cybermeez

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Update

I ordered a home water testing kit that tests for 20 different things. Today I ran it on the output of my 6 stage RO/DI. There were 4 things that did not come back with a zero or negative reading: sulfate at 500 ppm, TDS at 500 ppm, chloride at 50 ppm and phosphate at 0.2 ppm. Only the first 2 are abnormally excessive and my guess is that the TDS is primarily a reflection of the sulfate. If the tests are accurate, they exceed EPA standards for drinking water. And that?s AFTER it?s been through a 6 stage RO/DI. I?ve also sent a sample of the water to TRITON Labs for professional testing and see if they confirm the home test kit findings.

Anyway, will excess sulfate (note: it?s not the same as hydrogen sulfide) kill corals and fish?
 

Zoous

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Thank you for the update. TDS of 500 doesn't sound good at all. Did you test the water coming out of the faucet? Sounds like your RO/DI is not doing anything. Sulfate not even good for people so can't be good for corals and fishes.
 

cybermeez

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TDS at 500 = this is not drinking water. Be very careful!

Yes, I?m having all the numbers confirmed by a professional aquarium water testing lab. I will likely even send it out to a 2nd lab that deals with testing just drinking water to be doubly sure. I?m not entirely confident that my at home test readings are accurate.

I hooked up my new electronic TDS meter to my 6 stage RO/DI today. It came back with significantly lower readings: 33 ppm right out of the tap and 0 ppm right after leaving the DI resin chamber. So, I?ll be putting much more stock in the professional lab?s results than the home test kits.
 
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Czynot

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Sorry for the lost. I believed fish and coral die off due to the move. You disturbed the sand bed. It cause tank to cycle. ammonia spike = dead fish. One reason I keep BB.


Bklyn 15 TDS from tap.
 

Czynot

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Unfortuntly in this hobby, bad things don?t show it?s ugly head quickly. Nothing happens quickly.
Removing or disturbing deep sand bed will cause a cycle. Moving will definitely disturb the balance. If you are not on top of testing the water. Ammonia and nitrite spike will wipe out the tank.
 

cybermeez

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New Update - Triton Lab Water Test Results

The results for my RO/DI water tests came back from Triton Labs to day. All measurements except one came back a zero or almost zero. The exception was tin. The problem is excessive tin in my water.

Reef tank saltwater should contain no more than 0.1 ug/L. The water coming out of the RD/DI unit contains 53 ug/L of tin. Thats 53,000 times the recommended level for a reef tank. So, I have to figure out a way to get it out of my top-off and water changes.

Tin in drinking water is not regulated by the EPA because it's not usually found in excess of 1-2 ug/L. However since the ban of lead based solder in plumbing applications the solders that replaced it are either a tin-antimony or tin-silver mixture, with tin being the primary component in both. My new apartment building was built in 2017 meaning the pipes are very new and likely leaching tin into the tap water. Since the EPA has not yet deemed tin to be a hazard to human health, levels in drinking water are not regulated. There is no limit.
 

IBernE

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Tin..... tin tin tin.... Tiiiiiiiiiiiiiiin.
Wow im wondering if theres any other information on this out there. Its the first time I hear that tin could be causing issues in a tank.
 

cybermeez

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In my case it's likely coming from the solder in the building's pipes. The building was built in 2017 so it's not surprising that there is some leaching from the pipe materials. But I thought my RO/DI would deal with it.
 

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