starting my rainy season with ro water.

[Zebedee]

i started my rainy season yesterday with info from barbie.
the measurements i will take daily of the ph and tds.
friday= TDS 350
PH 8.2

i did a 25% water change with ro water with PH 6.8 and TDS 26

the resultant tank water was
TDS 250
PH 7.8

i have set the temp to 27 degrees celcius

[Zebedee]

Day 2 saturday= TDS 265
PH 8.0

again i did a 25% water change i measured the ro water TDS 36 PH 6.8

the resultant tank water was TDS 197
PH 7.8
the temp dropped to 25 degrees celcius tomorrow i will heat the ro water to try and maintain it at 27

[Zebedee]

Day 3 saturday TDS 197
PH 8.0

again 25% water change TDS 34 PH 6.8

resultant tank water was TDS 142 and PH 7.8

i've noticed that the PH level has not seemed to drop as i thought that it might have. it has recovered near to the original every time.

what should the tds reading be by the end of the week???

[gtp]

You wouldn't be able to measure the GH of your water as well would you Zeb? Trying to find out exactly how it relates to TDS.

And I'm guessing the PH isn't dropping because of a high KH. Would be interested to see what the experts recommend to get around that.

[TwoTankAmin]

ro water should have 0 kh. eventually doing enough changes should drop the kh enough to allow the pH to stay down. The one exception is if there are any rocks in the tank that raise pH like tufa or texas holey rock.

[Zebedee]

maybe that could be it i do have quite a few large rocks in there what do you think could they stop the fish spawning should i be looking for a big PH drop to help them hopefully not. there hasn't been any action so far.

[Zebedee]

Day 4 monday TDS 144
. PH 7.8

25% water change TDS 36
. PH 6.8

the resultant water is TDS 110
. PH 7.6
does anyone know what the tds i should aim for
also how do i measure the GH do i need a meter or or solution?
i've put in a couple of almond leaves maybe these might help with the ph drop.

[TwoTankAmin]

IMO the pH is the least important consideration in all of this. factors in importance are:
1. Fish are mature enough to spawn.
2. Hiigher TDS level than normal in tank.
3. Conditioned well with high protein food- live beong the best but noy a must.
4. A barometric pressure drop which acompanies a major water change or changes which will drop the TDS. I consider the barometric stimulus to be one of the most important factors.

I get spawns w/o measuring anything, I do not own a TDS meter or ro system. I basicaally feed the fish well and if they seem to need a boost I skip a wc or two and then time a big one to the arrival of a rain or snow storm.

[Zebedee]

Day 5 tuesday. TDS 117
. PH 7.6-7.8 somewhere around here

25% water change TDS 36
. PH 6.8

resultant tank water TDS 89
. PH 7.6

i started my water changes the day after a thunder storm and heavy rain which was thursday. i feel that some of the fish at least 4 of the 11 i have should be mature enough to spawn although no action that i can see of yet. failing this i will just have to let them be and wait for them to spawn on their own.

does anyone know the target of the tds drop?

[Stevie.K]

I don't think there are any hard & fast rules regarding tds, I once tried to stimulate a pair of discus for ages doing lots of ro wter changes to no avail, then a young pair in a community tank kept in tap water started breeding with no help!
Your fish will breed when they are ready if they don't trying to stimulate them.
My zebs have breed before in tap water & now I keep them in part ro around 110 tds which they breed frequently.
As TTA said I agree with your fish needing to be mature & well conditioned, even though mine breed with very high pressure.
Hope this helps.

[Zebedee]

Day 6 wednesday TDS 90
. PH 7.6

25% TDS 34
. PH 6.8

resultant water TDS 72
. PH 7.2

i have removed all the small white rocks and one of the large black rocks
maybe this is why the ph has dropped a bit better.