Cross section of TDS readings.

Brengun

Global Moderators
Staff member
Apr 22, 2009
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Burrum Heads, Queensland, Australia
I've been pretty diligently checking all my 28 tanks for TDS for over a month and thought I would put up a few just to show how each tank is faring.
There may also be pH, temp or nitrate readings on some and wc.

Note: 9th and 10th of Jan was a heatwave. TDS was down dramatically and since I read the tanks just as I turned the lights on it did show a lower reading and a bit higher but still down a few hours later when I read it again.
It did make up for it when the weather cooled down a bit.

Pep tank is 2.5ft, has two huge peppermint bns in it. Not much else apart from the odd guppy. Have ugf, ehiem 2215, sponge filter and powerfilter.
Date Tank TDS/pH
10/12/11 pep pair 199 / 5.8 + bicarb
17/12/11 pep pair 203-209 wc
18/12/11 pep pair 195 / 6 + coral
19/12/11 pep pair 193 / 6.8
20/12/11 pep pair 191 / 7.0
21/12/11 pep pair 190 / 6.9
22/12/11 pep pair 196 / wc
23/12/11 pep pair 165 / 7.0
26/12/11 pep pair 175 / 6.6
27/12/11 pep pair 190
28/12/11 pep pair 192
29/12/11 pep pair 176 / 6.6 / 26c
31/12/11 pep pair 205 wc
1/1/12 pep pair 163
2/1/12 pep pair 175 / 6.9
3/1/12 pep pair 178
4/1/12 pep pair 188
5/1/12 pep pair 195
7/1/12 pep pair 198 wc
8/1/12 pep pair 161
10/1/12 pep pair 151 / 156
11/1/12 pep pair 177
12/1/12 pep pair 187
13/1/12 pep pair 192 wc
14/1/12 pep pair 160

In contrast my planted Sultan tank with only 2 sultans, 3 corys and a dozen guppies gets less wc. The tank is 4ft x 18 x 18" with ugf, ehiem 2217 canister, 800lph power filter and 3000lph wavemaker (only 5watts).
Date Tank TDS/pH
10/12/11 Sultans 168 / 7.4
17/12/11 Sultans 202
18/12/11 Sultans 202 / 7.2
19/12/11 Sultans 202 / 7.3
20/12/11 Sultans 199 / 7.2
21/12/11 Sultans 195 / 7.3
22/12/11 Sultans 196 / wc
23/12/11 Sultans 174 / 7.2
26/12/11 Sultans 190 / 7.3
27/12/11 Sultans 186
28/12/11 Sultans 188
29/12/11 Sultans 173 / 7.2 / 28c
31/12/11 Sultans 199
1/1/12 Sultans 195
2/1/12 Sultans 202 / 7.1
3/1/12 Sultans 208 wc
4/1/12 Sultans 176
5/1/12 Sultans 176
7/1/12 Sultans 184
8/1/12 Sultans 183
10/1/12 Sultans 162 / 165
11/1/12 Sultans 187
12/1/12 Sultans 194
13/1/12 Sultans 194 wc
14/1/12 Sultans 165

My whiptail tank has 3 adult whiptails, a heap of juvie whips growing out, umpteen cherry shrimp and a trio of L066. The tank is 4ft x 15 x 15 and has ugf, a jebo1000lph canister, and two 3000lph wavemakers.
Date Tank TDS/pH
10/12/11 whiptail 202 / 7.2
17/12/11 whiptail 240-192 wc
18/12/11 whiptail 199 / 7.2
19/12/11 whiptail 202 / 7.2
20/12/11 whiptail 204 / 7.2pm
21/12/11 whiptail 203 / 7.2 wc
22/12/11 whiptail 183
23/12/11 whiptail 192 / 7.2
26/12/11 whiptail 200 / 7.2
27/12/11 whiptail 205 wc
28/12/11 whiptail 189
29/12/11 whiptail 175 /7 /28
31/12/11 whiptail 202 wc
1/1/12 whiptail 170
2/1/12 whiptail 176 / 7.2
3/1/12 whiptail 183
4/1/12 whiptail 188
5/1/12 whiptail 191
7/1/12 whiptail 200 wc
8/1/12 whiptail 176
10/1/12 whiptail 164 / 177
11/1/12 whiptail 195 wc
12/1/12 whiptail 175
13/1/12 whiptail 173
14/1/12 whiptail 185

My blue phantom tank has 4 phantoms and 18 corys. It is 4.5ft x 20 x 18". It has ugf, eheim 2217 canister and 2 3000lph wavemakers and an 800lph powerfilter. It is just coming up to 2 weeks since wc and nitrates are still 5.
Date Tank TDS/pH
10/12/11 blue phan 166 / 7.2
17/12/11 blue phan 196
18/12/11 blue phan 196 / 7.2
19/12/11 blue phan 196 / 7.4
20/12/11 blue phan 194 /7.3 na5
21/12/11 blue phan 198 / 7.3
22/12/11 blue phan 203 / wc
23/12/11 blue phan 175 / 7.2
26/12/11 blue phan 187 / 7.3
27/12/11 blue phan 189
28/12/11 blue phan 188
29/12/11 blue phan 172 /7 / 28.5c
31/12/11 blue phan 200 wc
1/1/12 blue phan 156
2/1/12 blue phan 169 / 7.1
3/1/12 blue phan 161 / 28.6c
4/1/12 blue phan 168
5/1/12 blue phan 169
7/1/12 blue phan 173
8/1/12 blue phan 169
10/1/12 blue phan 154 / 160
11/1/12 blue phan 178
12/1/12 blue phan 176
13/1/12 blue phan 188
14/1/12 blue phan 186
 

Irene0100

UK Support Team
May 14, 2009
4,271
0
36
Norfolk, UK
thanks, interesting. my tanks tend to be a higher tds (250-300) as i have hard water although i do use ro to lower it. if too low the ph swings more.