How should I switch from tap to RODI in reef tank?

[joshvollberg]

Hey guys,

 

Thanks for taking the time to read this and help me out.

I have a 60 gallon reef tank full of softies/LPS running on tap water, but I am ready to make the switch to RODI. My problem is my phosphates are about 0.2 and my nitrates are 5. My nitrates must be low because I am pretty consistent with water changes and got lucky to possibly not have any nitrates in my source water. However, the brown algae/diatoms everywhere must be mostly caused by my source water since I am usually good with water changes and feeding?

My questions are:

1. Before my first water change with RODI, could I use Phosphate RX to get my phosphates to 0? Will this eliminate the phosphates in the whole tank until it is introduced via feeding even though most of the tap is still in the tank? I was thinking instead of gradually lowering the phosphates with partial RODI water changes this would be faster since I am excited to see improvement and a little impatient. Of course, treating the tank with Phosphate RX but still using tap water for water changes and top offs will just raise the phosphates back, so this is why I am wondering if there is a way to speed up the process for getting rid of phosphate. 

2. Those of you who have used a phosphate removing liquid such as Phosphate Rx, does it remove phosphate for only a period of time or will it come back?

 

Josh

 

[ksadam]

If it were me I would forgo the Phosphate RX and just do the water changes. Why add unnecessary chemicals to your tank if you can lower it through water-changes. You could just do 50% water-changes every week for a month and then go back to your regular routine. Good things take time, bad things happen fast. 

[Naekuh]

i agree with ksadam...

you don't want to change your water chemistry too much too quickly unless its a hail mary and things are dying faster then you can say "oh #@$#@$@".  

 

I learned in reef, there is no such thing as rushing it.... rushing it, means asking for almost anything possible to go wrong, to actually go wrong. 

 

[Clown79]

You don't want phosphate at 0. That is the worst thing we as hobbyists ever attempted to achieve. Its nutrients corals and other organisms need.

 

Its also the prime condition for certain things like dino's to thrive in, loss of coral growth and colouration.

 

Same with nitrates, 5 is spot on.

 

There are a lot of hobbyists with gorgeous tanks, lots of growth and high nutrients. Research is showing that tanks do far better with nutrients than without.

 

The algae could be caused by other nasty things in the tap water.

 

Best method to transition, just start doing regular 10-15% weekly waterchanges with using rodi and daily top ups with it as well

[wiigelec]

+another

 

just start using it and don't do anything drastic

 

"this would be faster since I am excited to see improvement and a little impatient "

road to disaster...