Acceptable TDS levels

[TWYOUNG]

I had a little trouble noticing the color change in my DI resin. TDS's were 2 instead of zero and when I changed the resin it was DEFINITELY brown. Is the 40 gals of water I have stored good to use or should I dump it and make fresh? It's a new tank and my main concern would be silicates feeding my diatoms.

 

[Borat]

as soon as the water contains less than 30% of human solids - that's acceptable!

 

[TWYOUNG]

Yeah, I don't think that was helpful!

 

[afrokobe]

Its hard to know, your 2 TDS could be harmless, but someone else's 2 TDS could contain something completely different.

 

[TWYOUNG]

Its hard to know, your 2 TDS could be harmless, but someone else's 2 TDS could contain something completely different.

I tested for chlorine & chloramine so the carbon canisters seem good. As I said silicates would be a concern but I've heard they can be present even at zero TDS.

 

[Auquanut]

I make 40+ gallons of RO at a time. If the TDS goes up to 1 while I'm making water, I don't worry about it. This last time, it went to 2. Using it anyway. It's not optimum, but I run carbon and most of my water is produced at 0 TDS, so I still feel comfortable. Of course, that's just me.

 

[PeterEde]

Mine has just gone to 1 after 11 months

 

[TWYOUNG]

I believe I'll use it as it seems unlikely to cause major issues. Kinda wish I'd bought the 6 stage unit with two DI cartridges.

 

[TWYOUNG]

Mine has just gone to 1 after 11 months

I must have missed one and gone straight to two. I'm only 4 months in but have a rather large tank and estimate I've made about 500 gals so far.

 

[Court_Appointed_Hypeman]

I think its less about the TDS and more of what is that TDS. And if I am not mistaken the first thing that starts to leak through are elements you wouldn't want to introduce. HOWEVER, 2 is pretty good still

 

[Borat]

People are usually being unreasonably demanding in terms of TDS (in my opinion).. There are different camps out there with different views and I am in the camp where RO water with up to 3-4 TDS would be acceptable to me..

If you do regular water changes, this is clearly not an issue. If you don't do any water changes then you may think whether this TDS is something you want in your tank..

Again, I don't do water changes - but then I have a huge refugium and I beleive my algae bed will filter out any unwanted chemicals should they get into tank water.

 

[TWYOUNG]

People are usually being unreasonably demanding in terms of TDS (in my opinion).. There are different camps out there with different views and I am in the camp where RO water with up to 3-4 TDS would be acceptable to me..

If you do regular water changes, this is clearly not an issue. If you don't do any water changes then you may think whether this TDS is something you want in your tank..

Again, I don't do water changes - but then I have a huge refugium and I beleive my algae bed will filter out any unwanted chemicals should they get into tank water.

Thanks, thats much more helpful lol. Decided to use it but I'll be watching my DI resin more closely in the future. I don't do water changes yet but only because the system is only 3mo and has zero nutrients.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

For me, only zero TDS is acceptable, or else, whats the point of spending hundreds for a rodi? A rodi has only one job, bring TDS to zero, not one, not two, but zero.

 

[TWYOUNG]

For me, only zero TDS is acceptable, or else, whats the point of spending hundreds for a rodi? A rodi has only one job, bring TDS to zero, not one, not two, but zero.

Yeah my goal is zero and I've changed my resin already. I'm only debating using vs wasting the water I've got.

 

[EricR]

Yeah my goal is zero and I've changed my resin already. I'm only debating using vs wasting the water I've got.

Too bad there's not an easy way to run that 40 gallons of water back through your RODI unit -- would be the easiest job your RODI unit would ever have.

 

[Reefer Matt Verified Media Partner]

Are there any livestock in the tank?

 

[TWYOUNG]

Too bad there's not an easy way to run that 40 gallons of water back through your RODI unit -- would be the easiest job your RODI unit would ever have.

Interesting idea. I'm sure the lines could be hooked up to do it but I imagine most of the water might still end up rejected by the RO membrane.

 

[TWYOUNG]

Are there any livestock in the tank?

About a dozen fish, mostly small. The largest is a 3" Foxface who's actually grown an inch in the two months I've had him. 150 gal system with lots of pods and small snails. Dosing 30mls phyto daily to feed pods and overfeeding fish.

 

[X-37B]

Tds is relative to the meter being used. On my brs 4 stage the tds meter can read 1 and actually be zero. The meter can read upto 3-4 before I get a 1 on my calibrated handheld unit.
I change when my handheld tds meter reads 1. I make 275g's at a time for reference. Never had an issue as long as I changed when brs meter goes to 2.

 

[Reefer Matt Verified Media Partner]

About a dozen fish, mostly small. The largest is a 3" Foxface who's actually grown an inch in the two months I've had him. 150 gal system with lots of pods and small snails. Dosing 30mls phyto daily to feed pods and overfeeding fish.

I think you'll be okay to use the water. You can always test it for silicates, nitrates, etc if you wanted to. Even though the tds is not ideal, if there aren't any coral in the system yet, the impact is minimal, especially in that large of a system, imo.