Are you using tap water, RO, distilled?
TDS - What Is going on?!
Recently, in effort to achieve optimal water parameters I decided to by a TDS meter off the bay from an overseas seller. My goal obviously being to lower my TDS and get an optimal ph, GH, and KH. So I began making water with my R/O unit and did a few water changes with Kent RO Right to add GH. But I found that my TDS were higher than what I'd like (~300-350, which was down from the original reading) with a GH of 5 and KH of 3. So I read around and found that Kent tends to add KH and decided to try Fluval shimp supplement. I did a series of water changes bringing my current readings to:
GH - 4.5
KH - 1.1
TDS - 450 (?!)
pH - 6
How is this happening.... I've been doing frequent water changes to get the levels in check. I don't fertilize anymore (and I only did scarcely in the past). I do have ~1bps CO2 dosing on a timer with lighting. The tank is planted and has a school of Chili Boraras.
WHY is my TDS so high?!.... Its got to be the meter right? Or does fluval shrimp supplement contain that much junk in it?
GH - 4.5
KH - 1.1
TDS - 450 (?!)
pH - 6
How is this happening.... I've been doing frequent water changes to get the levels in check. I don't fertilize anymore (and I only did scarcely in the past). I do have ~1bps CO2 dosing on a timer with lighting. The tank is planted and has a school of Chili Boraras.
WHY is my TDS so high?!.... Its got to be the meter right? Or does fluval shrimp supplement contain that much junk in it?
1 - 20 of 25 Posts
Im using RO
What is your ro waters tds? I use flval mineral and my tds is about 120 with a gh of 5.
how many chili rasboras do you have in there? It could just be nitrates from waste.
What is your ro waters tds? I use flval mineral and my tds is about 120 with a gh of 5.
I use RO water and Fluval Shrimp Mineral supplement and my tds is < 60 when I make a gallon of water to a GH of 5. What is your tds reading before adding Fluval Shrimp Mineral Supplement? What kind of tds meter do you have?
My ro water is 3 tds. It takes about 7ml per 5 gallons to get 5gh. My tds is roughly 120. I have used about 5 bottles in the last 2 years, and it has always been the same. I use a hm tds meter.
I add 36 drops per 1 gallon and get my GH to 5, maybe a tad lower. I'm not sure how many ml's 36 drops is.My ro water is 3 tds. It takes about 7ml per 5 gallons to get 5gh. My tds is roughly 120. I have used about 5 bottles in the last 2 years, and it has always been the same. I use a hm tds meter.
I am not sure, but according to this thread every degree of gh is a minimum of 18 tds.
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=177848&page=2
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=177848&page=2
I would separately test one gallon of your RO.
Lets say you start with 7.
Add fluval shrimp stratum to reach 100 or 120 TDS doesn't matter, test GH with a API chemical test kit.
Now you should know how much TDS builds up for every degree of GH using fluval mineral. It may be more than 18ppm.
Now test your tank for no3 and po4. That may give you a clue of what is the unknown rest of TDS.
Lets say you start with 7.
Add fluval shrimp stratum to reach 100 or 120 TDS doesn't matter, test GH with a API chemical test kit.
Now you should know how much TDS builds up for every degree of GH using fluval mineral. It may be more than 18ppm.
Now test your tank for no3 and po4. That may give you a clue of what is the unknown rest of TDS.
If your water at proper params is 120 then the extra ~300 or so tds in your tank is other stuff, it doesn't have to all be nitrate/phosphorous either, it can be other things too. Nitrate at least is the first thing I'd test for... Anything over 20ppm in a caridina tank can be deadly.
Maybe your meter needs cleaning or recalibration?
When you refer to keeping water levels in check, can you elaborate on the parameters, namely the ammonia, nitrates and nitrides?
When you refer to keeping water levels in check, can you elaborate on the parameters, namely the ammonia, nitrates and nitrides?
Are you dosing aquarium salt? Or anything else?
Does the TDS meter read zero when is out of the water?
Set the meter in distilled water and see what it reads.
Unfortunately, Im at work at the moment but this morning I did some toying around. When I took the meter out of the tank it is no longer reading zero (when I first purchased it out of water air it read ~2), It now reads 40, then when shaken off ~17. Could this miss-calibration be that exponential? In beginning to think it has to be the meter, my nitrate levers are negotiable. I mean over the past week I probably cycled out all the original water, in addition to light vac-ing).
I do not have spare RO water to test ATM
I have a master test kit, in addition to GH/KH. Everything seems fine.
But I do not have the "Calibration fluid" the TDS says it needs, it is a rather cheep asian import. And a "continuous read probe" which I was nervous about.....
I am not dosing anything besides Fluval shrimp supplement.
I do not have spare RO water to test ATM
I have a master test kit, in addition to GH/KH. Everything seems fine.
But I do not have the "Calibration fluid" the TDS says it needs, it is a rather cheep asian import. And a "continuous read probe" which I was nervous about.....
I am not dosing anything besides Fluval shrimp supplement.
For your reference, 2 G of my RO with probably 2-3 ml of Fluval mineral stuff gets TDS from < 10 to about 150 and GH would be aroun 5. If you need much more than that something is wrong.
If you previously use Kent's RO right, then that explains the high TDS and low GH since it contains salt. Do a simple experiment if you want, get like 1L of RO water in a container, test TDS/GH, should both close to 0 (otherwise either your RO or your test kit is not right). Then add a teaspoon of salt or two, test TDS and GH again. You will find TDS goes way up but GH not so much. That's why you have high TDS low GH with Kent's RO right, it contains salt, not as much calcium or other 2+ ions to increase GH. Also, RO right increases KH (as the manufacture's product description). That's why I looked into it but decided not to use it. Of course, others may be using it happily with great result, I'm not saying it doesn't work, just not to my liking.
If you previously use Kent's RO right, then that explains the high TDS and low GH since it contains salt. Do a simple experiment if you want, get like 1L of RO water in a container, test TDS/GH, should both close to 0 (otherwise either your RO or your test kit is not right). Then add a teaspoon of salt or two, test TDS and GH again. You will find TDS goes way up but GH not so much. That's why you have high TDS low GH with Kent's RO right, it contains salt, not as much calcium or other 2+ ions to increase GH. Also, RO right increases KH (as the manufacture's product description). That's why I looked into it but decided not to use it. Of course, others may be using it happily with great result, I'm not saying it doesn't work, just not to my liking.
For your reference, 2 G of my RO with probably 2-3 ml of Fluval mineral stuff gets TDS from < 10 to about 150 and GH would be aroun 5. If you need much more than that something is wrong.
If you previously use Kent's RO right, then that explains the high TDS and low GH since it contains salt. Do a simple experiment if you want, get like 1L of RO water in a container, test TDS/GH, should both close to 0 (otherwise either your RO or your test kit is not right). Then add a teaspoon of salt or two, test TDS and GH again. You will find TDS goes way up but GH not so much. That's why you have high TDS low GH with Kent's RO right, it contains salt, not as much calcium or other 2+ ions to increase GH. Also, RO right increases KH (as the manufacture's product description). That's why I looked into it but decided not to use it. Of course, others may be using it happily with great result, I'm not saying it doesn't work, just not to my liking.
To be honest I still dont think this is the problem (I've been ruminating about it all day). I do agree with you about kents and that's why I switched to Fluval. Through a series of water changes I got my KH down from 3 to ~1. But my TDS went up? doesn't make sense. And I know fluval shrimp stratum (from reading a substrate page) tends to have a slight kh buffer to 1-2, which I can live with.
I just wanna get this tank solid before my week vacation coming up!
If it reads 40 outside of air, it should just give you a reading +40 from what TDS you have. it shouldn't be exponential. Either way, even if it is a cheap asian TDS meter does it allow you to calibrate the meter? If so then buy some cheap NaCl solution on amazon.com ~200TDS or lower, don't buy the 900TDS reference solutions.Unfortunately, Im at work at the moment but this morning I did some toying around. When I took the meter out of the tank it is no longer reading zero (when I first purchased it out of water air it read ~2), It now reads 40, then when shaken off ~17. Could this miss-calibration be that exponential? In beginning to think it has to be the meter, my nitrate levers are negotiable. I mean over the past week I probably cycled out all the original water, in addition to light vac-ing).
I do not have spare RO water to test ATM
I have a master test kit, in addition to GH/KH. Everything seems fine.
But I do not have the "Calibration fluid" the TDS says it needs, it is a rather cheep asian import. And a "continuous read probe" which I was nervous about.....
I am not dosing anything besides Fluval shrimp supplement.
If your meter cannot be calibrated, consider buying a new one from amazon.com? They cost ~$20.
But either way I'm not sure why your TDS reading is that off, unless it's from poop or ferts.
Buy a new TDS meter, yours is dead.
A TDS meter MUST read zero when is out of the water.
I learned this from HM products.
If you get the tds/ph combo, Make sure you get one that has ATC, automatic temperature calibration.
A TDS meter MUST read zero when is out of the water.
I learned this from HM products.
If you get the tds/ph combo, Make sure you get one that has ATC, automatic temperature calibration.
1 - 20 of 25 Posts
- This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
The Planted Tank Forum
A forum community dedicated to Aquatic tank owners and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about flora, fauna, health, housing, filters, care, classifieds, and more!
Full Forum Listing
Explore Our Forums
Recommended Communities
