Could I put GFO in my Top off water?

[beehive124]

Hey guys!
My top off water has ~.09 phosphate in it (RO water from the grocery store) and I was wondering if I could put a wave pump with some GFO in a bucket to strip most of the phosphate out.
Thanks!

 

[Pistondog]

Hey guys!
My top off water has ~.09 phosphate in it (RO water from the grocery store) and I was wondering if I could put a wave pump with some GFO in a bucket to strip most of the phosphate out.
Thanks!

Could you find a different ro source?

 

[GARRIGA]

Consider filling this up with carbon/GFO and place it in a 20g Brute then wait until phosphates test zero. Unless your ATO reservoir is large enough. Wouldn't hurt to just have this as the container for storing RO and then fill from it the ATO.

 

[fishguy242]

never trust a store machine, buy bottled
distilled 0 dkh
drinking 7-8 dkh
spring /artesian 10+ dkh

 

[redfishbluefish]

My two cents.....save your money and get an RO/DI unit. With purchased water, you never know what you're going to get....and this is even true buying from your LFS.

 

[DivingTheWorld]

I personally don't trust any water to go in my system which hasn't been run through my RO/DI and tested myself. Even store purchased saltwater can have variations depending on the store and who made it.

 

[beehive124]

Thanks guys!
I live in an area where it get’s -20 degrees F throughout the winter and the pipes don’t like to work for my RO system. The nearest fish store is about 3 hours away, so I just make do with the grocery store water. It’s never failed me, but I understand why it’s not the greatest option.

 

[GARRIGA]

Consider buying Walmart"s Parent's Choice Distilled. Zero TDS. Convenient to source. What I'm using until I get a hole home filtration system installed and segmented section for Ultrafiltration since my filtration has no issue handling nutrients and all I care to remove is bacteria and chloramine. Save the calcium and magnesium naturally occurring in my limestone.

 

[beehive124]

Consider buying Walmart"s Parent's Choice Distilled. Zero TDS. Convenient to source. What I'm using until I get a hole home filtration system installed and segmented section for Ultrafiltration since my filtration has no issue handling nutrients and all I care to remove is bacteria and chloramine. Save the calcium and magnesium naturally occurring in my limestone.

Awesome thanks!!

 

[fishguy242]

careful w baby water ,some brands contain fluoride.

 

[jmichaelh7]

Buy a RODI system. If that’s not in the budget, you may want to re consider this hobby . Those are key fundamentals needed

 

[Tamberav]

Thanks guys!
I live in an area where it get’s -20 degrees F throughout the winter and the pipes don’t like to work for my RO system. The nearest fish store is about 3 hours away, so I just make do with the grocery store water. It’s never failed me, but I understand why it’s not the greatest option.

distilled will be fine - it is better than RO - should come out to 0 TDS. Just make sure it doesn't have minerals added back for taste or what not.

alternatively 0.09 po4 isn't really a problem

 

[Mical]

Thanks guys!
I live in an area where it get’s -20 degrees F throughout the winter and the pipes don’t like to work for my RO system. The nearest fish store is about 3 hours away, so I just make do with the grocery store water. It’s never failed me, but I understand why it’s not the greatest option.

I live in west central Minnesota and it gets below zero degrees often but my RODI and plumbing has never failed. An RODI unit will pay for itself in less than a year.

 

[Tamberav]

Consider buying Walmart"s Parent's Choice Distilled. Zero TDS. Convenient to source. What I'm using until I get a hole home filtration system installed and segmented section for Ultrafiltration since my filtration has no issue handling nutrients and all I care to remove is bacteria and chloramine. Save the calcium and magnesium naturally occurring in my limestone.

minerals are added so its not 0 TDS.


you CAN get distilled with nothing added but it's not this one.

 

[Tamberav]

Buy a RODI system. If that’s not in the budget, you may want to re consider this hobby . Those are key fundamentals needed

You can use distilled and sometimes RO. I did it for years. Some people even use tap and have nice tanks. I would say this isn't correct that a person needs to 're-consider this hobby'.

 

[beehive124]

I do have an RO unit, it just doesn’t seem to work all that great (probably cuz it was $50 and I was trying to cut costs lol) and it’s hard for me to find a place to mount it. Anyhoo, I’ll take a look at distilled water for my top off

 

[beehive124]

Buy a RODI system. If that’s not in the budget, you may want to re consider this hobby . Those are key fundamentals needed

I only keep low demanding corals such as acans, euphyllia, zoas, and other various lps. Everything grows and stays happy with the water I use and it’s been that way for about a year now

 

[Tamberav]

I only keep low demanding corals such as acans, euphyllia, zoas, and other various lps. Everything grows and stays happy with the water I use and it’s been that way for about a year now

Test the PO4 in your tank. It's possible your RO is no problem at all. If it isn't broken? Happy corals and no major algae issues?

 

[srobertb]

Hey guys!
My top off water has ~.09 phosphate in it (RO water from the grocery store) and I was wondering if I could put a wave pump with some GFO in a bucket to strip most of the phosphate out.
Thanks!

Buy distilled.

Grocery stores “filtered” water is for drinking. It will have all sorts of stuff in it that’s no bueno for the fish tank. They will also change their filters when they’re told to and that’s probably long after someone would change them for the ATO water.

Even a LFS will try and maximize their output so they will most likely run their filters into the ground before replacing them.

Invest in a good water filter. You can put it under your sink and run a bypass line to DI resin for the fish tank and have filtered water at your sink.

As someone who went from grocery store water, to distilled, to LFS, and eventually making my own I would have saved so much time, money, and headaches doing it right from the beginning.

 

[GARRIGA]

minerals are added so its not 0 TDS.


you CAN get distilled with nothing added but it's not this one.

I tested it and it checked off as zero TDS. Noticed it said minerals added but either my meter is off or it’s too small to detect. I’ve tested my meter against calibration solution and it passed.

Has anyone done ICP on it to confirm what it actually has or just dismissed it because it’s brewed for babies?