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Why you should change your RO/DI filters

s_kelley

Well-Known Member
Moderator
Ok so I must admit that I was wrong here. I know I know, dont let my girl see this.
This is why you should change all your filters when they say you should.
2012-07-12_18-24-48_968.jpg

I do my usual water changes but started getting this and couldnt figure out why. Then it dawned on me that I hadnt changed my filters in a while.
 
I will post another picture when it clears up so ya can see the difference. I changed everything out tonight.
 
6 months or so.....I think, didnt write down the date last time
 
Shane what is that, and do you have a TDS meter?? I am just starting to get some cyano in my tank and not sure where it is coming from. I do feed a little heavy, but always have. Light are not old, and I am getting 0TDS. MY bio pellets were down by a 3/4 of what they should be, but maybe I should look into my filters, it has been awhile. Good Luck and keep us posted.

Derek
 
Im guessing its from silicates. Everything else is on point. My di resin was needing to be changed so i put all new filters in too. Im hoping thats what its from. I have a dual tds and a handheld as well
 
Also how old is your membrane and when is the last time you flushed it? A lot of people only maintain the filters cartridges and forget about the membrane.
 
Im guessing its from silicates. Everything else is on point. My di resin was needing to be changed so i put all new filters in too. Im hoping thats what its from. I have a dual tds and a handheld as well

From the pic it looks like it's mostly cyano, is it more diatoms than I'm thinking? Are you doing any sort of carbon dosing?

What were you getting for TDS?
 
From the pic it looks like it's mostly cyano, is it more diatoms than I'm thinking? Are you doing any sort of carbon dosing?

What were you getting for TDS?


Why do ask about the carbon dosing? I am wondering if thats what my issue is.
 
Cyano growth can be a side effect of carbon dosing in some cases. I'd have to go find some references on the specific process, but it's something along the lines of cyano having the ability to use a carbon source when many/most other types of bacteria and algaes have become nutrient limited (That's IIRC off the top of my head, don't quote me exactly).

There is also some thinking that different carbon sources are more or less friendly to cyano, for example a lot of people have found that vodka seems to encourage cyano more than an equivelent dose (8X) of vinegar.

IME when I tried bio-pellets they seemed to feed cyano like crazy. I switched to vinegar and the cyano almost completely died out, but then over time as I ramped up the dose the cyano recovered to some extent. My best guess at the moment is that the goal is to find a dose that's just enough to keep the nutrients down, but not in excess of that because the excess seems to encourage cyano. Last I checked I was getting nitrate undetectable and phosphate @.01, then I cut the vinegar dose back about %20 and the nitrate and phosphate levels did not appear to climb but I did see a reduction in cyano.
 
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