TDS test ?

[jabels5]

I am new to salt water and corals, 1 year. I am having a green hair algae problem in a 72 bow front, with LPS corals I have done the water test and all was good I put some phospate filters on, did the water change, reduce the lighting, reduced the food, replaced the lights, and even pulled most of the algae of the rocks. It still comes back, I bought 20 more hermit crabs, 20 more snails, I have a sand sifting star, 2 brittle stars, 3 emerald crabs, a sea cucumber. It is an established tank I bought from a friend, 5 years.
How do you test for TDS, and what can I do about it. I have been talking to the local salt water shop and tried everything they have suggested, still no luck. Need help

 

[ameno]

are you using ro or di water? if not that will probably be were the problem is, I test using a meter that came with my ro/di unit. I had that problem and thought I would never get read of the algae and found out the cheap di unit I was using was not removing the TDS. So the only way I know to test is with a TDS meter

 

[swalchemist]

Buy a TDS meter.

 

[dragonzim]

Google TDS meter and you should be able to find a bunch of them. Just make sure you get one that is made for water. Should be between $20-$40

 

[jabels5]

Thanks for the info, but if I find I have TDS, how do I lower or get ride of it? Also I am thinking of putting live sand and live rock in my sump, so I can change out the live sand if the phosates start to go up, and make it easier to do water changes. Right now I have a 30 gal sump with a 20 gal inside it with live plants. I am thinking about getting ride of the 20 and using live sand and live rock in the sump. Does this sound like a good plan?

 

[stdreb27]

Originally Posted by Jabels5
Thanks for the info, but if I find I have TDS, how do I lower or get ride of it? Also I am thinking of putting live sand and live rock in my sump, so I can change out the live sand if the phosates start to go up, and make it easier to do water changes. Right now I have a 30 gal sump with a 20 gal inside it with live plants. I am thinking about getting ride of the 20 and using live sand and live rock in the sump. Does this sound like a good plan?
is this a serious question? If it is Google TDS and see the definition. then ask yourself what is salt water.

 

[yosemite sam]

Originally Posted by Jabels5
Thanks for the info, but if I find I have TDS, how do I lower or get ride of it? Also I am thinking of putting live sand and live rock in my sump, so I can change out the live sand if the phosates start to go up, and make it easier to do water changes. Right now I have a 30 gal sump with a 20 gal inside it with live plants. I am thinking about getting ride of the 20 and using live sand and live rock in the sump. Does this sound like a good plan?

A TDS meter measures Total Dissolved Solids in ppm (parts per million). It doesn't actually tell you what dissolved solids are in your water. They are useful when using a RODI water filter, because they can help you monitor the efficiency of your filter. You may have a reading of 100 ppm in your tap water, but the water coming out of your RODI filter should be 0. Once it starts to creep up, that's a sign you need to replace your filters.
You can't use a TDS on your tank water, since you will be taking a reading of ALL of the dissolved solids, including salt and other minerals that are in the water. This doesn't tell you anything beyond what you already know: there are dissolved minerals in the water. If you are using a RODI water filter, a TDS meter a good investment, but it won't tell you anything useful about the quality of your tank water itself.

 

[sigmachris]

Originally Posted by stdreb27
is this a serious question? If it is Google TDS and see the definition. then ask yourself what is salt water.
Was this comment really called for? If you are such a grizzled veteran and have such distain for us rookies trying to figure this hobby out, just stay out the New Hobbist forum. I do appreciate all help that is given and thanks to everyone that does give useful posts and answers.

 

[brandan]

Originally Posted by stdreb27
is this a serious question? If it is Google TDS and see the definition. then ask yourself what is salt water.
What a jerk

 

[swalchemist]

Anyway, use your TDS meter on your (fresh) make up or top off water and check that it's near 0ppm 04 is OK and common with just RO (no DI unit) but 0 is far better as it ensures pristine water condition. If you are showing high TDS it's time to go RO/DI or if you are using RO/DI its time to change a filter or two. Ifyou are worried about P04 levels just use a small reactor I believe Kent makes a nice PhosReactor that you feed with a small powerhead (maxi-jet etc). Put phosgurad, Rowa Phos etc in this and let it go. Your P04 should then be a thing of the past just don't overdose Phosguard as it contains Aluminum and some corals have bad reactions to it in high doses.
Oh as for your sump, leave the macro algae in there they will help absorb nitrate and P04 as well. Sand bed is 100% optional if you use the above method.

 

[mie]

Originally Posted by Brandan
What a jerk
Your just as bad.
Calm down people, maybe stdreb27 misunderstood the question.
This is possible.

 

[stdreb27]

I'm sorry, I'd just read 4 threads in a row, and they were trollers, I was a bit annoyed when I was reading this thread the first time. I wasn't saying are you this stupid your asking this question, you have to start somewhere, I was wondering if this guy wasn't just pulling your leg.

 

[jabels5]

Sorry guys, just did not think before I asked. Thank for all the advice. I cleaned the whole tank today, removed all the algae I could get my fingers on and scrubed the glass. I put the corals in a small 20 while cleaning. My skimmer finally put out a lot of green goo, so hope once the water clears, it will be better. Should I change some of the sand bed while I have it almost empty? There is 4 big rocks with corals on them, that will not fit into my 20. Thanks again for all the info.

 

[stdreb27]

Originally Posted by Jabels5
Sorry guys, just did not think before I asked. Thank for all the advice. I cleaned the whole tank today, removed all the algae I could get my fingers on and scrubed the glass. I put the corals in a small 20 while cleaning. My skimmer finally put out a lot of green goo, so hope once the water clears, it will be better. Should I change some of the sand bed while I have it almost empty? There is 4 big rocks with corals on them, that will not fit into my 20. Thanks again for all the info.
What is your substrate? Sand? argonite? Crushed coral?

 

[krazekajin]

Just for an example. I was able to get a tds meter for free from buy.com. They were running a special for tds meters for $10.00 and then if you signed up for google.com, then you were given a free $10.00 credit. So, I got it for free.
I run several small tanks (40g, 20g, 29g and 3 gallon) I do not have an RO/DI system yet. When tested my faucet water with my tds meter, I found that I have a Total Dissolved Solids of 140ppm. I have been blessed that I have not had a huge outbreak of algea because I run a small fuge that mopps up my phosphates. Every time I have tested for phosphates they have been 0 or very close to it.
I hope that explains a little better about tds meters.

 

[jabels5]

I have about 2.5 in of live sand and 100 lbs of live rock in a 72 bow front.

 

[mikeyjer]

Don't change out the sand!!! Otherwise you'll give yourself a lot of trouble putting in new sand. You'll see algae like you've never seen'em before....Personal experience.....Just start using RO/DI water from now on, if you need a good RO/DI filtration system, you can search for airwaterice. Some of their systems comes with TDS meters. You should get some more clean up crews for your tank. In my tank, I have very few hermits since they massacre my snails. I have A LOT of snails, Turbos, Astreas, Nassarius, Star Shaped, MANY Cerith Snails(they have babies like no tomorrow), some sort of hitchhike snails I've had for a long time(they have babies like no tomorrow as well) I also have two Emerald Crabs, one Sally Lightfoot Crab. Then I have Tangs and Foxface that patrol for any left over algae growth. I can put in a rock covered in algae from my other tank, within an hour, the rock would be scrubbed clean. My other tank is the one I put in new sand and am now ridding the algae thank god......

 

[stdreb27]

Originally Posted by Mikeyjer
Don't change out the sand!!! Otherwise you'll give yourself a lot of trouble putting in new sand. You'll see algae like you've never seen'em before....Personal experience.....Just start using RO/DI water from now on, if you need a good RO/DI filtration system, you can search for airwaterice. Some of their systems comes with TDS meters. You should get some more clean up crews for your tank. In my tank, I have very few hermits since they massacre my snails. I have A LOT of snails, Turbos, Astreas, Nassarius, Star Shaped, MANY Cerith Snails(they have babies like no tomorrow), some sort of hitchhike snails I've had for a long time(they have babies like no tomorrow as well) I also have two Emerald Crabs, one Sally Lightfoot Crab. Then I have Tangs and Foxface that patrol for any left over algae growth. I can put in a rock covered in algae from my other tank, within an hour, the rock would be scrubbed clean. My other tank is the one I put in new sand and am now ridding the algae thank god......

Yeah, I would agree, I'd leave the live sand in, it is already cycled and ready to go. I started out the same way as you with tap, I'm a convert to RO/DI.
so how long has the whole thing been set up in your house?

 

[jabels5]

I have had it in my house about 7 mo, its a 5 year set up then moved. I bought an RO/DI system, before that I was using ro bottled water. The local shop keeps trying to sell me a phosfate reactor, but its a little spendy, should I think about getting one or do you think with a good clean up crew and reg maint I will be fine. After the clean up and the water cleared, I put the live rock and corals back in, they look good now just hope I can keep it like this. I will be the first one to admit I got a little lazy with the maint and water changes. So lets hope I have learned.
Thanks again for the help.

 

[stdreb27]

yeah, you can address the problem without a reactor. If you use the RO/DI water, and don't overfeed, that should eliminate alot if not all of the problem.