# Crystal Red Shrimp - TDS levels and how to safely raise it?



## fitness2go (Oct 13, 2005)

I mix 60% tap (33ppm TDS) and 40% RODI water (4ppm TDS) together for a combined TDS of 23 ppm. Seattle raises the PH to about 8!!!! By the time it gets to me it is around 7.5. My tank has been pretty steady at 89ppm of TDS without adding anything. I just started to add Mosura Mineral Plus and I've gotten it up to 92 ppm, but would like to get it to around 150ppm to 200ppm. Already though, I'm noticing more white coming through on their exoskeletons. My question is what is the safest way to get to that desired range of 150ppm to 200ppm and at what rate per day should I increase it? Besides Mosura Mineral Plus, what are some of you using to increase this basically reconstituting you RODI water?

David


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## snausage (Mar 8, 2010)

Those numbers don't seem to jibe. What is the kH and gH of your tap? TDS of 33 ppm is incredibly low for municipal water supply. Everywhere I've lived, the tds has been at least 150, and now that I'm in Philly it averages around 225.


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## fitness2go (Oct 13, 2005)

Seattle has really soft water. I used a TDS meter and below is a PDF from Seattle Utilities:


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## snausage (Mar 8, 2010)

Wow, you have unbelievable water! You can safely raise the tds by adding ferts.


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## zxc (Nov 10, 2009)

how to measure TDS? OR what instrument to use?


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## snausage (Mar 8, 2010)

zxc said:


> how to measure TDS? OR what instrument to use?


You have to purchase a digital pen. I got one on ebay for $15 shipped. It's definitely worth it.


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## mordalphus (Jun 23, 2010)

Yes, seattle has crazy soft water, i can attest to that, as well as a crazy high pH. Seattle's water comes from a river fueled by mountain runoff, and at the source it's at a pH of 8 for some reason (possibly from high oxygen content).

Anyways, mosura mineral plus is good, however it can be quite expensive if your water is super soft. You could use seachem equilibrium which is designed to reconstitute RO as well (raises GH). As for how fast to do it, try to add a little every other day until your reach your target.


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## fitness2go (Oct 13, 2005)

Thanks Liam...I'll try the much more economical Seachem Equilibrium a little each day.


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## mordalphus (Jun 23, 2010)

test parameters after adding equilibrium too, it's a quite a bit more potent than mosura mineral plus


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## janftica (Jan 11, 2010)

Liam I don't have one of those meters, but my GH is 5 and KH 2...what does that make my TDS? and is this a good tank for CRS...PH is holding steady at 6.6 so far.


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## snausage (Mar 8, 2010)

janftica said:


> Liam I don't have one of those meters, but my GH is 5 and KH 2...what does that make my TDS? and is this a good tank for CRS...PH is holding steady at 6.6 so far.


TDS isn't just a cumulative measure of kH and gH. You really just need a digital meter, which can be purchased inexpensively on [Ebay Link Removed] It's feasible to have a low gH and kH and still have a very high TDS reading.


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## Clare12345 (Dec 20, 2008)

What is TDS?


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## Eden Marel (Jan 28, 2010)

Total dissolved solids


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