Help! I cant get rid of this brown algae!!

luvmyreef

luvmyreef

Active Member
I have the coralife pureflo 2. Supposedly, other membranes will not work in it. At least that is what I was told by a couple online vendors I tried to order from. :(
 
acrylic51

acrylic51

Active Member
Some places are really raping people on membranes.....I can understand if your purchasing the SpectraPure tested membranes, but still $109.00......I just replaced everything on my RO/DI getting all geared up to fill my tank, and got the 6 stage filter replacement including the refillable DI resin......That is where a lot of people blow tons of money on DI cartridges.....Seriously look at investing and refilling your own.....The 6 stage was $45.00 75gpd DowFilmTech membrane another $45.00
 
snakeblitz33

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
I found a site a long time ago that sells RO/DI products and I have used them for years. Don is a pretty good friend (the guy that practically runs the place)... Their 50, 75 and 100gpd membranes all run $39.95 each. They also have a six filter set (4 carbon, 2 sediment) for about $30. Air water ice if you don't know the company by now... lol. They also have refillable DI resins and DI filter chambers... pretty cool stuff and reasonable prices. Just so that you will know for next time... You could have changed out your entire system for $70 plus S&H. lol.
Anyways, Sounds like you have a source of phosphate in your live rock or live sand... with your tank being up and running that long without any type of maintenance on the sandbed or unclogging your live rocks pores... I'de start there and then figure out what else is wrong.
 
acrylic51

acrylic51

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by luvmyreef http:///t/389583/help-i-cant-get-rid-of-this-brown-algae/20#post_3445925
I have the coralife pureflo 2. Supposedly, other membranes will not work in it. At least that is what I was told by a couple online vendors I tried to order from. :(
Horse crap.....Take their membrane housing off the unit, and buy yourself a standard membrane housing from somewhere like CustomAquatics, **************, Premium Aquatics or what not, and swap them out and guess what......You can use whatever you want....And to be totally honest there are only a handful of people who make membranes, and I'm quite sure if you pulled the membrane out it will be a Dow FilmTech.......
 
luvmyreef

luvmyreef

Active Member
Wow. good deals. I can't remember the name on mine, but it is one that is for high silicates. I will look around next time again. I just replaced all of them not long ago, and just last week replaced the sediment and carbon filters. Sometimes I feel like buying a whole new unit for what I spend on filters lol.
EDIT; You guys type way too fast. Changing the housing sounds like a winner to me !!!!!
 
snakeblitz33

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
Eh, my landlord won't let me install a RO Unit under my sink in my apartment, so I have to buy water out now. :(
Once I get a rent house, I'm sure it will be a little different.
The place that I buy my water from... always keeps their water under a TDS of 5. Usually I buy it when it's between 0 to 3.
What else can you tell us about the tank/system?
 
acrylic51

acrylic51

Active Member
Seth why not get a faucet adapter and plumb it up to the sink when you need water and when you are done you just unscrew the faucet adapter and put it away.....The landlord would never have to know a thing......
 
luvmyreef

luvmyreef

Active Member
+1. that is what I used to do until hubby plumbed it into the basement. Sorry for the hijack of your thread!!
 
snakeblitz33

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
I have such a small system that I only top off 5g of freshwater a week. 1: it's not worth buying a unit and 2: I don't want to do the faucet thing because I don't want the membrane to accidentally dry out between uses.
I'm also sorry for the hijack. lol
 
beaslbob

beaslbob

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by drew2005 http:///t/389583/help-i-cant-get-rid-of-this-brown-algae#post_3445631
^^I dont feed much. Its a small cube of frozen mega marine. I feed every other day like i have been for years. I cut the lighting from 7 to 5 hours so i hope that helps kill some of this crap. This is vert frustrating. I wanna start to the setup on my new tank but not until this is taken care of.
Kill You lights completely.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
drew2005

drew2005

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by acrylic51 http:///t/389583/help-i-cant-get-rid-of-this-brown-algae#post_3445906
Wow......Where did you buy your filters from......How big is your RO/DI unit....You can buy a 6 stage filter replacement from ************** for roughly $48.00.....A new membrane Dow FilmTech for another $40-50.......
Snake also hit on something I thought as well.....When he mentioned about Phosphates.....That Phos binds to your LR......you might be or assuming your removing that source of Phos, but your rock could steadily be leaching, and will continue if that is the case and point here. That is were the Bleach / Acid bath helps in this type of condition. Again not saying that's what it is, but a very good point by Seth.......
Kent Maxxima Hi-S 60gpd. Membrane was $120. I guess ill shop around next time lol
Quote:
Originally Posted by acrylic51 http:///t/389583/help-i-cant-get-rid-of-this-brown-algae#post_3445902
Not to be rude or a jerk......But IMPOSSIBLE NUMBERS!!!!!!!!!! Look at things theoretically you will not have 0's across the board.....Given the shear nature of life and how things work, there is always some bi product or waste, and your numbers are telling me I'm crazy......What test kits are you using.......
I only use Salifert. Unless my tests are wrong everything was 0. I will test again.
 
acrylic51

acrylic51

Active Member
What I was saying if you stop and think about how the different tests we do to check levels....one input in the process produces a result. With that said if you introduce food, then fish waste, there is a waste....yes then it's converted. With that being said wasn't stating that your ammonia and such isn't resulting in "0" readings, but obviously something isn't being processed through the whole system therefore fueling the issues. It could be from several sources, but again with testing with "X" brand kit gives very little validation to your numbers. So many variables can come into play with tests!!!! Age is one example, quality of kit, something as simple as incomplete drops could majorly swing results. We've all been there doing a test and we don't get a complete drop????
As I had mentioned earlier it's possibly the issue fueling the problem is bound up and slowly being released there by giving the results your indicating. Also phosphate can be a hassle/issue identifying at times. Salifert has at times yielded unfavorable results. Has been noted. That's why you see some using a mixed range of kits for testing. If you go to the other forum and just gander at a lot of the TOTM readings and I'm sure you find some levels and most say undetectable, which again leads me to believe an errant reading at some point or there wouldn't be the issue your experiencing.
 
acrylic51

acrylic51

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by drew2005 http:///t/389583/help-i-cant-get-rid-of-this-brown-algae/20#post_3446235
Kent Maxxima Hi-S 60gpd. Membrane was $120. I guess ill shop around next time lol
My initial unit started as a Kent Maxxima Hi-S unit, and even from Kent they use Dow FilmTech membranes....Your paying for their fancy DI cartridge, which is a marketing gimick....
I only use Salifert. Unless my tests are wrong everything was 0. I will test again.
Salifert has been known to produce errant numbers at times. You'll see people using a mixed array of test kits from Salifert, Seachem, Elos for certain tests.....
 
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