LFS Water Quality

jb61264 · 07/12/2009, 12:22 PM

Wow...I was planning to get some water from my LFS until my new RO/DI filters came in...I took my TDS meter and asked if I could measure it on the water they provided. The first thing that alarmed me was the question of "what is TDS?" then after they got some of their water for me to test...it was 72ppm...I said no thanks...they asked me what it should be and I said "uhh...zero" with a smile and said "have a nice day"

I'll stick with the RO/DI from the grocery store system that is at 2ppm when I last measured it.

Shane Hoffman · 07/12/2009, 12:49 PM

I have found this locally also...my lfs has a 600gpd unit and charges 70 cents a gallon.....their TDS was 67 last time i checked....My local grocery store is always 3 or less.....occasionally 0

snorvich · 07/12/2009, 12:50 PM

they did not know what TDS was? They were selling water? If it was salt water, the TDS measurement is meaningless; if it was "RO/DI" water, they were clueless.

sedor · 07/12/2009, 12:52 PM

Ya...its sad sometimes, you'd think people who worked a fish department would spend a ton of time on the forums like most of us do. I guess its one of those situations where you deal with fish all day at work, the last thing you want to do when you come home is deal with more fish. None the less, my RODI unit was the best investment I ever made. I wouldn't suggest anyone even get into the hobby without one.

James77 · 07/12/2009, 01:05 PM

Why not get your own RO/DI system?

You can get a good 5-stage one for ~$150. I don't know what you pay for RO water, but the system would pay for itself quickly-nevermind the convenience.

psykokid · 07/12/2009, 01:31 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by James77
Why not get your own RO/DI system?

You can get a good 5-stage one for ~$150. I don't know what you pay for RO water, but the system would pay for itself quickly-nevermind the convenience.

The re read the post, the guy does have an RO/DI system, he's just waiting for new filters to come in and needs water in the mean time..

jb61264 · 07/12/2009, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by snorvich
they did not know what TDS was? They were selling water? If it was salt water, the TDS measurement is meaningless; if it was "RO/DI" water, they were clueless.

It was RO/DI and they are obviously clueless

jb61264 · 07/12/2009, 01:44 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by ryandlf
Ya...its sad sometimes, you'd think people who worked a fish department would spend a ton of time on the forums like most of us do. I guess its one of those situations where you deal with fish all day at work, the last thing you want to do when you come home is deal with more fish. None the less, my RODI unit was the best investment I ever made. I wouldn't suggest anyone even get into the hobby without one.

I agree 100%...there were 3 LFS employees standing around doing a crossword puzzle...if they spent half the time they spend screwing around there maybe getting online and educating themselves about questions they get from customers, they would probably do a much better business.

jb61264 · 07/12/2009, 01:46 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by James77
Why not get your own RO/DI system?

You can get a good 5-stage one for ~$150. I don't know what you pay for RO water, but the system would pay for itself quickly-nevermind the convenience.

I paid for RO/DI water when I was just running a 29 gallon BioCube...I didn't need much evap refill and my two 7 gallon containers would last for over 2 weeks. I now have a 75 and bought a Coralife 50GPD RO/DI system but am waiting on my new filters to come in and be replaced

Bambalam · 07/12/2009, 01:50 PM

Reefers kinda expect LFS people to know these things, but most pet store people just there for the paycheck (hey, aren't we all).

GrimReefer82 · 07/12/2009, 02:00 PM

Where is the cheapest place to get a tds meter? I usually change my ro filters when I notice an algae increase but I would rather do it with tds.

GrimReefer82 · 07/12/2009, 02:04 PM

nevermind they aren't very expensive. but how do the $30 units compare to the $130 units?

sorry not trying to hijack this thread.

aquaman67 · 07/12/2009, 02:13 PM

There was a LFS that was selling water they put through a softener water as RO/DI.

The TDS was over 200.

They are no longer in business.

jb61264 · 07/12/2009, 02:54 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by GrimReefer82
nevermind they aren't very expensive. but how do the $30 units compare to the $130 units?

sorry not trying to hijack this thread.

Not a problem...keep your eye out in the for sale forum here on RC..I bought a used handheld one for $20 from someone who installed a dual inline one for his RO/DI...I may do the same in the future, but for now the handheld works great because I can help out my other friends who have RO/DI systems and take my meter over to their place from time to time.

As long as the meter is calibrated, it really doesn't matter if its $200 or $20...the more expensive ones probably have some sort of digital output or maybe a more sensitive probe (to the thousandths versus to the hundredths?)..not completely sure but I know the one I bought for $20 used works great for what I need it for

GrimReefer82 · 07/12/2009, 03:02 PM

i found a hanna tds pocket meter on ebay for less than 20....you think its a pretty good one?

jb61264 · 07/12/2009, 04:07 PM

The Hanna "Primo" TDS handheld is the one I have and it works great

http://www.hannainst.com/usa/prods2....ProdCode=Primo

blennymower · 07/12/2009, 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by ryandlf
Ya...its sad sometimes, you'd think people who worked a fish department would spend a ton of time on the forums like most of us do. I guess its one of those situations where you deal with fish all day at work, the last thing you want to do when you come home is deal with more fish. None the less, my RODI unit was the best investment I ever made. I wouldn't suggest anyone even get into the hobby without one.

+1

Problem with LFS (at least mine) Is that they have huge containers (one for salt and one for RO) The water must stay there for so long that what must've been 0 TDS water ends up being 50ppm+ by the time they start selling it

luther1200 · 07/12/2009, 06:30 PM

I had a similar situation. You would be surprised at how many LFS RO/DI water is more like tap water. Its sad but unfortunately true.

07/12/2009, 12:22 PM	#1
jb61264 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Planet Earth Posts: 1,112	LFS Water Quality Wow...I was planning to get some water from my LFS until my new RO/DI filters came in...I took my TDS meter and asked if I could measure it on the water they provided. The first thing that alarmed me was the question of "what is TDS?" then after they got some of their water for me to test...it was 72ppm...I said no thanks...they asked me what it should be and I said "uhh...zero" with a smile and said "have a nice day" I'll stick with the RO/DI from the grocery store system that is at 2ppm when I last measured it. __________________ In the end (and the begining) we're all just stardust anyway... Current Tank Info: 75 gallon SPS reef/55 gallon sump/6x54W TEK T5HO/Reef Octopus 200 Extreme Skimmer/Reef Octopus Single Chamber Calcium Reactor/RKL

07/12/2009, 12:49 PM	#2
Shane Hoffman Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: 45 mins from Chicago Posts: 2,009	I have found this locally also...my lfs has a 600gpd unit and charges 70 cents a gallon.....their TDS was 67 last time i checked....My local grocery store is always 3 or less.....occasionally 0 __________________ A wise man once said "Never play leap frog with a unicorn" Current Tank Info: 150 gallon glass with 20 gallon sump, 175lbs of coraline covered live rock, EuroReef skimmer rated for 250gal, 25watt Aqua UV sterilizer, Fluval FX5, Hamilton 3x250watt MH, 160 watt Blue actinic....Mixed reef

07/12/2009, 12:50 PM	#3
snorvich Team RC member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Outlander Posts: 40,953 Blog Entries: 46	they did not know what TDS was? They were selling water? If it was salt water, the TDS measurement is meaningless; if it was "RO/DI" water, they were clueless. __________________ Warmest regards, ~Steve~

07/12/2009, 12:52 PM	#4
sedor Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 4,689	Ya...its sad sometimes, you'd think people who worked a fish department would spend a ton of time on the forums like most of us do. I guess its one of those situations where you deal with fish all day at work, the last thing you want to do when you come home is deal with more fish. None the less, my RODI unit was the best investment I ever made. I wouldn't suggest anyone even get into the hobby without one. __________________ Ryan

07/12/2009, 01:05 PM	#5
James77 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Rhode Island Posts: 8,158	Why not get your own RO/DI system? You can get a good 5-stage one for ~$150. I don't know what you pay for RO water, but the system would pay for itself quickly-nevermind the convenience. __________________ Jim Current Tank Info: 120g Mixed Reef and 75g Freshwater

07/12/2009, 01:50 PM	#10
Bambalam Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: OH Posts: 688	Reefers kinda expect LFS people to know these things, but most pet store people just there for the paycheck (hey, aren't we all).

07/12/2009, 02:00 PM	#11
GrimReefer82 Roll Tide!!! Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Tuscaloosa, AL Posts: 341	Where is the cheapest place to get a tds meter? I usually change my ro filters when I notice an algae increase but I would rather do it with tds. __________________ ~Chris~ Current Tank Info: 40 breeder mixed reef

07/12/2009, 02:04 PM	#12
GrimReefer82 Roll Tide!!! Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Tuscaloosa, AL Posts: 341	nevermind they aren't very expensive. but how do the $30 units compare to the $130 units? sorry not trying to hijack this thread. __________________ ~Chris~ Current Tank Info: 40 breeder mixed reef

07/12/2009, 02:13 PM	#13
aquaman67 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Tennessee Posts: 7,629	There was a LFS that was selling water they put through a softener water as RO/DI. The TDS was over 200. They are no longer in business.

07/12/2009, 03:02 PM	#15
GrimReefer82 Roll Tide!!! Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Tuscaloosa, AL Posts: 341	i found a hanna tds pocket meter on ebay for less than 20....you think its a pretty good one? __________________ ~Chris~ Current Tank Info: 40 breeder mixed reef

07/12/2009, 04:07 PM	#16
jb61264 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Planet Earth Posts: 1,112	The Hanna "Primo" TDS handheld is the one I have and it works great http://www.hannainst.com/usa/prods2....ProdCode=Primo __________________ In the end (and the begining) we're all just stardust anyway... Current Tank Info: 75 gallon SPS reef/55 gallon sump/6x54W TEK T5HO/Reef Octopus 200 Extreme Skimmer/Reef Octopus Single Chamber Calcium Reactor/RKL

07/12/2009, 06:30 PM	#18
luther1200 Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: NJ, shore Posts: 4,376	I had a similar situation. You would be surprised at how many LFS RO/DI water is more like tap water. Its sad but unfortunately true. __________________ Matt, 65G reef tank Current Tank Info: 65g reef, mix of sps, lps, few softies. Hoping to upgrade within the year.