RO/DI - LFS 427 TDS water?

Just hooked up an RO/DI system. Came with a handheld TDS meter. I can't figure out how to get the built-in TDS meter to work (AWI - Typhoon III).

Help me with understanding TDS.

Tap Water TDS - 180
Waste Water TDS - 202
RO/DI Water TDS - 000

Am I correct in saying these all seem to be fairly accurate TDS numbers?

I had a bucket of RO/DI water that I had purchased from the fish store for water topoffs still in the garage so I tested it using the TDS meter. It read:

LFS RO/DI TDS - 427?

How can the LFS read so high? Since I've been using that for so long would it matter if I used the waste water in my tank? Its half the TDS I've been using this whole time.



Some side questions:
How do I raise PSI? It's currently at 42.
4 to 1 waste is that efficient? Can it get better somehow?

 

the LFS doen't change their filters ! looks like you are doing yourself well here. I change my filters when my TDS is .005

 

Since the LFS water read 427, would it matter if I used my waste water reading 200? Really if everything in my tank is used to 427 then half of that would still be good right?

 

No, absolutely not. You want to use that goose egg output you have -- perhaps all the other RO/DI you purchased was of better quality and this latest batch was the crap from the result of aging filters

 

Did you test their saltwater made with RO/DI water or did you test their RO/DI water. You can't use a TDS meter in saltwater. If that's the reading they have with RO/DI water only, then you need to talk to the owner.

 

Agreed with above post^^ I once tested my RODI with salt mixed in and it was WAYY HIGH.

 

No this is not their saltwater. Dipping the meter into saltwater would not get a reading it would get and error message. I know this because I dipped it into my tank after checking the LFS RO/DI and received an error message from the device. Now I know it only works on freshwater. This was their "clean" fresh RO/DI water

This is the water they sell as RO/DI and also the water they use to mix the salt in.


What are the adverse effects of using water that is this high in TDS? Since I don't know how long i've been using water in the 400's

Of course from now on I will be switching to the stuff I make.

 

The problem with TDS is that it only gives you a number.....it doesn't tell you what makes up that number. For instance, most of it may be Calcium, Magnesium, Strontium, etc. If that's the case, one of those elements may be elevated a little. Not the end of the world.

On the other hand, it might be Silicates, Iron, COPPER, Phosphorus, Nitrogen (Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrates), and other nasties we don't want. If that's the case, doing a waterchange with their water would likely make your tank WORSE instead of better.

EDIT: This is why it's best just to start from zero and only add the elements that we want.

 

Makes perfect sense. Thanks for clearing that up for me. I think thats what I was trying to get at. What does the number mean? Thanks for the quick answer.

Using the LFS water maybe thats why my calcium levels were always so good. Then again, maybe thats why I couldn't get my nitrates down to save my life!

 

Got a question though. Could there have been some remnants of salt mix in there or somehing to mix with the ro. Seems really high for something they are trying to pass as pure water.

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