2:15PM water started with booster pressure at 65psi from driveway water source to Costco 27Gal storage tote. So far so good, TDS from source reads from
RODI system IN red line (after two canisters: 5 Micron Purtrex Sediment Filter & BRS 5 Micron VOC Carbon Block, and membrane, respectively) is 11-12ppm
OUT is 0ppm (after 3rd canister = Color Changing DI Resin).
Water waste is at 440ppm (black line).
Garden hose water is at 320ppm, while
kitchen faucet cold water is at 340ppm.
at 5:39PM about half tank filled. So it's about 13.5Gal/3:24hr, thus, about 4 Gal/hr.
Update 6/27/2026: Still much for me to learn as I think I haven't truly passed beginner's stage: Not much success in coral growing. So I should refer to some Youtuber successes:
3/1/2025
First RODI water change.
Before water change: I cannot get some proper reading for phosphate because my Hannah low range Phosphate meter reactant agent is expired 3/24. I tested it at 0.05 ppm (twice, and also tested with unaltered sample to get zero just to be sure) with the expired one, not sure how accurate this is. Given the algae bloom, it's probably correct. Should have bought some test strips for this.
Temp: 72F
pH: 8.2
salinity: 1.028
Phosphate (Hanna): 0.05ppm
After water change:
Temp: 68.783F -> 71.483F (3/8/25)
pH: 8.34 -> 8.42 (3/8/25)
Salinity: 1.030 Specific Gravity (D20/20) -> 42 parts per thousand (0/00) (3/8/25)
Phosphate: 0.11ppm (weird? - because of the expiration?)
days after 2nd RODI water change:
PO4 (phosphate): Saysummer Test Strips < 0.1 ppm
Wutest strip:
Fe = 0 ppm
Cu = 0 ppm
NO3 (Nitrate) = 0 ppm
NO2 (Nitrite) = 0 ppm
CL2 (Chlorine) = 0 ppm
GH (Total Hardness) = >300 ppm
TAL (Total Alkalinity) = 180-300 ppm
KH (Carbonate) = 40-80 ppm
pH = > 8.4
AAwipes Strip:
Ammonia nitrogen = 0 mg/L
Hardness = 425 mg/L
Carbonate = 180-300 mg/L
Total Alkalinity = 80-120 mg/L
pH = 8.4
3rd Water change done today 6pm.
Update 3/24/25:
Phosphate, HANNA (not expired 2/2027): 0.04 ppm
Phosphate, HANNA (expired 3/2024): 0.04 ppm (same as non-expired)
4/22/2025 (a day before departure for Malaysia)
Phosphate: HANNA (expired 3/2024): 0.16ppm
Phosphate: HANNA (expired 2/2027): 0.14ppm
5/16/2025 (back from Malaysia, doing Phosphate test before trying adding basement dehumidifier water, just to see how this would affect phosphate)
12pm
Phosphate: HANNA (expired 3/2024): 0.03ppm
Phosphate: HANNA (expired 2/2027): 0.11ppm
5pm
2nd test:
Phosphate: HANNA (expired 3/2024): 0.00ppm
Phosphate: HANNA (expired 2/2027): 0.14ppm
I've learned from AI today that the Aqueon Modular LED Fixture lighting that came with the original tank owner can never support coral reefs, and is specifically made for freshwater. Being only capable of outputting 12-18 PAR at water depth of 12 inches, because 10-15 total watts of power is just too low.
I actually do have the Fluval Marine 3.0 LED 46 Watt (Model 14516, which is identified as Marine version 3 on google, but for some reason I think it was boxed with label "Fluval Marine & Reef 2.0 LED, this will get sorted out with a bluetooth test - 3.0 can connect to Fluval App while 2.0 cannot) which I bought after this aquarium and then retired it to the basement when I upgrade to the 2x AI PRIME 16HD (59 Watts each).
Now that the AI Prime 16HDs are flickering due to melted LEDs, possibly caused by the salt water surface bubbles, I am not going to fix it now that I think I can just switch back to the Fluval. However, it's late now, so I'll do it sometime this week.