Tesiting TDS and Conductivity ????

[Vyper]

Hi I was looking for some new test kits today and noticed in the eklectronic test probes a device that monitors PH\Conductivityy\TDS(Total disolved solids)\Temp.

Now I get what PH and temp are but what is the point of testing for conductivity and TDS ????, and what are typical results I should see in a freshwater aquarium ???.

Also do electronic ammonia\nitrite and nitrate testers exist, if not why not ?. I'd have thought someone would have done an electronic probe that can detect these instead of messing about witrh test strips of testtubes of liquid ????.

Thanks in Advance

 

[RTR]

TDS is a measure of all the materials dissolved in the water, so is directly related to the osmolarity or osmotic pressure on the fish. Blackwater is low TDS/low conductivity (relatively few ions) while the Rift lakes and some Central American rivers are high TDS/high conductivity (lots of ions, but less than SW).

There are no "typical" results, it all depends on your source water. RO and RODI will be very low, Rift Lakes high, most tap in between. The TDS will show up some of the anomalies of aquarium keeping habits - household "water softener" water is typically higher TDS than the source, so softer only for laundry, not as far as the fish are concerned. Ditto the same effect for many "water softener" products other than RO or DI.

Tanks with insufficient water changes tend to show increasing TDS with time also.

 

[Kasakato]

There are no ammoina, nitrite, and nirtrate ele. testers because you shouldent have to be monitering them all the time.

 

[Vyper]

OK thanks for your help guys, but if I'm not supposed to be monitoring amonia, nitrite and nitrates all the time then surely I shouldn't be monitoring PH and temp that much too, and there are hundreds of electronic probes for that purpose. I just dont understand it, I mean especally new comers to the fish keeping hobby especally when cycling would get no end of use from an electronic probe they could just stick in the water and see what the nitire count was for example, I understand what your saying about say a mature tank wouldn't need checking quite so often but surely it a lot easier to dip a probe in that mess about with testtubes, I donno maybe I'm just too picky. But thanks for the info on TDS and Conductivity.

 

[Kasakato]

I dont watch my levels. All I watch is the Co2. But is it really worth paying $300 for 1 probe that is just used for the cycle, and then almost never again?

 

[RTR]

By the time you check and recalibrate a probe, you could have even a nitrate test done. Ion-senstive probes are fairly stable, but far from maintenance-free. KH tests take seconds. The pH tests are equally easy and fast.

 

[Kasakato]

Agreed. That is what I was trying to say