Remineralization Help

I have a 10 gallon cherry shrimp and snail tank at my office. I use RO/DI water and do not inject CO2 for my lightly planted tank. I used guides from Flip Aquatics to remineralize with SaltyShrimp GH/KH+ up to a TDS of 200. However, while I was getting good GH, my KH started to bottom out and my pH began to drop, which was not good for my snails. Anyway, I was looking into other options and came on the Seachem products. I used their calculator for Alkaline/Acid Buffer and Equilibrium and tried remineralizing with them instead. I ended up with a pH of 7.4, KH of 6, and a GH of 13. Those are all slightly above what I wanted them but are in the acceptable range for my shrimp. Unfortunately, when I checked the TDS, it was over 700. That's a TON over my goal. So, should I ignore the TDS since my GH/KH are ok? Where is all that extra TDS coming from? Any guidance? I really don't want to put this water into my shrimp tank unless I know it's safe.

 

Per 1 US Gallon:

0.386 Grams CaSO4 - 30ppm Ca, 4.2 degrees GH

0.384 Grams MgSO4 - 10ppm Mg, 2.3 degrees GH

0.270 Grams KHCO3 - 28ppm K, 2.0 degrees KH



Should yield:

6-7 degrees of General Hardness

2 degree of Carbonate Hardness

Mid 7's pH

 

Ok... but what should I do about my current water? Go by the GH and KH alone and ignore the high TDH, or should I throw this water out and go back to remineralizing with the SaltyShrimp GH/KH+? I just don’t know how to get my numbers ok without having my TDH skyrocket.

 

Per 1 US Gallon:

0.386 Grams CaSO4 - 30ppm Ca, 4.2 degrees GH

0.384 Grams MgSO4 - 10ppm Mg, 2.3 degrees GH

0.270 Grams KHCO3 - 28ppm K, 2.0 degrees KH



Should yield:

6-7 degrees of General Hardness

2 degree of Carbonate Hardness

Mid 7's pH

Sorry, but I'm not sure how this helps. I put in 2.5g of Alkaline Buffer, 1.3g of Acid Buffer, and 6.7g of Equilibrium with a goal of pH:7, GH: 10, KH: 5. I ended up with 7.4/13/6, which isn't too bad, but it had a TDS of 700, which is way above my goal of around 200. I just need to know if I should forget the TDS and be happy with the pH/GH/KH, or should I worry that there's something else in there increasing the TDS that isn't picked up by GH/KH.

 

Sorry, but I'm not sure how this helps. I put in 2.5g of Alkaline Buffer, 1.3g of Acid Buffer, and 6.7g of Equilibrium with a goal of pH:7, GH: 10, KH: 5. I ended up with 7.4/13/6, which isn't too bad, but it had a TDS of 700, which is way above my goal of around 200. I just need to know if I should forget the TDS and be happy with the pH/GH/KH, or should I worry that there's something else in there increasing the TDS that isn't picked up by GH/KH.

The mix I laid out will get you a pH in the low 7's, KH of 2 (you cannot go higher than this and maintain a low 7's pH) and a gH of 7-8 which is more than adequate.

You cant have a pH of 7.0, a KH of 5 and a GH of 10 at 200ppm TDS. The mix I laid out will get you 200-300ppm Probably.

I personally go with KH - 1, GH - 7/8 and whatever pH that KH gives me =175ppm ish of TDS.