Tds zero but .387 phosphate!!! How???

Sohal Tang Tim · 12/22/2019, 07:50 PM

Hi There..I have amazingly high phosphae in my display tank.
So I test the RO water to make sure the ZERO TDS it is showing is fact.
I get two other tds meters ..so 3 tds meters all show zero TDS...
Then howwwww in the hellllll am I getting .387 phosphate showing in that RO water! Once I mix it with the salt it goes over .400 !!!!

??? Any ideas people? I thought if the tds was truly zero that there is no phosphate in that water??? Is that not correct or is it possible to have
the readings I am getting and if so..why and what can I do about it?

Thanks kindly,
Tim

outssider · 12/23/2019, 06:41 PM

if you round off .387....you get ....0....

your meter will only show 1 when you get over .5 ppm of dissolved solids

Sohal Tang Tim · 12/23/2019, 09:54 PM

thx

Max marine · 12/29/2019, 01:15 AM

Hi there you can round it of to zero
I gotta tell you my experience
Man thats too much actually the TDS in my locality is to high its more than 300 and I am facing too much problems like hair fall etc.

Sohal Tang Tim · 12/29/2019, 09:03 AM

but I thought the PO4 level we should be aiming for is .030 ???

The Hanna checker I am using does measure Phosphorous and the formula I use converts it to a Phosphate measurement...so we can measure lower the 1 Po4...

12/22/2019, 07:50 PM	#1
Sohal Tang Tim Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Collingwood , ON, Canada Posts: 928	Tds zero but .387 phosphate!!! How??? Hi There..I have amazingly high phosphae in my display tank. So I test the RO water to make sure the ZERO TDS it is showing is fact. I get two other tds meters ..so 3 tds meters all show zero TDS... Then howwwww in the hellllll am I getting .387 phosphate showing in that RO water! Once I mix it with the salt it goes over .400 !!!! ??? Any ideas people? I thought if the tds was truly zero that there is no phosphate in that water??? Is that not correct or is it possible to have the readings I am getting and if so..why and what can I do about it? Thanks kindly, Tim __________________ "My God Reefs are Gorgeous!" Current Tank Info: 160 gallon reef

12/23/2019, 06:41 PM	#2
outssider Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Reseda, Ca. Posts: 1,717	if you round off .387....you get ....0.... your meter will only show 1 when you get over .5 ppm of dissolved solids __________________ Please don't feed the bears because the bears will become dependent on free handouts and forget how to take care of themselves …... Current Tank Info: 75 Gal. Mixed reef mostly sps

12/23/2019, 09:54 PM	#3
Sohal Tang Tim Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Collingwood , ON, Canada Posts: 928	thx thx __________________ "My God Reefs are Gorgeous!" Current Tank Info: 160 gallon reef

12/29/2019, 09:03 AM	#5
Sohal Tang Tim Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Collingwood , ON, Canada Posts: 928	but I thought the PO4 level we should be aiming for is .030 ??? The Hanna checker I am using does measure Phosphorous and the formula I use converts it to a Phosphate measurement...so we can measure lower the 1 Po4... __________________ "My God Reefs are Gorgeous!" Current Tank Info: 160 gallon reef

12/29/2019, 01:15 AM	#4
Max marine Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2019 Posts: 1	Hi there you can round it of to zero I gotta tell you my experience Man thats too much actually the TDS in my locality is to high its more than 300 and I am facing too much problems like hair fall etc.