What is the correct conversion from tds-ppm (what hanna primo tds meter reads) to microsiemens?,I am a little confused about.
Thanks Hans, then my conductivity is even higher than the value I supposed since 335ppm are 522.6 microS/cm, however my gH is below 6, so if not calcium and no magnesium, what is tds meter reading as dissolved salts?, and for breeding purpose what is more important, low gH or low tds or both need to be low?
Last edited by guille2007; 08-28-2007 at 07:17 PM.
TDS is indiscriminate of what it reads. It reads all dissolved ions in the water from sulfates, chlorides, sodium, etc.
Last edited by guille2007; 08-28-2007 at 07:52 PM.
Low conductivity and low kh seem to be crucial together with moderate low and stable pH . Of course low conductivity is impossible with high gh but lowering gh by replacing calcium and magnesium ions with sodium (due to zeolite action) is almost useless for breeding.
In fact an excess of ANY matter dissolved in water can damage discus spawn, even if it doesn't increase conductivity. Discus fry is not only sensitive for ions, it is also sensitive for osmotic pressure.
Hans
Really replacing calcium and magnesium ions by sodium low gh but conductivity value keep almost the same as the tap water and even get it higher than tap water when adding muriatic to low ph.
You haven't really removed any ions from the water you've only substituted Na for Ca and Mg. Then by adding the HCl you've actually added more Chloride ions to the water. If you want to lower you TDS, you'll have to go with an RO or DI. If you already have a softener, by adding an RO behind it it will polish the water. Since the softener is removing the bulk of the hardness it will also preserve your RO membranes.
Any thing you add to your water will raise the TDS. Salt, meds, and as already mentioned soft water is not neccisarily low TDS. Don T.
I cannot agree with you. Some solid substances (for example so called "humic acids") can DECREASE conductivity after they are added to water, many others (like sugar) have no influence on conductivity. Of course if you can determine TDS by evaporating water to dryness and weighting dry solid residue you can't be deceived. but estimating TDS by conductivity measurement is useless in this case.
Hans