I just got a TDS meter and the reading on my 33 gallon long, it read 171 which from what I have read seems to be a good number. The only thing that makes me wonder about the level is that I havent done a water change in 2-3 weeks, just top offs with ro water. I havent tested my gh/kh lately, but last time a changed the water it read 0-1kh and 3-4gh. Does this number seem off? What ppm reading should I shoot for? Any help would be great.
TDS meter readings
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Those numbers look fine to me. They are basically the same numbers I see in my CRS tank.
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That's fine, tds measures everything dissolved into water, so its nitrates, calcium, magnesium, etc
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I need some guidance on this issue. I have two shrimp tanks that are reproducing at a high rate. One has CRS and the other has OEBT. Both tanks have a TDS around 300. I do all the liquid fertz use straight RO with mineral added in. I top of during the week with RO + mineral additive.
Since my shrimp are molting and breeding at a high rate with out any die offs, am I really doing something wrong. Or are my TDS levels ok.
-Don
Since my shrimp are molting and breeding at a high rate with out any die offs, am I really doing something wrong. Or are my TDS levels ok.
-Don
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2,801 Posts
I've had the tds up over 400 with CRS and been fine, although I've heard it affects te shrimplets survival rate severely. When youre just topping off the tank the water doesn't need to have the minerals put in it. Only on a water change do they need it as they don't evaporate.
Don you should be topping off during the week with stright RO water. Dosing Ro +mineral with TOs is causing a mineral build up. This may not be an issue right now but will in the future when you shrimp stop mating b/c of the Ca and Mg levels hardening the egg shells.
Thats kinda what I am wondering, do you think I should be feeding more? It doesnt seem like they are starving, they do eat when food is there, but there is an IAL that has been in there for a few weeks now and they dont seem to touch it. Right now I feed 4-5 times per week.
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They're fine. You don't want to feed so much that your TDS goes up. All that means is there's excess nitrates in the tank. Just feed like you've been doing. The only TDS that really matters is the TDS of the water you put in there. Match TDS for water changes, top off with water that has close to 0 TDS. Your GH and KH wont raise once the water is in the tank unless there's something in your tank causing the GH or KH to rise.
Don't worry about it.
Don't worry about it.
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A tank's TDS basically reflects the net effect of nutrient addition (e.g. shrimp feed, plant fertilization dosing) and removal (e.g. plant growth, water change). Therefore, low TDS does not necessary mean feeding was too low. A low TDS may mean the amount of feeding was just right and therefore the TDS remains low. Low TDS means less impurity in the water. IOW, cleaner water.
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For crystal shrimp you generally want it below 200 for sure and water change accordingly with RO water followed by top offs until the tds is too low at which point you add some kinda gh booster with the nxt water change. If it's too high you don't. That's about it.
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