featherblue Posted June 13, 2014 Report Share Posted June 13, 2014 I finally got a digital tds meter;) just checked its calibration, and its pretty close to perfect. My tap water has only 16 tds! Explains my crazy low gh (1-2) and my none existent kh (0-1). Can some one link recommended tds for neos and for crystals? I think im right on for my neo only tank (104); and need a wc or two on the neo/crystal section (121). Its great to finally see where my tds are, rather than using nitrates as an indicator! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subtletanks91 Posted June 13, 2014 Report Share Posted June 13, 2014 How are nitrates an indicator of tds? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soothing Shrimp Posted June 13, 2014 Report Share Posted June 13, 2014 I think they were referring to if Nits were too high. Here's a nice page with shrimp params for ya: http://shrimpery.com/shrimps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wicca32 Posted June 13, 2014 Report Share Posted June 13, 2014 thanks bryce i didnt have that one ctaylor3737 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soothing Shrimp Posted June 13, 2014 Report Share Posted June 13, 2014 We all have to help each other, my friend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctaylor3737 Posted June 13, 2014 Report Share Posted June 13, 2014 thanks bryce i didnt have that one He always has the good info saved! ctaylor3737 and Soothing Shrimp 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
featherblue Posted June 13, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 13, 2014 Great list! Thanks soothing Yes, I was using nitrate increase as an indicator for more often wc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shrimpy Daddy Posted June 13, 2014 Report Share Posted June 13, 2014 Hi featherblue, I just saw your tap water TDS is reading as 16, which I never heard off. Did you or municipal performed excessive filtering or your new TDS meter is gaga? By the way, to keep shrimp successfully, you need to have correct level of huge list of nutrients, such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, sulphate, phosphate, molybdate, iron, manganese and so on... ... However, TDS only tells you the conductivity of the water and does not tell you how much of these nutrients are in the water. Therefore, reading TDS maybe just as inaccurate as reading nitrate. For your case, getting a General Hardness (GH) test kit will be a better choice. If your tap water is really only TDS 16, then I will suggest you treat it just like RO water and add RO replenishing salts to it. For Neo, 6 to 7dGH is the best. it is better to get those powder type RO salts. Those liquid type will lower the pH till 5.8 to 6.0 if you try to add till 6 to 7 dGH; Neos prefer pH 6.5 to 7.0. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soothing Shrimp Posted June 13, 2014 Report Share Posted June 13, 2014 In the US, neos do better in 7+. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shrimpy Daddy Posted June 13, 2014 Report Share Posted June 13, 2014 In the US, neos do better in 7+. Yeah, I think we talk about this in another thread. In this case, there are only two type of salts I know are suitable, which is Saltyshrimp GH/KH+ and Seachem Equilibrium. Any liquid salts or chloride-based salts without bicarbonate buffer, the pH will definitely below 6.5. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
featherblue Posted June 13, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 13, 2014 I got a tds meter to get more info on my tap waters low gh and kh (1 gh and 0kh out of tap). Ive been keeping my tanks at 0gkh, 6dgh and 6.6 ph....the tds meter was the last piece i needed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shrimpy Daddy Posted June 13, 2014 Report Share Posted June 13, 2014 I'm really curious of your tap water's parameters. Like I mentioned, this is the first time I ever heard that it has such a low TDS, especially you are from US. Do you know what have your municipal done to the water? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
countryboy12484 Posted June 13, 2014 Report Share Posted June 13, 2014 My tap water is only 25ppm.... I have a well Derek Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shrimpy Daddy Posted June 13, 2014 Report Share Posted June 13, 2014 I heard of 20+ but not below 20, except area mainly using desalinated water. Anyway, do pardon all my questions asking, I'm a person with huge curiosity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
featherblue Posted June 13, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 13, 2014 Ask away...and ive got that curiosity bug too:-) No idea what Portland's doing as far as water filtration. ....Im in a rental; and I wonder if there's some sort of filter on the house water. The kh and gh have been stable for a year and a half ive been testing. I actually added baking soda for kh in my community tank, kept having ph crashes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shrimpy Daddy Posted June 13, 2014 Report Share Posted June 13, 2014 I see. I think they may have a whole house/building filtration system. Seems like it is beneficial for you to keep shrimp. Lucky you. One advise to share with you about the TDS. Don't get too bothered by TDS value like a lot of shrimp keepers do. Your shrimps can survive from 80 to 500 TDS; it is not like the salinity/gravity of your salt water tank. Thus, don't try to adjust the TDS to the "perfect" 150 to 200 obsessively, just let your tank stabilise the TDS itself (frequent water change and consistent nutrient dosage will achieve a stable TDS automatically). Or else, you will kill the shrimp due to too much fluctuation of water parameters. When I first started keeping shrimps years ago, I embarked on this "perfect" value journey before (this is the value published on almost 9 out of 10 articles on the web) and end up, suffered horribly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
featherblue Posted June 13, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 13, 2014 One of the most important things ive learned from my sw is never make a water parameter change fast! I getting a rodi and needed the meter for mixing remineralized water...were moving and i know the water at the new location will need some heavy filtration. I don't want to shock my shrimp with the change to remineralized water...so im starting water changes with remineralized water to make the adjustment slowly. But knowing the tank tds will give me a point to match for the least stress Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duff0712 Posted July 5, 2014 Report Share Posted July 5, 2014 What TDS testers are you all using? Looking to get one (preferably from amazon, maybe) but don't know the best to get for my little amount of spending money -Duffy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
featherblue Posted July 5, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 5, 2014 I got mine from bulk reef supply for around $25 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctaylor3737 Posted July 5, 2014 Report Share Posted July 5, 2014 What TDS testers are you all using? Looking to get one (preferably from amazon, maybe) but don't know the best to get for my little amount of spending money -Duffy Search EZ tds meter on Amazon think they are 12$ shipped.-Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pika Posted July 5, 2014 Report Share Posted July 5, 2014 Yup, this is the one I have, about $20. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soothing Shrimp Posted July 5, 2014 Report Share Posted July 5, 2014 Yeah. I've used the ubber expensive pens and the cheapies and they are all about the same for me. Now I just buy the cheapie pens. If I were to go expensive, I would buy a nice palmsized digital unit Search EZ tds meter on Amazon think they are 12$ shipped.-Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duff0712 Posted July 5, 2014 Report Share Posted July 5, 2014 Sweet thanks guys -Duffy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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