TDS = 190 ???? Why?

[Reefrookie733]

I made 3 drums of RO water over the last 2 days and measured them constantly and they were all at 0. I rinsed the live sand, put in the base rock, added the water and now my TDS shows 190????? It's not even that high coming out of my well, around 120. What did i do wrong or is this really normal? Please GOD tell me i don't have to re-do the entire 200G of RO water.

 

[Spare time]

You can't measure TDS in a tank with salt water.

 

[WVNed]

It is pointless to measure the TDS of tank water. It will always have stuff in it and read high.
The only thing TDS is useful for is measuring the condition of the water you start with.

 

[piranhaman00]

The sand and rock will add tds, live sand comes in saltwater doesn’t it? I’m surprised your tds isn’t way higher. Either way all good

When I first started I measured tds of saltwater and freaked out when it was above the LOD of meter lol

 

[Spare time]

PS when you said you rinsed the live sand, what exactly do you mean by rinse? That would kill the live part of the sand and or wash away all of the bacteria. That is unless it was dry sand that you rinsed in which case that is fine as long as the sand isn't soaked in tap water.

 

[Reefrookie733]

PS when you said you rinsed the live sand, what exactly do you mean by rinse? That would kill the live part of the sand and or wash away all of the bacteria. That is unless it was dry sand that you rinsed in which case that is fine as long as the sand isn't soaked in tap water.

Thanks for the info. I got a whole lecture from quite a few reefers on here that said it is imperative to rinse the sand. They even sent me an article from r2r on it! lol

I didn't think about all the stuff coming off the live sand or whats left of it and the base rock, which i rinsed also (and there was a crap ton of silt stuff on it).

Funny thing i was making another 55G drum of RO water and couldn't figure out why IT was high too. When i turned off the pump going from the RO container to the tank, it backfilled some causing the water to go to 90 as well. Sheesh you have to be a plumber, mathematician, nuclear physicist, and have 2-3 jobs for this hobby!!!! lol

 

[Reefrookie733]

The sand and rock will add tds, live sand comes in saltwater doesn’t it? I’m surprised your tds isn’t way higher. Either way all good

When I first started I measured tds of saltwater and freaked out when it was above the LOD of meter lol

I've been measure the RO water so often i did'nt think about the other stuff in the tank causing a spike! scared the crap out of me. lol