What should my TDS reading be ?

loves saltwater · 08/20/2007, 06:21 PM

I just received my new meter and the readings are as follows.

top-off water - 55

tank water - 192

virginiadiver69 · 08/20/2007, 06:23 PM

Your top off should be 0 or as close as possible. Your tank water will naturally be higher with salt.

bertoni · 08/20/2007, 06:29 PM

The tank water reading likely is meaningless since it's probably out of range for the meter. What kind of meter is being used, and how has it been calibrated, if it's been calibrated?

loves saltwater · 08/20/2007, 06:48 PM

The meter is a handheld made by HM Digital. the range is 0-9990 PPM. it is calibrated with NaCI 342 PPM if that helps

bertoni · 08/20/2007, 06:57 PM

If you're getting 55 ppm after a RO-DI filter, that's a major problem. Otherwise, it sounds like moderately clean tapwater. The reading in the tank is meaningless, since the TDS is well beyond that scale.

jsr · 08/20/2007, 07:08 PM

I am getting 200 PPM+ from tap, about 10 PPM after RO, and 0 PPM after DI. I hear that testing TDS meter in saltwater can mess with the readings. I could be wrong, but I dont want to risk it.

loves saltwater · 08/20/2007, 07:13 PM

I just checked my tap water and it was 386 ppm

The 50 ppm top off water came from the LFS that I used to do business with hehehehe I guess it is time to by an ro/di system...

bertoni · 08/20/2007, 07:15 PM

I've never regretted getting mine.

jsr · 08/20/2007, 07:16 PM

Oh yeah. Be nice and tell them what what you found. They should change the pre-filters and/or membrane. Remember, they are selling this to others.

loves saltwater · 08/20/2007, 07:19 PM

Yea I just got off the phone with them to let them know they have a problem. Could this be why I have a touch of cayno also ?

bertoni · 08/20/2007, 07:19 PM

Maybe. It all depends on what that 55 ppm of TDS actually is.

loves saltwater · 08/20/2007, 07:23 PM

do you care to elaborate on this Bertoni ?

bertoni · 08/20/2007, 07:37 PM

Well, if the TDS is a bit of salt or perhaps some plasticizers leached from a container, that might not hurt anything. If a lot of it is phosphate, then that'd be a major problem.

jsr · 08/20/2007, 07:51 PM

P04 is bad! I struggled with this before I changed my filters. Phosphate will bring Algae, you dont want that. I was getting a 0.5 reading from the RODI before I changed the filters and tested the TDS. I actully run some PhosGuard in my RODI container before I mix my salt.

Randall_James · 08/20/2007, 08:55 PM

Do keep in mind that your RO/DI unit is not maintainance free...

The post RO water in the units I have seen (at least decent ones) run between 5 and 10ppm.. A standard DI unit will hold about 3000P. At this point the PPM reading goes from 0 back to what the post RO reading is. (I get about 500G of good water out of each charge on mine)

The 6PPM I get out of my system I am sure would be ok for the tank but I like the 0 reading (at least with the resolution of my TDS meter)

08/20/2007, 06:21 PM	#1
loves saltwater Premium Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Katy,Tx Posts: 945	What should my TDS reading be ? I just received my new meter and the readings are as follows. top-off water - 55 tank water - 192 __________________ Does anyone have the number to Reef Keepers Anonymous! AM- 0 Rite- 0 Rate- 0 Phos- 0 PH- 8.0 SG- 1.026 Cal- 420 KH- 8.0 dKH Alk- 2.51 meg/L Mag- 1350 Temp-78-80 Current Tank Info: 125RR/30 gal DIY sump-fuge/100 lbs of LR/PM Bullet Skimmer/1000GPH Closed loop/T5 4X54 Watt HO

08/20/2007, 06:23 PM	#2
virginiadiver69 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Va. Posts: 4,400	Your top off should be 0 or as close as possible. Your tank water will naturally be higher with salt. __________________ Semi-aggressive mixed reef w/ shallow sand bed 96x30x27 310gal custom acrylic w/ ext. "fail safe" overflow 125gal sump/cryptic fuge w/ 6" DSB 3 400w Plus Rite 20k MH in Lumembrights 2 250w Plus Rite 20k MH in spider reflectors VHO actinic supplementation 2 Tunze wave boxes 2 Tunze 6060 in Tunze Rocks 2 Tunze 6125 Reeflo 250 skimmer Hammerhead return on OM 4 way Aqua controller lll Leviton power panel Deltec Eco-Cooler Randy's Two part 6.5 kw generator

08/20/2007, 06:29 PM	#3
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	The tank water reading likely is meaningless since it's probably out of range for the meter. What kind of meter is being used, and how has it been calibrated, if it's been calibrated? __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

08/20/2007, 06:48 PM	#4
loves saltwater Premium Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Katy,Tx Posts: 945	The meter is a handheld made by HM Digital. the range is 0-9990 PPM. it is calibrated with NaCI 342 PPM if that helps __________________ Does anyone have the number to Reef Keepers Anonymous! AM- 0 Rite- 0 Rate- 0 Phos- 0 PH- 8.0 SG- 1.026 Cal- 420 KH- 8.0 dKH Alk- 2.51 meg/L Mag- 1350 Temp-78-80 Current Tank Info: 125RR/30 gal DIY sump-fuge/100 lbs of LR/PM Bullet Skimmer/1000GPH Closed loop/T5 4X54 Watt HO

08/20/2007, 06:57 PM	#5
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	If you're getting 55 ppm after a RO-DI filter, that's a major problem. Otherwise, it sounds like moderately clean tapwater. The reading in the tank is meaningless, since the TDS is well beyond that scale. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

08/20/2007, 07:08 PM	#6
jsr Premium Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Cedar Park, TX Posts: 409	I am getting 200 PPM+ from tap, about 10 PPM after RO, and 0 PPM after DI. I hear that testing TDS meter in saltwater can mess with the readings. I could be wrong, but I dont want to risk it. __________________ Just my grain of salt... Current Tank Info: 135G Oceanic Mixed, 4 x 140W VHO, Octopus NW200, 3 x Koralia 4's, 30G Sump, 140# Live Rock, 120# Live Sand, ATO

08/20/2007, 07:13 PM	#7
loves saltwater Premium Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Katy,Tx Posts: 945	I just checked my tap water and it was 386 ppm The 50 ppm top off water came from the LFS that I used to do business with hehehehe I guess it is time to by an ro/di system... __________________ Does anyone have the number to Reef Keepers Anonymous! AM- 0 Rite- 0 Rate- 0 Phos- 0 PH- 8.0 SG- 1.026 Cal- 420 KH- 8.0 dKH Alk- 2.51 meg/L Mag- 1350 Temp-78-80 Current Tank Info: 125RR/30 gal DIY sump-fuge/100 lbs of LR/PM Bullet Skimmer/1000GPH Closed loop/T5 4X54 Watt HO

08/20/2007, 07:15 PM	#8
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	I've never regretted getting mine. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

08/20/2007, 07:16 PM	#9
jsr Premium Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Cedar Park, TX Posts: 409	Oh yeah. Be nice and tell them what what you found. They should change the pre-filters and/or membrane. Remember, they are selling this to others. __________________ Just my grain of salt... Current Tank Info: 135G Oceanic Mixed, 4 x 140W VHO, Octopus NW200, 3 x Koralia 4's, 30G Sump, 140# Live Rock, 120# Live Sand, ATO

08/20/2007, 07:19 PM	#10
loves saltwater Premium Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Katy,Tx Posts: 945	Yea I just got off the phone with them to let them know they have a problem. Could this be why I have a touch of cayno also ? __________________ Does anyone have the number to Reef Keepers Anonymous! AM- 0 Rite- 0 Rate- 0 Phos- 0 PH- 8.0 SG- 1.026 Cal- 420 KH- 8.0 dKH Alk- 2.51 meg/L Mag- 1350 Temp-78-80 Current Tank Info: 125RR/30 gal DIY sump-fuge/100 lbs of LR/PM Bullet Skimmer/1000GPH Closed loop/T5 4X54 Watt HO

08/20/2007, 07:23 PM	#12
loves saltwater Premium Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Katy,Tx Posts: 945	do you care to elaborate on this Bertoni ? __________________ Does anyone have the number to Reef Keepers Anonymous! AM- 0 Rite- 0 Rate- 0 Phos- 0 PH- 8.0 SG- 1.026 Cal- 420 KH- 8.0 dKH Alk- 2.51 meg/L Mag- 1350 Temp-78-80 Current Tank Info: 125RR/30 gal DIY sump-fuge/100 lbs of LR/PM Bullet Skimmer/1000GPH Closed loop/T5 4X54 Watt HO

08/20/2007, 07:37 PM	#13
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	Well, if the TDS is a bit of salt or perhaps some plasticizers leached from a container, that might not hurt anything. If a lot of it is phosphate, then that'd be a major problem. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

08/20/2007, 07:51 PM	#14
jsr Premium Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Cedar Park, TX Posts: 409	P04 is bad! I struggled with this before I changed my filters. Phosphate will bring Algae, you dont want that. I was getting a 0.5 reading from the RODI before I changed the filters and tested the TDS. I actully run some PhosGuard in my RODI container before I mix my salt. __________________ Just my grain of salt... Current Tank Info: 135G Oceanic Mixed, 4 x 140W VHO, Octopus NW200, 3 x Koralia 4's, 30G Sump, 140# Live Rock, 120# Live Sand, ATO

08/20/2007, 08:55 PM	#15
Randall_James Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 6,727	Do keep in mind that your RO/DI unit is not maintainance free... The post RO water in the units I have seen (at least decent ones) run between 5 and 10ppm.. A standard DI unit will hold about 3000P. At this point the PPM reading goes from 0 back to what the post RO reading is. (I get about 500G of good water out of each charge on mine) The 6PPM I get out of my system I am sure would be ok for the tank but I like the 0 reading (at least with the resolution of my TDS meter) __________________ "It's a dog eat dog world and I feel like I am wearing milkbone underwear"