Acceptable TDS?

C

Cryofever

Registered Member
Jan 10, 2010
3
0
0
Massachusetts
Greetings,
New to site although it has been very helpful. Question regarding TDS levels in a freshwater tank. What is considered acceptable? Currently running at 300PPM. PH is 6.4, KH is 3 points (50PPM?) with zero addtivies to water from tap other than Nova Aqua Plus to remove chlorine. I want to start doing water changes with a 50/50 mix of RODI and tap (roughly 10 gallons a week total for a 46 gallon tank). I will be addinng RO Right to the RODI prior to using in the tank as well. So, long story short...what is a good TDS level for freshwater aquarium. Right now I have very generic fish (cherry barbs, peppered corys, an albino bushynose pleco. Next and final additions will be 5 to 7 gouramis (leeri, gold and blue). Thanks in advance for any information you can provide.
Cryo
 
I've noticed that adding fertilizers will increase the TDS, but I'm more interested in seeing if TDS can be used to determine if there other accumulated substances that would help determine when it's time to change the water and potentially a basis for calculating how much water should be changed.

For those who have a stabilized tank that never requires a water change (or less than once a year), I'd love to hear what your TDS measurements are.
 
Why do you want to alter your TDS & use R/O? My tap is ~200ppm most tanks ~230. I have low KH so add crushed coral to the filters to keep the pH steady. I change 40%/week except my discus tank, 50% x 5 days/week.

It's much easier to just use treated tapwater if you can, most fish can handle a range of pH, KH, GH & TDS. Are you trying to breed something special?
 
Your tap water is perfectly fine as is.
 
Yeah, I wish I had tap water as soft as yours. With that low KH reading you may have PH issues if you add in RO anyway.
 
All,
Thank you for your input. No special breeding plans, just working to make it as healty an environment for my fish as possible based on the equipment I have. As for the RODI, it will be put into duty as a purifer to support my other hobby, homebrewing. Thanks again.
Cryo
 
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