regarding "excess silicates", it happens every time my rodi system is overdue for maintenance....and I tend to only recognize it from the corresponding algae outbreaks.
My tap TDS is ~60 and TDS out has never (regardless of how long go between filter changes) climbed above 20...for months and months it stays 0TDS. My battle has been silicates...
So I stopped chasing TDS numbers and now change RO filter every 2 years and use my eyes (have to clean the glass...
Easy but slow - Option a) start low (35%) and bump up 5% every week or two, and monitor corals for any burning.
Fast but work and there is no perfect - Option b) rent a PAR meter and adjust until you have 50-75par on the sand and no more than 400par at the top of your aquascape.
Note: "Best"...
That "complicates it" but is not a deal killer.
If you have a way to hang/mount it over your container, it has 2 tube/pipe/sensors that hang down into the container. The long one triggers refills and th eshort one stops the refill. The length of those are adjusted to desired length during...
It's certainly not without doubt, but I'm with Sawdonkey because the GARF Bonsai I've seen have a consistent deep purple "body" versus the Valida's tricolor "body" with "pale green" sections. And it looks like the tips of yours are showing a hint of the green tips that you'd expect the tricolor...
I'm getting 5 to 6mo out of the base level BRS color changing DI with a BRS 4 stage, booster pump, and water saver kit (second membrane increases capacity to 150gpd but the real win is HALF the waste water).
I have my ATO feed directly from the RODI via an Avast Barrel Tender. The RODI is...
AI Hydra (non-HD) 52.
Good light with poor water resistance (splash, drip salt creep). If I didn't have a low hood I probably would still be using these.
If anyone is interested I still have a Neptune AWM module to be able to control AI Hydras through the Fusion interface.