Tapwater TDS?

[jq1177]

Hello everyone. I finally got a TDS meter today so I checked my tap water and I got a reading of 30ppm. My water is city water. My question is do you think my TDS meter might be calibrated wrong because that reading seems to be pretty low?

 

[smleee]

It is possible. Does it say "factory calibrated" or something of the sort? Even if, you may have to recalibrate. FWIW I have 120ppm coming out of the tap.

eee

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

It may be fine. Some water supplies will tell you the TDS if you go to their web site.

You could also dunk the probe in a bottle of Dasani:

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=787476

These articles may help:


What is TDS?
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-04/rhf/feature/index.htm


Tap Water in Reef Aquaria
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/jan2004/chem.htm

 

[jq1177]

I got the meter from airwaterice and I have heard that there products are pretty good.

 

[MCary]

You can always check any lab equipment or test kits by running controls. As Randy illuded to, find something with a known value and check you equipment. Checking one level is a good spot check but two or three levels are better incase the test is not linear or the test is out at the high or low ranges. The 3 levels should be abnormal low, normal, and abnormal high.

 

[Blazer88]

My local tap runs about 35ppm, so it's possible. I've tested my meter aginst others as well.

 

[RichConley]

Mine runs about 40. Boston

 

[Ebisan]

My tap water is pretty hard and my TDS meter reads 300+.

 

[wantahealthytank]

My tap water is in the 350's here, but we have well water and live in a 50-year-old house. After our RODI unit, the meter reads 0! My husband was checking our RODI water and got so frustrated with it that he came upstairs and threw the meter on the couch giving up because he coudn't get it to work in the RODI water, it kept telling him 0 no matter what LMAO!!!!

 

[OnTheReef]

I have the TDS meter from Air, Water & Ice also, and it reads very accurately, fwiw.

 

[jq1177]

Thanks for all the responses I'm going to try and run a few tests tomorrow.

 

[Maximus]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6978567#post6978567 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by wantahealthytank
My tap water is in the 350's here, but we have well water and live in a 50-year-old house. After our RODI unit, the meter reads 0! My husband was checking our RODI water and got so frustrated with it that he came upstairs and threw the meter on the couch giving up because he coudn't get it to work in the RODI water, it kept telling him 0 no matter what LMAO!!!!

ROTFLMAO!! Just classic!! Btw, my tap water reads 425!!

 

[AZDesertRat]

If you are served by a water utility just give their customer service number a call and ask. I worked for utilities for over 25 years and used to get calls from hobbists all the time. Everyone in the office knew I was a fish nut so they always referred the calls to me. BTW my raw water TDS is 630.

 

[cw150]

the norm for municipalities seems to be around 150 ppm, based on what i've heard or read.