getting around a RO unit?

[tangguy27]

i brought home my 29 gallon nano reef from my office and i got a algae problem from the high phosphate levels from my well water.is there anyway to fix this long term without a RO unit?thanks for any advice

[brward5]

you can use water conditioners, but if you're keeping anything other than fish, the water quality will never be high enough. The trace metals - esp copper are the worst thing in non-RO water. You can always buy distilled or RO from a store... distilled from Wal-Mart or the like, RO possibly from your LFS.

[tangguy27]

thanx for the help. but i heard that distilled water also has to much copper for corals. any other ideas?

[jedheuer]

Check your water supply. Most water boards have a report online. it may be that you have good tap water and you are adding all the phosphates via feeding. Secondly you can buy RO water from grocery or fish stores. Just get a TDS meter so you know you are getting good water. Alot of places sell not the best water.

[THE ROOK]

Long term = Buy an RO unit

Short term = Buy water from the local LFS

[Patriot54]

You can buy RO water from walmart for .68 cents a gallon, all you need to do is read the label and see how they filter it. Don't buy RO water from the "fill your own" water stations they have at grocery stores because when they clean them out, they use harmful cemicals.

[tangguy27]

thanx alot guys this will help me till i can get an RO unit i will probaly be the best in the long run

[tangguy27]

ok well ive tested both my tap and found that phosphate are around .25 that should make that much of a difference should it?

[jedheuer]

.25 will with out doubt cause you algae troubles. You will spend more in the long run (carbon, salt, phosban) trying to combat it, so definitely use RO water. One thing you can do is buy a cheap unit and add DI stage later. Get a low production membrane (like 24 gpd) and that will cut cost to. Check out bulkreefsupply.com. or get from the walmart or wherever you can. Good luck.

[tangguy27]

thanks alot i think ill have to just suck it up and get one