Saltwater Tank With Water From The Well?

I live in a coastal region. Due to indiscriminate exploitation of ground water, sea water intrusion has taken place. The Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) as measured at the beach is 7500. From my tap I get around 6700. Now, is is possible to use this water directly to host saltwater fishes.

 

It sounds very high but what are you using? One of those meters? Because they test for copious different things...calcium, phosphate, silicates, nitrate, magnesium... it would be ideal to know what exactly that number is comprised of to better determine... but again it sounds really high... if you are using one of those meters have you ever tested the different components separately? Like how much calcium, phosphates etc?

 

I understand that one of those meters test everything including dissolved gases. My question lacks information. I do have a lab or an elaborate kit to test the different elements in water. My fresh water hobby does not need these measurements. I will take this to a few water testing labs which do an analysis for a price. I could also buy some cheap marine fish and test if it survives.

 

Ya like apI makes a version that has calcium and phosphates and I think they pretty much make any type of test that you would need... I think with the meter it’s just going to be to general as you don’t know how much of what is what if that makes sense
Also if you don’t have a huge tank ever think of just doing DI or RO?

 

Also if you don’t have a huge tank ever think of just doing DI or ?

I do not intend to have a huge tank. Just a basic three feet with some firefly gobies. Will consider DI or RO.

 

Ya because it’s it’s not that huge using DI water doesn’t get that expensive for w/c’s etc... but who knows maybe your water is ok... I’ve just never heard a number so high lol unless we are thinking of some kind of different units or something

 

I live in a coastal region. Due to indiscriminate exploitation of ground water, sea water intrusion has taken place. The Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) as measured at the beach is 7500. From my tap I get around 6700. Now, is is possible to use this water directly to host saltwater fishes.

Absolute not. That TDS is off the charts, most people consider 400-500 very high. With a TDS that high you are almost guaranteed to have severe algae problems. Definitely get an RODI system.

 

most people consider 400-500 very high

I was under the impression that TDS for a SALT water aquarium is bound to be high. 400-500 are fresh water tanks for me. Am I missing something here. Can some people here post the TDS reading of your Marine or Salt water aquarium?

 

I was under the impression that TDS for a SALT water aquarium is bound to be high. 400-500 are fresh water tanks for me. Am I missing something here. Can some people here post the TDS reading of your Marine or Salt water aquarium?

It is true that you will have TDS from feeding and waste, etc, IN THE DISPLAY TANK, but saltwater tanks need to have SOURCE WATER with as low as a TDS as possible to keep it down overall. Saltwater is more prone to nuisance algae with higher TDS and introduction of minerals in tap water that can be prone to harming marine life. Not sure who told you that the TDS was supposed to be higher with marine environments. TDS is almost always higher with freshwater since people generally use chemically treated tap water with fresh, but RO or RODI with saltwater. For reference in my area tap water generally runs between 190-200 and places like New York can be in the 600-700 range. So are you testing the TDS of the display tank or straight from the tap?

 

It is true that you will have TDS from feeding and waste, etc, IN THE DISPLAY TANK, but saltwater tanks need to have SOURCE WATER with as low as a TDS as possible to keep it down overall. Saltwater is more prone to nuisance algae with higher TDS and introduction of minerals in tap water that can be prone to harming marine life. Not sure who told you that the TDS was supposed to be higher with marine environments. TDS is almost always higher with freshwater since people generally use chemically treated tap water with fresh, but RO or RODI with saltwater. For reference in my area tap water generally runs between 190-200 and places like New York can be in the 600-700 range. So are you testing the TDS of the display tank or straight from the tap?

Let us say that someone has prepared the saltwater by mixing the salt with RO water. You are just about to add fish. What would be the TDS of such water?

It is true that you will have TDS from feeding and waste, etc, IN THE DISPLAY TANK, but saltwater tanks need to have SOURCE WATER with as low as a TDS as possible to keep it down overall. Saltwater is more prone to nuisance algae with higher TDS and introduction of minerals in tap water that can be prone to harming marine life. Not sure who told you that the TDS was supposed to be higher with marine environments. TDS is almost always higher with freshwater since people generally use chemically treated tap water with fresh, but RO or RODI with saltwater. For reference in my area tap water generally runs between 190-200 and places like New York can be in the 600-700 range. So are you testing the TDS of the display tank or straight from the tap?

Let us say that someone has prepared the saltwater by mixing the salt with RO water. You are just about to add fish. What would be the TDS of such water?

Thank you I got the answer. Someone wrote this in some other forum "You cannot test saltwater with a TDS meter. The range of most hobbyist grade TDS meters is 999 TDS and some may have a high range which can measure up to 10,000 by tens so are not as accurate in the high range. Saltwater in your tank is easily going to exceed 30,000-35,000 which is way out of range and can contaminate the probe on a TDS meter if it is not cleaned with DI right away."