# How do I lower my TDS?



## Wasserpest

Depends on how much you need, and your circumstances.

Rain water is free.

Bottled water can be a good option for small amounts.

Unless you live in an area with naturally low tds/soft water, there isn't a good way to do this cheap.


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## legomaniac89

I have extremely hard water where I live. When I do a water change, I replace the removed water with distilled or R/O water. dH2O should have 0 TDS, and it's worked for me so far


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## DiscusIt'sWhats4DinneR

you could peat filter it through a bucket, that is cheap, close to free, but the water is going to have a bronzey tint, something you might not like but if your only goal is to try and breed something soft water loving then the looks of it wouldnt be an issue. 

Otherwise, if you arent trying to breed anything, leave the water alone. it is a lot of hassle and most any fish are going to be able to adapt and live healthy in whatever your water could be like.


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## Jag1980

I think the problem that I "Might" have is the water that is in the tank that has the high TDS levels, possibly from dosing dry fertilizers. I'm still trouble shooting this issue. I was just trying to figure out if it is the problem, how I would fix it. 
Sounds like it's a pain in the :fish1:
Especially since I do a 50% water change once a week.
Brown tint in the water isn't that bad, as long as it's not green or a cloudy white it's ok.

(possibly the water company did something to the water that raised the TDS levels recently.)


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## epicfish

What problem do you think you "might" have?


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## Jag1980

From my water perimeters and everything else I got going with my setup checking out as being ok, one thing it could be is hi TDS

Some of my plants are stunting and dying. I changed my dosing schedule to less and I'm still having problems.. Plants where doing great before I switched over to dry ferts. But I increased my lighting also. 

So I'm thinking too high of light or high TDS from what other has suggested.


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## wkndracer

*Hard Water*

jag1980 you have my sympathy regarding hard water (higher TDS) My well is as follows; Ph 7.2
kh 196.9 ppm
gh 179 ppm
phosphate 1.0
iron (off the scale) Hagen Nurtafin test kit.
Nitrate, Nitrite, Ammonia 0.0
Plants and angel fish have been my suborn goal for over 30yrs. as a heathen, uneducated tank owner:icon_eek: Since I bought this property *nothing* worked. 

Last year I finally got off my brain and started reading. Stunted plants, melted plants, fish OK for awhile then rolling death. While people kept telling me it wasn't the water. Switched to 100% distilled (which everybody said don't do) Seachem products to make GH4-6, KH 4-6 and everything straightened out. Look at my user tanks. Problem was distilled is up over $0.84 a gallon not to mention hauling and all the plastic wasted. Finally setup an RO unit and 105 gal. storage tank this year. Breeders told me and still are telling me that domestic fish handle higher TDS than species recommendations. All I know is fungus, bacteria, algae are down plant and animal growth are up. I cant buy fish anymore because as a rule mine don't die anymore so my tanks are full. Hope it wasn't the change to dry ferts.


Hope you figure it out.


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