TDS

[danielryan]

can some one please explain to me the importance of my tds reading in relation to my other water stats? my tap water is showing as tds 268, which i think is quite high?????

i.e. if my water is nitrate, and nitrite, and amonia are all showing 0, and a normal PH of about 7, does the TDS matter?

does TDS indicate anything else that might be a problem?

what is a good TDS to aim for? I have 3 tanks, 1 general community, the 183 tank, and the 333 tank.

also a bit of a seperate question can you get digital reading kits for ammonia, and nitrate/nitrite readings?

 

[Doodles]

268 isn't that high although if you want to breed you would probably want a lower TDS.


Any pleco poop, uneaten food, rotting wood, leaves etc add to the TDS(Total dissolved solids), you should try to keep the TDS of the tank water as close to the base reading(tap water) as possible. You could have high TDS and no ammonia and nitrite, these aren't really related as such.

Theres some extra info here

http://www.theaquariumwiki.com/TDS

Also when you get evaporation from an aquarium, all the solids stay behind, thus if you use tapwater to top up, you are actually increasing the TDS which is why RO water is recommended.


If the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate all showed zero, the TDS is still important, if it has become very high, then this can have a detrimental effect on the fish, and it is quite possible that this could happen.

 

[Doodles]

Just found this which is really good info

http://web.archive.org/web/20041029075916/hjem.get2net.dk/Best_of_the_Web/TDS.html

 

[dconnors]

That was a good article, here is a link to another one that I feel may be helpful to some: http://www.aquarticles.com/articles/management/Llambi_Water1.html
It is a 5 part article titled "The Stuff That Water's Made Of", it was written by Lenny Llambi and first published in Fincinnati, the official newsletter of the Greater Cincinnati Aquarium Society.

 

[macvsog23]

Hi

TDS is a quick way to get a good overall "Picture" of your waters state.

Hight TDS will equate to in general high PH, Kh ect.

I alter my TDS by adding more or less water from my HMA unit .

A drop in the TDS can at times force fish to spawn as can a increase in TDS