TDS meters

[buddy08]

I have been battling red cyano in my 75g for a while now and am starting to get concerned. I have been rinsing food, cut back on lighting, installed the bio pellet reactor which nipped this problem in the butt the last time i had an out break but have since moved and my water source has changed. I have done a few water changes as well but nothing shows major signs of improving; infact it seems to be worse. I'm starting to think its my water and think its time to invest in a tds meter. I was wonder if I should go with a simple hand held unit or a one that hooks up to my ro/di unit itself.

Do any of you recommend one or have any clue as to how i should approach this?

 

[bjohanson1234]

I have one that hooks into my RO unit. But, the handheld one would be fine too. When was the last time you changed your filters? Depending on your water, you might need to change them between 6 to 12 months.

 

[buddy08]

This is going to sound bad but I have had the filter for 2 years now but never changed the filter. Reason: Never used a tds meter to monitor water output, and filters look clean to the eye. The last chamber looks to have a light brown tint to it but I have seen worse at local reefers homes. I honestly have a bad habit of doing water changes "occasionally" and make roughly 32 gallons of fresh water a month. So in a sense, I havent put it through a lot and never considered changing them until now. I would just like the confirmation that they need to be changed before buying new ones.

I have also wondered if I'm passing water to fast through the filter itself; before I would just attach it to a sink nozzle with an adapter for water but now I have the "in" line connected to a hose faucet outside. Its a 75gpd filter but can make 32 gallons of water within 5 hours or so which seems a little "Fast"

 

[Ted]

Here is the one I would add to your unit if I where you....Dual Inline TDS Meter DM-1 - HM Digital - Bulk Reef Supply

 

[buddy08]

does that come with calibration fluid and such? or will i need to purchase some also

 

[bjohanson1234]

I got my TDS meter from bulk reef. You needed to get your own calibration fluid. It was only a few bucks more though.

 

[moncapitane]

In regards to the RO/DI filters, at what point of time do you know the filters need to be changed and what filters do you change? My TDS is still reading 3 on the output, it has slower creep up from 0. Not sure if I need to wait to change them out or not.

 

[Treezer8]

I have a 5 stage RODI system, with a TDS meter already installed on it. It usually reads that the water coming in has a level of 314, and always says the water going out has 0. I've been using it to make water for probably about 6 months now. So I guess my filters are still good haha

 

[buddy08]

thanks for the input, have one on order now. we shall see.

 

[buddy08]

hooked the tds meter up, supposedly it is calibrated from the factory. I bought calibration fluid but I think its for refractometers and not tds meters. With that being said, I hooked it up. It read from 105ppm into the unit and 0ppm out. Does that sound legit?

 

[buddy08]

Scratch that, looked at my order and I ordered the right thing. BRS dropped the ball and sent me the wrong stuff so I sent them an email and theyre rushing me the other fluid as ordered. Will calibrate the meter when it arrives to make sure its working as intended.

 

[buddy08]

got my calibration fluid, which calibrating these things are a pain in the you know what. I am getting different readings between the 2 sensors in the fluid but according to the directions, I only have to calibrate one. I hooked it back up and ran some water, water in was 112ppm, water out is 0ppm. Guessing my ro/unit is fine?