MichaelJ
Member
This is my first post here (Hi!).. and hope I am posting to the right thread.
My TDS in both my heavily planted 40g tanks are in the 1500 ppm range, and I do not understand why it is so high.
My general readings for both tanks:
KH 6-7
GH 8-9
Ph 6.8 - 7.0
Nitrate levels around 20 ppm.
Nitrite and ammonia ~ 0 (untraceable)
Phosphate 5-10 ppm
Not adding CO2.
Both tanks are about 8 months old.
I fertilize with Tropica Premier (14 ml - or 6 pumps) once a week after 20% WC and 5 ml Seachem Trace and 5ml Flourish Comprehensive mid week. Thats it. Most of my plants are doing really well. My 20% WC is mineralized RO water. The TDS is about 2-3 ppm when pure and about 280 ppm after mineralization using Seachem Adic buffer, Alkaline and Equilibrium.
I did think my TDS meter was at fault, but with a solution of 1 liter RO water and 0.5 gram of table salt the TDS comes out around 550 ppm. 1 gram of salt in 1 liter of RO water around 1200 ppm, so I am assuming the 1500 ppm readings in the tanks are probably a fairly good indicator that the TDS is on the extreme end.
Other than plants I only I have drift wood. The substrate in both tanks are CaribSea Eco-Complete (Red) planted tank substrate which should be inert. As plants and fish (tetras, Rams and angels) are doing great, I am really mostly curious rather than worried about it.
Cheers,
Michael
My TDS in both my heavily planted 40g tanks are in the 1500 ppm range, and I do not understand why it is so high.
My general readings for both tanks:
KH 6-7
GH 8-9
Ph 6.8 - 7.0
Nitrate levels around 20 ppm.
Nitrite and ammonia ~ 0 (untraceable)
Phosphate 5-10 ppm
Not adding CO2.
Both tanks are about 8 months old.
I fertilize with Tropica Premier (14 ml - or 6 pumps) once a week after 20% WC and 5 ml Seachem Trace and 5ml Flourish Comprehensive mid week. Thats it. Most of my plants are doing really well. My 20% WC is mineralized RO water. The TDS is about 2-3 ppm when pure and about 280 ppm after mineralization using Seachem Adic buffer, Alkaline and Equilibrium.
I did think my TDS meter was at fault, but with a solution of 1 liter RO water and 0.5 gram of table salt the TDS comes out around 550 ppm. 1 gram of salt in 1 liter of RO water around 1200 ppm, so I am assuming the 1500 ppm readings in the tanks are probably a fairly good indicator that the TDS is on the extreme end.
Other than plants I only I have drift wood. The substrate in both tanks are CaribSea Eco-Complete (Red) planted tank substrate which should be inert. As plants and fish (tetras, Rams and angels) are doing great, I am really mostly curious rather than worried about it.
Cheers,
Michael