Be battling algae for about a two months now I know I need new filters for my ro/di unit so I've been getting water from LFS seems two of my 5 gallon jugs read 265-350 on my meter other two read 000 after I put about half gallon of distilled water in each. My container I mix in read 027 when I put the distilled water in. When I read posts a lot say their meter read 1 does that mean 001 and can my container be saved by cleaning it or should I just get a new one. Also can I test the water after I mix it with the meter or will the saltwater mess it up Thank u all for all the advise on this from
TDS meter and algae battle
- Thread starter madweeder
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Almost all TDS meters read in whole numbers so 001 is actually 1. There are no decimals, what looks like a decimal is a power ON indicator.
Try rinsing your container with undiluted distilled white vinegar, give it a good rinse with distilled water then fill it and test again.
No, you cannot test salt water with a TDS meter. Most TDS meters display up to 999, a very few gave a high range setting that displays 9,990 by tens but saltwater is going to be somewhere in excess of 32,000 TDS. If you mistakenly do stick your TDS meter in saltwater, rinse it well in distilled or RO/DI water as soon as possible so you don't ruin the probes.
Try rinsing your container with undiluted distilled white vinegar, give it a good rinse with distilled water then fill it and test again.
No, you cannot test salt water with a TDS meter. Most TDS meters display up to 999, a very few gave a high range setting that displays 9,990 by tens but saltwater is going to be somewhere in excess of 32,000 TDS. If you mistakenly do stick your TDS meter in saltwater, rinse it well in distilled or RO/DI water as soon as possible so you don't ruin the probes.
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FWIW, battling green algae is not typically caused by an issue with your RO/DI water. Assuming those values are correct, reducing the phosphate (which mostly comes from fish foods) is likely to reduce the algae if you get it low enough.
This has more on how to reduce it:
Phosphate In The Reef Aquarium
https://www.reef2reef.com/blog/?p=3184
This has more on how to reduce it:
Phosphate In The Reef Aquarium
https://www.reef2reef.com/blog/?p=3184
Still have this algae it's gotten petty bad I've figured out some things I've been doing doing wrong I've been washing my filter socks with my towels with tide not beach all my tests are always good I even bought chaeto and put it in my sump the first pic is the algae in my tank is this green algae and what's the best way to get rid of it the second pic is the chaeto is it chaeto or just green algae thanks for any help
