Reply With QuoteTDS pens are used to measure the total dissolve solids of the water.. normal tap water from my house would be around the range of 70-75 tds.. if you are keeping shrimps, they need a certain level of TDS to molt..
hey guys, like to get some advice.
so i just got a tds pen, dip it in my tank and it reads 089, is this good or not?
i don't really know what i should do with this, lol..
TDS pens are used to measure the total dissolve solids of the water.. normal tap water from my house would be around the range of 70-75 tds.. if you are keeping shrimps, they need a certain level of TDS to molt..
What livestock you keeping? Shrimp? Even for CRS, PRL or other high end shrimp, 89ppm seem to be too low.Originally Posted by eugenecj
What is your tank setup? Using distilled water? etc,
ya keeping shrimp and i use distilled water
You may want to refer to this thread with good explanation by UA.. http://www.aquaticquotient.com/forum...04174-High-TDS
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Yes, then you need to put some mineral in your tank water, 89ppm is way too low for shrimp. Can try mosura mineral plus ultra or similar range.
I think the best TDS reading for shrimp is between 150 to 200.
my shrimp tank is having a TDS range 126-136 and they do molt
Its okay to use distilled water (0 TDS) for top-ups, thats what many shrimp keepers do to help reduce TDS fluctuations and the rate of TDS increase in their tanks
But if you are using distilled water for filling the tank initially or for doing water changes, you need to re-mineralize it with mineral supplements before usage (there are various shrimp mineral products that are designed for such purposes), this is so that the new water adds back required essential minerals into the tank (to avoid mineral deficiency in the shrimps).
I have a high TDS of about 160ppm, indicating it is slightly hard water.
But my GH reading is 9degrees and KH is 5degrees.
So which one should I trust?
They are different sets of measurements... TDS is a measurement of all dissolved compounds in your tank water, both good and bad. Its mainly to get a general idea of the overall water conductivity, useful when checking specific conditions for softwater or hardwater fishes, and how much acclimation you need to do when transfering livestock around different tanks.
GH and KH are more specific measurements, so they give you further details on the actual mineral content.
Its possible to have low TDS but higher GH and KH (which means most of the TDS is made up of minerals)... or high TDS but low GH and KH (which means most of the TDS is made up of other chemicals, dissolved waste or perhaps things like ammonia/nitrates).
TDS is useful as a regular quick test since the pen/meter is easy to use, just dip into tank water, press button, get instant reading (compared to having to keep mixing and shaking test tubes for GH/KH tests).
If the regular TDS reading is at a known stable range, then no need to worry. But its when you suddenly see the TDS increasing quickly or spiking up, it's a sign something is going wrong, then you can start doing more specific tests to find the actual problem and take action. In a sense, the TDS meter can be sort of like an "early warning" device.
Well the thing is my TDS reading is increasing by 10ppm per day.
I suspect some rocks are leeching something, not sure if the rocks bought from Polyart are the best quality. It is label ANS rock.
Or....I also have powerhouse media in my canister, which they state: "when water’s pH level rises, hydroxy ions in the water increase. The nature of activated silica is such that it takes in the hydroxy ions, and at the same time separates and releases hydrogen ions, controlling pH level from rising."
It could also be the increase in H+ ions that is being picked up by the TDS pen.
But there is no way to be certain what is the cause
Its normal for TDS to increase daily and over time... everything that you put into the tank, the additives, the fertilizers, the food you feed the livestock (and the waste they produce) all add to the accumulation and increase in TDS. Its also possible that the rocks may be releasing extra minerals too.Well the thing is my TDS reading is increasing by 10ppm per day.
I suspect some rocks are leeching something, not sure if the rocks bought from Polyart are the best quality. It is label ANS rock.
Or....I also have powerhouse media in my canister, which they state: "when water’s pH level rises, hydroxy ions in the water increase. The nature of activated silica is such that it takes in the hydroxy ions, and at the same time separates and releases hydrogen ions, controlling pH level from rising."
It could also be the increase in H+ ions that is being picked up by the TDS pen.
But there is no way to be certain what is the cause
What matters is the rate of TDS increase and how you can manage it to reduce large or sudden fluctuations, thats why regular tank maintenance and water changes are important.
Sorry just a question, which lfs sells a good TDS pen?
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Most of us use the TDS-3 model.... you can get it from most LFS, like East Ocean: http://www.eastoceansg.com/nf-tds-meter-p-1444.html
What's a good TDS reading?
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It all depends on the fishes and shrimps you are keeping... softwater species prefer lower TDS, while hardwater species prefer higher TDS.
You just have to check the recommended care requirements for your tank livestock and setup/adjust accordingly.
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