milesmiles902 Posted October 6, 2016 Share Posted October 6, 2016 Hey everyone,Is there anyone here who had a reef aquarium before RODI was a thing? I just had to replace my membranes and filter, and it made me think if there was a time when no one had an RODI unit. I imagine there was.....Did you do anything different to compensate? Maybe get your water from the store or other special places? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Exodus Posted October 7, 2016 Share Posted October 7, 2016 Of course there was, when I first was introduced to Saltwater a long time ago, Trust me RODI wasn't even heard of! orange buckets in the bathtub filling up with water, mixing in your Instant ocean and making sure you were between the lines with your Two little fishies Hydrometer! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milesmiles902 Posted October 7, 2016 Author Share Posted October 7, 2016 What made it come to being? And what did you use before? Just a chloramine additive? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badxgillen Posted October 7, 2016 Share Posted October 7, 2016 I have an RODI but I don't use RODI, I might one day but not now. But as being a maintenance provider I generally recommend having one for a reef tank, especially if your source water is inconsistent or high in unknown TDS. I use a simple "De chlorination" additive before using the water in my tanks but thats about it, asides from the TDS tests every week or two. I imagine thats how it was before RODI being implemented in the reef aquariums. RODI has been around for a while, it has just been widely accepted by the reef hobbyists for the last couple decades. Maybe there some one out there who is in the same R.O.less boat as I. I can't be alone right?..Right? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
albertareef Posted October 7, 2016 Share Posted October 7, 2016 I have an RODI but I don't use RODI, I might one day but not now. But as being a maintenance provider I generally recommend having one for a reef tank, especially if your source water is inconsistent or high in unknown TDS. I use a simple "De chlorination" additive before using the water in my tanks but thats about it, asides from the TDS tests every week or two. I imagine thats how it was before RODI being implemented in the reef aquariums. RODI has been around for a while, it has just been widely accepted by the reef hobbyists for the last couple decades. Maybe there some one out there who is in the same R.O.less boat as I. I can't be alone right?..Right? Interesting! Where are you located (i.e. what is your water source) and what product do you typically use as a de-chlorinator? I think most all of us who have been in the hobby for a while used to do this but the RODI approach seems to have become the norm. Someone posted a link a while back to an argument that RODI wasn't necessary but I didn't get around to checking it out at the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ninjabeaver Posted October 7, 2016 Share Posted October 7, 2016 I have an RODI but I don't use RODI, I might one day but not now. But as being a maintenance provider I generally recommend having one for a reef tank, especially if your source water is inconsistent or high in unknown TDS. I use a simple "De chlorination" additive before using the water in my tanks but thats about it, asides from the TDS tests every week or two. I imagine thats how it was before RODI being implemented in the reef aquariums. RODI has been around for a while, it has just been widely accepted by the reef hobbyists for the last couple decades. Maybe there some one out there who is in the same R.O.less boat as I. I can't be alone right?..Right? So how are your phosphates? Or how do you control them? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badxgillen Posted October 7, 2016 Share Posted October 7, 2016 I was born and raised in Corvallis Oregon and that is still where I and my tanks reside, here TDS rarely reaches around 37-40 PPM with much of that being bi carbonates. For chlorine removal I love seachems Prime but usually use a cheaper homemade version containing sodiumthosulphates. For those of you in Portland and such there are also chloramines and those are not taken out by SoThio. For nitrate\phosphates I carbon dose the old HRD and am a big fan of activated carbon, I say no to GFO but thats just me. I have a few tanks that have macro and a couple that have a shoddy algae scrubber in addition to the chems. The corals don't seem to mind my methods. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
albertareef Posted October 7, 2016 Share Posted October 7, 2016 Well, it certainly seems to be working - tank looks awesome! I am in PDX but haven't looked at the TDS in my incoming water for a while... RO takes id down to 2 and DI the rest of the way but haven't put the sensor on the tap feed. Maybe try it this weekend just out of curiosity although I am sure someone on here probably already has an idea on PDX tap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chewie Posted October 8, 2016 Share Posted October 8, 2016 Good ol HRD!???? I used Amquel back in the day for chlorine/chloramines. I use RODI only now and I don't regret it. The chloramines killed me back in the day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milesmiles902 Posted October 8, 2016 Author Share Posted October 8, 2016 @Badxgillen Those must be fake. Of course it's not possible to grow coral without an RODI system. On a side note, I wonder if your LFS had no RODI...anyone out there that can vouch? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fragged Posted October 8, 2016 Share Posted October 8, 2016 (edited) Hey everyone, Is there anyone here who had a reef aquarium before RODI was a thing? I just had to replace my membranes and filter, and it made me think if there was a time when no one had an RODI unit. I imagine there was..... Did you do anything different to compensate? Maybe get your water from the store or other special places? I run my system without rodi, have been for years. Not joking. I use Prime and that's about it. Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk Edited October 8, 2016 by Fragged 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattv Posted October 8, 2016 Share Posted October 8, 2016 20 plus years ago we used tap water with a product called Holdex, it was a blue powder. Back then there wasn't much live coral, we used coral skeletons and had to bleach them every 2 weeks. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badguitarist Posted October 8, 2016 Share Posted October 8, 2016 I can vouch for Robert. I grew up in farm country outside Corvallis and TDS out of the tap was 200-300 depending on time of year. I moved to Corvallis around my college years and quite using RO. Corvallis water just didn't need it. I still do a few maintenance accounts in Corvallis and use tap water on all of them. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spectra Posted October 9, 2016 Share Posted October 9, 2016 Well I used to just use one of those contraptions hooked to the faucet........it worked. Now yes have to use RODI as TDS is probably 130 or more here in the couve........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Exodus Posted October 9, 2016 Share Posted October 9, 2016 20 plus years ago we used tap water with a product called Holdex, it was a blue powder. Back then there wasn't much live coral, we used coral skeletons and had to bleach them every 2 weeks. That pretty much sums it up right there! Just minus the Holdex for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TaylorW Posted November 2, 2016 Share Posted November 2, 2016 I run my system without rodi, have been for years. Not joking. I use Prime and that's about it. Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk ME TOO!! I haven't had an rodi for over two years, just been using good ol' Prime. So far so good, I had one at one time, when we moved parts got broken and I just never got another, all my corals and even my anemones don't seem to be affected one bit, I have Hillsboro water btw. I've always been curious if anyone else here does everything *wrong* lol. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G360AZ using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheClark Posted November 2, 2016 Share Posted November 2, 2016 I am jealous of all the good water you all get outta the tap! Mine is 263 TDS and we have a softener for the house and RODI for the tank. I did send the water off for drinking water analysis, most of our tds comes from Alkalinity (as CaCO3) 168 Bicarbonate (as CaCO3) 165 Silica 38.2 Carbonate (as CaCO3) 2.46 Potassium, total 0.3 Copper, total 0.22 You can send water to these guys (not aquarium water, drinking water only!) https://www.karlabs.com/watertestkit/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badxgillen Posted November 2, 2016 Share Posted November 2, 2016 DANG Clark! That is some nigh TDS from the tap...Can't have that copper build up so you gotta do what you gotta do and strip that water down. To be honest I am very surprised the water has stayed so consistent where I am at over the years, population goes up and system strain usually causes some degradation in the various services including water/sewage. I am prepared to make the make the change over to RO but have not been "forced" to as of yet. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Exodus Posted November 2, 2016 Share Posted November 2, 2016 DANG Clark! That is some nigh TDS from the tap...Can't have that copper build up so you gotta do what you gotta do and strip that water down. To be honest I am very surprised the water has stayed so consistent where I am at over the years, population goes up and system strain usually causes some degradation in the various services including water/sewage. I am prepared to make the make the change over to RO but have not been "forced" to as of yet. Albany Corvallis Salem Area (ll the places I have lived anyways) has had pretty decent tap water, I get 28 TDS off the tap where I currently live. I still use RODI though, BRS made the additional insurance cheap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milesmiles902 Posted November 2, 2016 Author Share Posted November 2, 2016 I am jealous of all the good water you all get outta the tap! Mine is 263 TDS and we have a softener for the house and RODI for the tank. I did send the water off for drinking water analysis, most of our tds comes from Alkalinity (as CaCO3) 168 Bicarbonate (as CaCO3) 165 Silica 38.2 Carbonate (as CaCO3) 2.46 Potassium, total 0.3 Copper, total 0.22 You can send water to these guys (not aquarium water, drinking water only!) https://www.karlabs.com/watertestkit/ *Giggles in excitement* This is the stuff I love to talk about. That is such a good price as compared to other distributors. Can we see the full lab report? What else did you get tested? Were all the carbonates tested as CaCO3? Did you get your RODI water tested? Did you test the aquarium?!? You can tell I'm excited. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheClark Posted November 7, 2016 Share Posted November 7, 2016 *Giggles in excitement* This is the stuff I love to talk about. That is such a good price as compared to other distributors. Can we see the full lab report? What else did you get tested? Were all the carbonates tested as CaCO3? Did you get your RODI water tested? Did you test the aquarium?!? You can tell I'm excited. Darn! I missed this reply, we could have been talking water chemistry at the meeting! Ah... it was too busy anyways. I will post up my detailed results and get some free analysis, thanks!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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