stages!

It's great water for watering plants or filling a FW fish tank, or even drinking and cooking!

So please, don't consider it "waste"...it's only waste if you let it down the drain!

V

[Mickey]

As far as I know, the waste water from an RO or RO/DI system does NOT go through the DI cartridges at all. It only goes through any prefilters, like sediment and carbon, and then washes over the membrane.

Just wanted to clarify for those that are new to RO or RO/DI systems.

Mickey

[lmuller1]

I found that stocking with lots of cleaners like Tequil Turbo Snails and hermit crabs will make short order of the green hair algae. Also check for phospate as the algae thrives on high phospate. I use a polyfilter and protein skimmer to keep that in check. A couple of tangs will work on it too.

[tygger]

Originally posted by hammerhead
It's just unfiltered water that the waste line produces. You can use it for anything you want. It's no differant then the water that comes out of the faucet.

If it were viable, would it be ok to re-route the "waste" water back into the RO/DI system? Just curious...

[hammerhead]

I dont think that will work. the PSI of the water comming into the unit should be at least 35psi. The water comming out of the waste line is maybe 5psi. If you could get past that problem it might work. Im no expert on this and could be totaly wrong here.

[Tommyc]

If you re routed the waste water back to the filter you'd just wear out your RO membrane faster.....it would be trying to filter water with an increasingly larger TDS content.

Sure you can use the waste water for stuff. But I agree, it isn't all that filtered and it IS different than the tap water. It's got a higher TDS than your normal tap, so it's harder. More hard water deposits on whatever you use it for. I hated the thought of letting it go to waste, so when the wife wasn't looking I'd fill the washer up with it. Only took twice for me to forget about it and create minor floods before I put that waste water down a drain. Wasn't gonna risk it again when I finished the basement. Consider yourself warned.

A TDS meter is extremely useful with an RO/DI unit. It'll tell you when the filters need to be changed out and takes all the guesswork out of it.

I second the very early suggestion to remove hair algae via siphoning with a small diamter tube (i.e. 3/8 inch)....the clear vinyl kind for HD or Lowes. If you've got the real soft HA, it'll come right up. A whole lot easier than pulling every rock and scrubbing. Takes a while longer in the long term, but avoids the huge production line of doing it outside the tank. Do it several times in conjunction with a water change. just my .02

And stop putting phosphates into the tank. Glad to hear you found an RO/DI unit.

tom

[Narkon]

Imuller1, she checked the phospate, and fell over from the amount.

[TheBimbo]

Originally posted by Narkon
Imuller1, she checked the phospate, and fell over from the amount.

Yeah that was amazing!!! Totally freaked me out, couldn't believe it was that high... The hubby is on vacation for the next 2 weeks and has promised that he will help me on Saturday with the tank... I want to cry looking at it, it just breaks my heart to see it look this badly... Blondee is coming over today to bring my daughter a blanket that she has made, and I am sooo embarrased at the way that it looks... but I am determined to fix it... These fish didn't ask to be here, I brought them here and I have to make their conditions right again... Then I can say I defeated the dreaded H/A :bounce1: :dance: :bounce2: And be proud of it... But again thank you sooooo much for all of your advice, none of it was taken lightly either... So I will definately keep you guys and gals updated with some photos, that's if you want to look at them... Christy...:wave:

[Narkon]

Oh yeah, will will want to see the progress. :)

[TheBimbo]

Well finally got stuff done on the tank... We ordered in from that pet place, a Diatom Filter to start with... The hubby doesn't want to get a cheap RO Unit, this is all his idea... I am along for the ride b/c he has finally decided on an ro unit so I am just going to wait until he decides when we are getting it... But we spent atleast 4-5 hours today. We let the diatom filter run for about an hour before we started to do all of the rock removal... we had a large rubbermaid tub, with an old filter running, I scrubbed each piece with a toothbrush, rinsed each piece with water before placing back into the tank... Rinsed it with the regular tank water... I think we are actually defeating the whole purpose here by not using the RO unit that we don't have anyway... but we had to do something!!! The other night my Yellow Tang died and the M/C looked bad, so we did a quick water change, and the m/c made it but the Tang didn't... back to today... Here are the photos of it before and after... going out for drink at the local club, but I'll be back on later...
http://img78.photobucket.com/albums/v236/thebimbo/Alge_Full_Tank_Shot.jpg

http://img78.photobucket.com/albums/v236/thebimbo/After_removing_Algae.jpg

[bkiba]

don't forget to wipe that salt sludge off the outside of the tank :lol:

[Vincerama2]

Algae removal is very important, as it accomplishes 2 things;

1) The nutrients that were "locked up" in the cells of the algae are now in the garbage, and not in your tank. Regardless of whether the algae stayed in algae form or in Tang poo form.

2) The beachhead established by the algae has now been reduced and your cleanup crew has a much better chance of keeping the algae away. YOu'll probably notice that snails can eat algal film better than 4 inch strands of hair!

Excellent work! Now get that RO unit....

V

[TheBimbo]

Originally posted by bkiba
don't forget to wipe that salt sludge off the outside of the tank :lol:

It is all cleaned up!!! That was the first thing that I did after I took the picture... Didn't want you guys to think that I didn't actually do anything!!!




Vincerama2
I will definatley keep you guys/gals posted on this!!! I was at the club and put down a few, waiting for the Pizza to get here!!! But had to come and check to see if anybody cared about my tank... So thanks for the replies... We did work hard and will have the RO unit within the next 2 weeks!!! I know... that I should have it now... but hey we all don't all have $$$ trees in the backyard!!! But if you have some Xtra $$$ I'll take it...
:lol: I am trying hard to keep this Algae away!!! The comments keep me geared up though!!! I just want to have a beautiful tank!!! :rollface: :dance: :thumbsup:

[davetkoch]

Lookin' good Christy! :thumbsup: I'm glad everything went smoothly for you. My big tank move/hair algae removal extravaganza went well this past weekend also.

BTW--if you haven't already, make sure you get that free-floating hair junk off the sand bed, too.

Cheers, :beer:
-Dave

[TheBimbo]

Did that tooooo!!!!! We worked sooooo hard on that tank today!!! I know that without the ro unit it is hard but it will happen!!! We have a trip to Idlewild park planned for tomorrow so it will be all alone tomorrow!!! but I will feed b/f we leave and my dad will come and do the lights, and take care of the dog while we are gone so it will be fine!!! But wow... Youns are great with the replies, I am half kicked in the bootie, and it is taking me a while to correct my typing :lol: but hey, you gotta have fun, right??? :) I just love the heck outta my tank, and was actually in tears at the way that the algae took over... but My hubby is the man and he stepped up and helped!!! :bounce2: :bounce1: :bounce3: so we went out and had a few... :beer: !!! We didn't hit the $ 500.00 sign up but we did have a nice time... I will keep you all posted and up to date on the Hair Algae Nightmare!!! :rollface:

[Narkon]

That tank pic, looked like yall deserved those drinks.

[TheBimbo]

Yeah Buddy!!! We worked very hard on that H/A nightmare... We had a nice nite out, then spent the whole day at Idlewild with the kids... I had my dad turn off my lights for me today, so I can't wait until tomorrow to see it... Feet hurt from walking, butt hurts from sitting on the rides, hungry for real food not junk food... and I need a beer... thanks again to everyone who replied to the thread...
:rollface: christy :rollface:

[Vincerama2]

I sure hope that hangover doesn't last too long!

;)

V

[Narkon]

Idlewild, doesn't sound like a place you sit and read.

[dvmsn]

RO/DI will change your life.

[thrlride]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=20758&item=4310687077

I have one like this from this seller and it is awesome. TDS of 0. I paid $66.00 for mine shipped but he raised his prices.

[Vincerama2]

I paid $120 for my RO (Plus $30 shipping ... grrr!) from AquaSafeCanada. It's awesome. 75gpd, but in reality slower. I know because I left it on all night to make water for my newly set up 58g. Man it's slow! Oh and the price included a faucet and a tank. The faucet is useless without the tank, since water is produced so slowly. If you plan to drink the water (highly recommended as a selling point to significant others!) then get the tank...it "caches" about 3 gallons that can be used "on demand" so for cooking or drinking it's great. If you are going to use this only for reef and have some valves or some float switch and a large reservoir, then skip the tank.

V

[TheBimbo]

Well I finally got my RO unit today... The hubby didn't even tell me that he had stopped in Lancaster today!!! He came in and told me to go and look in his truck, I finally did... There was a bucket of Salt and the RO unit... I was really shocked as I was like 40.00 short of the money that I was saving up... But of course it won't be hooked up until the weekend, as he has some stuff to do in the basement for the unit to be hooked up to the water and he says that he has some saudering to do for the hook-up... I have no clue as I am just Happy that he brought me home a present... We have been doing the W/C weekly, but I imagine that it will take a while B/F this all makes a difference... :( But atleast we now have the R/O unit, and that's a start!!! Soooo I will keep you guys/gals up to date with the progress of this battle... So far so good, with keeping the H/A at a minimum... When Blondee saw it, all she could do was gasp, and chuckled as she didn't believe how badly it actually was... She had thought that I was exagerating it... Well let me say that I definately was not... But she is on the phone when I am bummed about it, telling me that it will all be fine... :rollface: So we'll see how this R/O unit does... :rollface: Christy :rollface:

[davetkoch]

Congrats, Christy! Don't you just love surprises? :D