Any reefers in North Liberty making their own RO/DI?

I'm in N. Liberty, I know Brian (H20) is and haven't heard from him in a while as well as Anna Marie, but I'm having algae issues and I'm thinking it may be the water?
My TDS reading at the faucet is 1,000+ and is reduced to 0-1 after my 4 stage RO/DI (suffice to say I go through filters) but I'm having algae issues and am wondering if it's me or the water.
Tank tests well...CA 440, Nitrites/Nitrates/Ammonia @ 0, PH is 8.4, phosphates @ 0, dkh is low @ 5 which I find interesting and am addressing.
Anyone else?
Thanks!
Eric

 

Posted By Mark Cooper on 08/22/2009 12:26 PM
1,000 out of the faucet? Yikes!!! I have 230 at the tap and when I switched to RO it helped immensely. I highly recommend getting an RO unit. Even a minimal unit will reduce your TDS to around 10 or 12, and if you get one with a DI stage you've got zero! Thanks!
You probably missed that I run a 4 stage unit and my water tests 0-1 after my RO/DI.
I'l also search on RC as I'm using the new version of Reef Crystals with enhanced levels of CA and Mag...thinking there's been reports of issues with this new formulation.
-Eric

 

Posted By gravattj on 08/22/2009 02:46 PM
I live in NL and make my own RO water. I just started having a problem with red algae...
How long have you been here (NL) and how long's the tank been up?
I'm on my 3rd algae outbreak -
1st - Green hair/slight chance of bryopsis
2nd - Red turf (looked like pink cotton candy)
3rd - Dark reddish brown slime with bubles (current problem)
Don't count diatoms (not really algae), have some bubble and thick green turf like that came on the rocks.
Have only ever had diatoms and bubble in past tanks. 
-Eric

 

Posted By Mark Cooper on 08/22/2009 04:03 PM
I think I recall reading on RC and elsewhere that low alkalinity can encourage algae growth.
I'll have to investigate that...
-Eric

 

Tank was started March 2009.  I did bring a biocube with me to our new place in November 2008, never had any problems but I was buying the water as I didn't need much, i.e. wasn't making RO from NL water.
First algae:


Second



Third

This came with the rocks:

Don't have pics of the current...looks like a form of cyano...reddish/brown, stringy & parts have bubbles.
-Eric

 

I'm starting to raise the alk with baking soda...calcium & ph are fine so baking soda seems to be the most direct route.  I'll continue to monitor both as the calcium may drop as the dkh increases.

I've never paid too much attention to alk as it's always tested fine in my other tanks although I did used to drip kalk as top off which might be why.

In this tank, I may be responsible for the drop - first, when I was treating the intial algae outbreak I increased magnesium and then for a few months I thought I'd "try" Purple Up as I got a bunch for free.

The calculators indicate I'll need about 4.5 tsp of baking soda - I added 1 tsp last night, 1 this morning (mixed w/RO), will test Ca, PH, Mg & dkh tonight before adding more.

-Eric

 

Last night alk was up to 7, dosed last night and again this morning...should be @ 8 this evening.  I'll probably take it closer to 10 to help combat algae.
Ca was still fine @ 440, Ph was normal but Mg was @ 1,150 - don't know if it dropped from raising the alk or if it was low before.
I'm thinking of trying a two part homemade solution, possibly from Bulk Reef?  I'll see if there's any threads on it...
Also getting ready to kick up the flow to over 2,000 gph.
-E