Christyef Posted March 21, 2019 Share Posted March 21, 2019 Can someone explain the roleTDS plays in relation to PO4 and no3. All I can find online relates to roadways and lakes. Lol. High TDS =high nutrients? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
victoly Posted March 21, 2019 Share Posted March 21, 2019 You can have high TDS water with low or no nutrients. You can also have high nutrient eater with low or no TDS. they can be correlated but not necessarily so. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+KimP Posted March 21, 2019 Share Posted March 21, 2019 I think TDS is more like calcium, mag, salt, etc, things like that. That's how I understand it. It won't tell you phos or nitrate. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sierra Bravo Posted March 21, 2019 Share Posted March 21, 2019 That's the problem with having a TDS reading higher than zero in your water - you don't know exactly what it is comprised of. Without a lab test it just means that your water contains unknown inorganic and/or organic matter that made it past the filter. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christyef Posted March 21, 2019 Author Share Posted March 21, 2019 I finally got my Hanna reactants and tested yesterday. (I’ve been relying on api), and my PO4 was 1.26!!!! I had to look a few times to make sure it wasnt the timer still counting down [emoji23]. The no3 was 10! I do bi-weekly water changes, have an ATS, and have a MASSIVE external deltec skimmer so I was shocked it could be that high. I expected high, but not that much. So, I checked my tds and it was reading 12!! [emoji37]. So, I wasn’t sure if the tds was causing the super high readings bc it was so high, or if I need to up my nutrient exportation. Nothing is brown and everything is super happy and growing good. I did change all the filters and DI. Also added a second DI chamber and now have zero TDS. I also added some phosphate rx to bring it down some. I don’t wanna do anything too drastic bc all my corals are doing good Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+KimP Posted March 21, 2019 Share Posted March 21, 2019 27 minutes ago, Christyef said: I finally got my Hanna reactants and tested yesterday. (I’ve been relying on api), and my PO4 was 1.26!!!! I had to look a few times to make sure it wasnt the timer still counting down . The no3 was 10! I do bi-weekly water changes, have an ATS, and have a MASSIVE external deltec skimmer so I was shocked it could be that high. I expected high, but not that much. So, I checked my tds and it was reading 12!! . So, I wasn’t sure if the tds was causing the super high readings bc it was so high, or if I need to up my nutrient exportation. Nothing is brown and everything is super happy and growing good. I did change all the filters and DI. Also added a second DI chamber and now have zero TDS. I also added some phosphate rx to bring it down some. I don’t wanna do anything too drastic bc all my corals are doing good Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Have you checked your new salt water for phosphates? I wouldn't worry too much if everything's looking the way you want. I mean, bring the phosphates down with gfo or something, but don't stress too much. Sounds like you're doing all the right things. Victoly would definitely be the one to ask about this, but maybe adding another carbon stage instead of another DI would be good. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christyef Posted March 21, 2019 Author Share Posted March 21, 2019 I haven’t. I recently switched to reef crystals. I’ll check it next time I make some water . I also run gfo/carbon in the tank. I need new sponges for those. The flow isn’t too great. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
victoly Posted March 21, 2019 Share Posted March 21, 2019 If things are doing well, don’t change them too much !A source of your nitrates might by your RODI water. If you’re on city of Austin water, chloramine is used as a disinfectant. Depending on how effective your carbon/RO membrane/DI setup is, you could be passing through some ammonia (chloramine breakdown produce), which would then be converted to nitrate. Test your RO water every once in a blue moon and see if anything is coming into your tank from that route. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
takoattack Posted March 21, 2019 Share Posted March 21, 2019 I wouldn't chase phosphates if you don't have algae problems. Check out some of the videos / presentations from Richard Ross. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christyef Posted March 21, 2019 Author Share Posted March 21, 2019 I wouldn't chase phosphates if you don't have algae problems. Check out some of the videos / presentations from Richard Ross. I’m definitely not shooting for zero. The only thing in my tank that’s not thriving are my leathers. I’m hoping lowing the nutrients some will fix this Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bpb Posted March 21, 2019 Share Posted March 21, 2019 Funny thing about Richard Ross is he is now on the “use gfo to reduce phosphate” wagonSent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sascha D. Posted March 21, 2019 Share Posted March 21, 2019 Did you check the TDS of the ATO top-off or the display tank? If the reservoir gets any salt in it, then you'll get a TDS reading that doesn't accurately indicate nutrients. I would also warm against chasing phosphate. The PO4 test is largely unreliable and will not reflect the actual situation in the tank. Also, ULN is basically the keto diet of the aquarium world; aesthetics with the risk of death to keep things interesting.Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christyef Posted March 21, 2019 Author Share Posted March 21, 2019 I don’t want ULN.... too lazy for that kind of reefing. Lol. My tds meter is inline on my RODI. I don’t have a hand held one. Tds going in was 348. Out 12. Now zero after changing all my filters Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christyef Posted March 21, 2019 Author Share Posted March 21, 2019 I also transfer a pump from the RO to the salt for water changes. My external one stopped working. If I had to guess, I’d say it seized up bc it wasn’t constantly on.... but I don’t test the containers. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhart032 Posted March 22, 2019 Share Posted March 22, 2019 5 hours ago, victoly said: If things are doing well, don’t change them too much ! A source of your nitrates might by your RODI water. If you’re on city of Austin water, chloramine is used as a disinfectant. Depending on how effective your carbon/RO membrane/DI setup is, you could be passing through some ammonia (chloramine breakdown produce), which would then be converted to nitrate. Test your RO water every once in a blue moon and see if anything is coming into your tank from that route. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro They use 50% concentrated Sodium Bisulfite (aka Dechlor) after the treating process. only reason i know is my trucks deliver 75% of the the bulk chems, to the Travis county and Austin water treatment plants. Id be more worried about the sodium hydroxide (caustic soda) they take 32% and Sodium hypochlorite (bleach) at in full strength 14.5%, Just an example regular laundry bleach is at most a 5%, and they take roughly 5,000 gals of each every couple days almost every day in the summer months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
victoly Posted March 22, 2019 Share Posted March 22, 2019 I don’t doubt that’s true, but we are definitely putting 1-2ppm of chloramine, measured, at a minimum into the distribution service that makes it all the way to the tap. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timfish Posted March 22, 2019 Share Posted March 22, 2019 I wouldn't worry about PO4 or TDS and I seriously doubt either is the issue with your corals. Here in Austin calcium is most of what makes up TDS. Here's a system that gets water changes with tapwater just treated with dechlorinater: 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Dogfish Posted March 22, 2019 Share Posted March 22, 2019 From Subsea (Patrick) All of my system are saturated with silicates. I use ground water and add with no treatment to tanks to make up for evaporation. The TDS of my ground water is 950 ppm. Very close to lime water/kalk. As it turns out, the Upper Trinity Aquifer at 1000’ deep was the bottom of a shallow inland sea which was dominated with diatoms & sponges. So, all of my systems are saturated with silicates. I have an abundance of sponges & coralline algae. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bpb Posted March 22, 2019 Share Posted March 22, 2019 I think like people have mentioned, specific goals are important. Everyone has a different idea of what they want their tanks to be and become. That should drive much of the decision making Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sascha D. Posted March 22, 2019 Share Posted March 22, 2019 19 hours ago, Christyef said: I also transfer a pump from the RO to the salt for water changes. My external one stopped working. If I had to guess, I’d say it seized up bc it wasn’t constantly on.... but I don’t test the containers. Transferring the pump from salt to fresh RO will show some TDS over time, that's happened to me before. There's also something referred to as "TDS creep" where refilling the RO resevoir over long periods without cleaning can result in a TDS reading. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Gearing Posted March 22, 2019 Share Posted March 22, 2019 Here is a link to the results for the City of Austin's drinking water (you can check any other city or public water system's results here as well). https://dww2.tceq.texas.gov/DWW/JSP/NonTCRRecentSampleResult.jsp?tinwsys_is_number=5969&tinwsys_st_code=TX&wsnumber=TX2270001 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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