how to check for TDS?

[AZDesertRat]

Not all salt will mix up at 8+ pH. Let it circulate for awhile with a powerhead so it aerates and it will come up a little.

 

I never aerate my RO/DI beforehand and rarely aerate it after mixing unless I need to raise the temperature like in winter months and then its just long enough to get the temp right. I don't get real concerend about pH, it is what it is and I'm not going to chase it all over the place.

[Wilioli]

Not all salt will mix up at 8+ pH. Let it circulate for awhile with a powerhead so it aerates and it will come up a little.

 

I never aerate my RO/DI beforehand and rarely aerate it after mixing unless I need to raise the temperature like in winter months and then its just long enough to get the temp right. I don't get real concerend about pH, it is what it is and I'm not going to chase it all over the place.

sorry to go off topic here, but then if my tank is a stable 7.7 -- does that mean i can put fish and corals in it? ur sayin ur not concerend bout ph -- what kind of setup do u have where ph is of no concern? i dont mean to sound sarcastic here.. im new, so its a real question

[Markushka]

Not all salt will mix up at 8+ pH. Let it circulate for awhile with a powerhead so it aerates and it will come up a little.

 

I never aerate my RO/DI beforehand and rarely aerate it after mixing unless I need to raise the temperature like in winter months and then its just long enough to get the temp right. I don't get real concerend about pH, it is what it is and I'm not going to chase it all over the place.

+1 to that. I don't recall how long its been since I tested pH in my tank. and when I did it read around 8. I don't fret about it.

 

Get your SG where it needs to be, get your temps up to where they need to be, and don't really worry about your other parameters for the moment.

 

Have you cycled the tank yet? If you don't get calcifying corals, you won't need to watch Mg and Ca. Nitrates, Phosphates, and Ammonia (only in the beginning) are pretty much your most important tests.

 

And I don't even test those regularly. you will get to that point when you can see wether or not your inhabitants are looking good. That is really the ultimate test.

[Wilioli]

+1 to that. I don't recall how long its been since I tested pH in my tank. and when I did it read around 8. I don't fret about it.

 

Get your SG where it needs to be, get your temps up to where they need to be, and don't really worry about your other parameters for the moment.

 

Have you cycled the tank yet? If you don't get calcifying corals, you won't need to watch Mg and Ca. Nitrates, Phosphates, and Ammonia (only in the beginning) are pretty much your most important tests.

 

And I don't even test those regularly. you will get to that point when you can see wether or not your inhabitants are looking good. That is really the ultimate test.

lol i guess ill leave it to the inhabitants then... i was going to get soft corals. .the beginners zoas or mushrooms.. im pretty sure my ca levels need to be watched for that..? anyways, thanks everyone for their input and help... truly appreciate it

[Markushka]

lol i guess ill leave it to the inhabitants then... i was going to get soft corals. .the beginners zoas or mushrooms.. im pretty sure my ca levels need to be watched for that..? anyways, thanks everyone for their input and help... truly appreciate it

Those corals do not calcify so the levels don't need to be monitored. Calcifying corals just deplete the levels of Ca and Mg whilst building their skeletons, and those then need to be supplemented.

[Wilioli]

Those corals do not calcify so the levels don't need to be monitored. Calcifying corals just deplete the levels of Ca and Mg whilst building their skeletons, and those then need to be supplemented.

done and done - -im gonna start a thread about my ph levels -- dont want u guys to think im ignoring what ur sayin, just want more opinions.. seein as this thread is labelled TDS.. u know? but 7.8/7.9.. thats the best im gonna get for now..!

[Markushka]

You should start a tank thread imo, and just discuss everything there.

[Wilioli]

scratch that.. lol... im goin with y'all philosophy of don't chase ph.. done and done, gonna get me some fish this weekend... wish me luck

 

ok to tank thread. .lol

[AZDesertRat]

Get A fish not SOME fish. Start out slowly. Has the tank gone through its initial cycle? Do you have a clean up crew already and have they been active with no deaths? Even if you are cycled you still go slowly as each thing you add, one by one, adds bio load and taxes the existing bacteria until they have a chance to multiply and balance the tank again. What are your ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and phosphate levels? You don't need to worry much about calcium, magnesium and alkalinity at this point but the others are important. What are you testing with? Once the cycle is done good quality test kits are worth their weight in gold, something like Salifert of Elos.

 

SLOW DOWN, and research every move you make just as you have been doing. One change at a time as in one fish OR one coral or one major change at a time. Only bad things happen quickly in this hobby, all good things take time. If its worth doing, its worth doing right the first time.

[Wilioli]

Get A fish not SOME fish. Start out slowly. Has the tank gone through its initial cycle? Do you have a clean up crew already and have they been active with no deaths? Even if you are cycled you still go slowly as each thing you add, one by one, adds bio load and taxes the existing bacteria until they have a chance to multiply and balance the tank again. What are your ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and phosphate levels? You don't need to worry much about calcium, magnesium and alkalinity at this point but the others are important. What are you testing with? Once the cycle is done good quality test kits are worth their weight in gold, something like Salifert of Elos.

 

SLOW DOWN, and research every move you make just as you have been doing. One change at a time as in one fish OR one coral or one major change at a time. Only bad things happen quickly in this hobby, all good things take time. If its worth doing, its worth doing right the first time.

Got a feeling of deja vu when I read ur post.. like I was reading it .. twice... in... a ... row...

 

Anyways, I was gonna get TWO fish. SLOWLY. Only cause the clowns cant be alone apparently, and so I didnt want to mess things up for them psychologically. But, if you do recommend to get one at a time, I will OBEY.

 

My ammonia is 0. Nitrites are 0. Nitrates were 20 for the last week of cycling. They were 10 I should say, then started goin up, and once they hit 20 I did a 20% water change. I was using tap water then. I just bought ro/di water today, and did a 50% water change, and my nitrates are now at 0. My clean up crew consists of 4 hermit crabs, and there were 2 snails who were EXECUTED by the crabs -- not for the shells, but I believe just for fun. Anyways, the crabs seem to be doin good. I thought two died, but then I realized they 'molted'.

 

As for what I'm using for testing -- its the Api tester for the nitrates -- everything else is the tetratest 'version'. I did also use pH strips to confirm the readings I was getting with the liquid droppers. And I actually have not been testing phosphate at all.. :S

 

ahhh u deleted the double post.. dang.. .mines not gonna make sense.. .lol

[AZDesertRat]

I don't know why it double posted in the same post? Wierd.

Clown fish are just fine as singlles, I have kept single clowns for years.

Do one at a time as it will put you in to a mini cycle every time you add something until the tank adjusts. The nitrosonomas and nitrobacter bacterias need to catch up.

[Markushka]

...

Only bad things happen quickly in this hobby, all good things take time. If its worth doing, its worth doing right the first time.

 

+∞

 

 

Got a feeling of deja vu when I read ur post.. like I was reading it .. twice... in... a ... row...

 

Anyways, I was gonna get TWO fish. SLOWLY. Only cause the clowns cant be alone apparently, and so I didnt want to mess things up for them psychologically. But, if you do recommend to get one at a time, I will OBEY.

 

My ammonia is 0. Nitrites are 0. Nitrates were 20 for the last week of cycling. They were 10 I should say, then started goin up, and once they hit 20 I did a 20% water change. I was using tap water then. I just bought ro/di water today, and did a 50% water change, and my nitrates are now at 0. My clean up crew consists of 4 hermit crabs, and there were 2 snails who were EXECUTED by the crabs -- not for the shells, but I believe just for fun. Anyways, the crabs seem to be doin good. I thought two died, but then I realized they 'molted'.

 

As for what I'm using for testing -- its the Api tester for the nitrates -- everything else is the tetratest 'version'. I did also use pH strips to confirm the readings I was getting with the liquid droppers. And I actually have not been testing phosphate at all.. :S

 

ahhh u deleted the double post.. dang.. .mines not gonna make sense.. .lol

 

 

I personally think adding 2 clowns is ok. The key is not to shock your system. It doesn't have to be one thing at a time, just not everything all at once. The reason not to separate clowns is to keep one a male. The dominant clown always becomes female and by not separating a pair of clowns you keep one as a male (if you did and then tried to recohabitate them after a while you'd find that you have 2 females )

 

Before you do get the fish, How long has the tank been up?

 

also the hermits are nasty buggers. Some people say to avoid them, because after all they are all opportunistic.

 

If you are using RO/DI you don't have to worry about phosphates much. Also if algae starts growing, it will use up all the phosphates making them virtually undetectable.

[Wilioli]

I don't know why it double posted in the same post? Wierd.

Clown fish are just fine as singlles, I have kept single clowns for years.

Do one at a time as it will put you in to a mini cycle every time you add something until the tank adjusts. The nitrosonomas and nitrobacter bacterias need to catch up.

yea ive been hearing different things about this -- the single clown fish.. but yea, i agree and understand the one at a time concept.

 

+∞

I personally think adding 2 clowns is ok. The key is not to shock your system. It doesn't have to be one thing at a time, just not everything all at once. The reason not to separate clowns is to keep one a male. The dominant clown always becomes female and by not separating a pair of clowns you keep one as a male (if you did and then tried to recohabitate them after a while you'd find that you have 2 females )

 

Before you do get the fish, How long has the tank been up?

 

also the hermits are nasty buggers. Some people say to avoid them, because after all they are all opportunistic.

 

If you are using RO/DI you don't have to worry about phosphates much. Also if algae starts growing, it will use up all the phosphates making them virtually undetectable.

this is what ive been reading -- with respect to clownfish gender assignment, etc...

 

tanks been up for 3 weeks. Hermits are nasty, im startin to see that now... im gettin a 40 gallon in a couple months, ill be transferrin some of them there so its not all 4 in one tank..

[Markushka]

yea ive been hearing different things about this -- the single clown fish.. but yea, i agree and understand the one at a time concept.

 

 

this is what ive been reading -- with respect to clownfish gender assignment, etc...

 

tanks been up for 3 weeks. Hermits are nasty, im startin to see that now... im gettin a 40 gallon in a couple months, ill be transferrin some of them there so its not all 4 in one tank..

 

 

Nice on the 40g! With the single clown, you can do that and then add a juvi later to get a pair, but I'd rather get both at the same time. Less risky because neither is established and neither is intruding. Again, all of this is opinion, I tend to do some stuff differently (like barely any wc and using tap ) because it works for me. There are general concepts, but in the end, the specifics are up to how you want to do things really.

[Wilioli]

Nice on the 40g! With the single clown, you can do that and then add a juvi later to get a pair, but I'd rather get both at the same time. Less risky because neither is established and neither is intruding. Again, all of this is opinion, I tend to do some stuff differently (like barely any wc and using tap ) because it works for me. There are general concepts, but in the end, the specifics are up to how you want to do things really.

ur like the rebel amongst the hobbyists here... i think ill follow ur lead for a while cause its BAD. lol, nah i agree with that opinion on two clown fish.. ill look into it more -- im gonna wait a couple days on this pH bulls@#$ and then this weekend get er done.

[Wilioli]

azdesertrat u never mentioned what kinda tank u got and with what.. any pics? im very curious to see

[Markushka]

ur like the rebel amongst the hobbyists here... i think ill follow ur lead for a while cause its BAD. lol, nah i agree with that opinion on two clown fish.. ill look into it more -- im gonna wait a couple days on this pH bulls@#$ and then this weekend get er done.

Rofl, I think thats sig worthy. I tend to do my own thing, but its more because i'm cutting costs. I do listen to what everyone has to say and make a decision based on the information. you should see my plans for my next project: diy supplements. That should be fun.

 

I think you are right in waiting with the pH issue. That is way better than making a rushed decision, and you have nothing at stake atm.

[Rocket]

PH won't really change without some life in the tank. It is based on a number of things, including oxygen. I see you have 2 crabs, they are evil, you really need snails to clean the algae.

 

As for the fish 2 clowns should be alright. Just watch the levels and go slowly. Fish are dirty, much more so than corals and will change your parameters quickly.

 

Trust in the rat. He is very knowledgeable. Especially with water quality and water systems.

[AZDesertRat]

My main tank is a 100G LeeMar with a 30G sump.

 

 

 

 

My other tank is a nano. the Sebae anemone in the center is almost 21 years old, I bought it in mid 1990 and it was originally in a 20G high bare bottom with a CPB BakPak, two MJ 600's and 4x15w normal output fluorescents, back when we could not get PC, VHO or T5 like we have today. It is now under a 96w Powerquad PC and doing great after 21 years, most of it with RO/DI water.

 

 

[Wilioli]

PH won't really change without some life in the tank. It is based on a number of things, including oxygen. I see you have 2 crabs, they are evil, you really need snails to clean the algae.

 

As for the fish 2 clowns should be alright. Just watch the levels and go slowly. Fish are dirty, much more so than corals and will change your parameters quickly.

 

Trust in the rat. He is very knowledgeable. Especially with water quality and water systems.

i know ph wont change with life in the tank... i just want life in the tank.. lol -- i have 4 crabs actually.. .and yes they are evil.. they MASSACRED MY 2 SNAILS... and didnt' take their shells.. and .. yea...

 

ill be goin slow.. no worries

 

My main tank is a 100G LeeMar with a 30G sump.

 

My other tank is a nano.

 

Wow, tank looks amazing.. told the wife to look at it and we're impressed.. But, I dunno why, but we both actually love the nano -- more so thank the 100G ! Don't get me wrong, the 100G is spectacular, but the nano.. there's somethin bout it... good stuff

[AZDesertRat]

When people walk in they all gravitate to the nano for some reason. Softies move and have more animation I suppose?

[Wilioli]

When people walk in they all gravitate to the nano for some reason. Softies move and have more animation I suppose?

yea i definitely agree with the hypnotic nature of animated softies... I think thats one of the reasons they say this hobby has a meditative aspect to it..

[Wilioli]

Annnd magically the pH is 8.0+!!!! I say plus cause its hard to tell.. the legend is ridiculous. 8.0 is a green. 8.3 is a lighter color blue. 8.6 is a blue green darker than the two... anyways, pH issues are resolved!! -- Ahem -- not that it matters.. we've discussed that one should not chase pH... so... carry on then...