My Corals are going to die, and I think I'm gonna let them

Sorry about the confusion, I stopped using straight tap water about three weeks ago. I was from the very start tho. I used Prime and the API one, I forget the name. I got the DI tap water filter and I trust it. Also, with the cost of buying RO/Di and the amount of water that I lose via evaporation, that would be the same as tossing money in the trash. I thought about it for a while a few months ago, but it's just not worth it.

I'm going to double check my heater and if it's not already on 78, I'll bump it up. I never thought 80 was a problem, personally, These fish are tropical fish and that water gets warm, but I'm no expert, so I followed the concensus I was seeing.

I use a "Deep SIX" hydrometer for salinity testing. I normally do a dip, check the number,empty it, test again, and then empty and leave it for a few minutes in the water and see if the number is the same.

RE: mechanical filtration, considering all the stuff I find in the filter pads when I clean the canister filter and the filter pads in the wet/dry, I've always been afraid to take it out all together. But at this point I'll give it a shot.

 

I think he's using the same API tapwater filter that I am using,seems to work fine although, every time I have to buy a new cartridge for it I find myself thinking an ro/di unit would be a better way.

 

I noticed in your original post you stated by your lights you are colorblind. How are you getting your water tested? Most test kits rely on color changes to show results. I may have missed the answer to that question if someone else already asked it.

 

Although I can't see the entire spectrum, I'm learning the range, when I have someone tells me what the reading is, I memorize the color, so its as if I can get a feel for it. Kind of like a blind person walking through a maze repeatedly.

Thankfully I'm not blind to the majority of the spectrum, it could be a lot worst.

 

Ok thanks for the explanation, just trying to help figure things out.

 

RO unit

 

You can also get the regent type tests. They don't use a color chart. Just add drops to the tube until it changes color. You might not know what color it is, but you could tell when it changes. Just a thought.

 

Not to beat a dead horse but RO/DI water is really cheap to produce, it comes out generally to something under $0.10 a gallon depending how bad your source water is and how often you need to change filters and will pay back the cost of the unit in under a year generally. You don't have a couple feet under your bathroom/kitchen sink? That's all you need. If you don't, maybe you could do some new year's cleaning?

Just think how much you would pay just to not have this same conversation the next time an issue crops up in your tank. ;D

Seriously, good luck, it sounds like there are a lot of good suggestions to get you started here I don't have anything else to add but +1 RO/DI unit.

 

i missed it do you have a UV Sterilizer

 

Yes sir.

I started seeing a massive drop in nuisance algae when i started using the DI water and UV sterilizer.

A week after I saw a thread with people saying that they kill beneficial pods, etc. I think I'm gonna leave it on and running.