Brown Diatom/Algae during cycle

[ktipp]

Tds?

[Zack]

TDS is total dissolved solids and is measured in parts per million. If your RODI unit is doing it's job then you should be at zero ppm meaning you have pure water with no contaminants

[ktipp]

Good question. I buy my premixed salt water and RO for top offs from the LFS. I assumed it was good.

[BBQHILLBILLY]

http://www.buckeyefieldsupply.com/sh...ry=207&Sub=149

The portable TDS meters are really nice and inexpensive. The TDS meter in the cup shows how you check your water anywhere.

[KING]

..How much do u pay for saltwater?
i get ro from the wall..but i was charged 1 time wen i was lazy 2.50 at a shop..when its 1.00 at the wall.. just wanted to know

[ktipp]

$0.50 for RO and $1.25 for Premixed salt at Elogant Reef

Where is the wall?

[grouch]

Patience, patience, patience !!! The tank will clear. Get some salt, a 50lb. mix bout $15(Kent at AD). a small power head Maxijet bout $15, 5 5 gal buckets with lids from Lowes or HD bout $15, I will give you my old hydromitor free until you can aford a refractometer and mix your own water you will be saving .75 cents a gallon x 25 gallons(5 5 gal buckets) = $18.75 plus gas for lets trips to LFS. It will pay for itself in no time. Only mix 5 gal at a time though and save the rest for top off and more water changes.

[grouch]

I've never tried but can you get an accurate reading from a TDS meter with RO/DI that is premixed with salt ???
Seems to me you need to test befroe salt is mixed.

check tds. What reading do you get?

[Scutterborn]

I've heard that u will destroy a Tds meter if u test SW with it. That's what I've heard.

[klwheat]

I've never tried but can you get an accurate reading from a TDS meter with RO/DI that is premixed with salt ???
Seems to me you need to test befroe salt is mixed.

No, you have to check it before the salt is mixed (you can check their RO water though). Once the salt mix is in, everything added with the salt shows up as dissolved solids.