TDS meter recomendations?

[Jynn]

Bought some new shelves so I had to pull everything out of my fishroom to install them and get everything switched over.   Somewhere in the process I lost my TDS meter.  I'm wildly irresponsible.

 

It was a pretty cheap meter in the first place and probably not awesome, so I figure I'll just get a new and better one.

Any recommendations? Any brands to avoid?

[Shrimp Life]

I got mine on ebay, has worked well for me so far!

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/TDS-Meter-Digital-LCD-Tester-Water-Quality-Filter-Purity-Pen-Stick-0-9999-PPM-/161723114121?hash=item25a772e289:g:BwoAAOSwl8NVbWTQ

 

That might be the one you already had, so maybe your looking for a more expensive one

[PlantDude]

I use this one http://www.amazon.com/HM-Digital-TDS-EZ-Measurement-Resolution/dp/B002C0A7ZY without any issues. 

[Crackhead Johny]

I use this one http://www.amazon.com/HM-Digital-TDS-EZ-Measurement-Resolution/dp/B002C0A7ZY without any issues. 

This is the one I have. Testing my tap water in a cup, my tap is 42ppm, or 107PPM or 152PPM or 90PPM. I'm not sure how good my TDS meter is, a swing of 300% (or 100PPM) is a little questionable to me.

If this is bad then I to am looking for TDS pen recommendations.

[PlantDude]

This is the one I have. Testing my tap water in a cup, my tap is 42ppm, or 107PPM or 152PPM or 90PPM. I'm not sure how good my TDS meter is, a swing of 300% (or 100PPM) is a little questionable to me.

If this is bad then I to am looking for TDS pen recommendations.

 

I have used two of them, one I broke, but I haven't seen those reading fluctuations. I saw some reviews on amazon and people are saying it's not temperature compensated, so maybe that's why you're seeing those different numbers? 

[DETAquarium]

I second PlantDude on the TDS-EZ meter by HM Digital. I have had mine since I started and it still works well, matches my TDS meter on my RODI unit.

[Crackhead Johny]

I have used two of them, one I broke, but I haven't seen those reading fluctuations. I saw some reviews on amazon and people are saying it's not temperature compensated, so maybe that's why you're seeing those different numbers? 

The RO water said 6PPM today and 5PPM when I first tried the meter, so maybe I was doing something wrong trying it several times in the same cup of water.

[Vpier]

The RO water said 6PPM today and 5PPM when I first tried the meter, so maybe I was doing something wrong trying it several times in the same cup of water.

Have you ever calibrated the TDS meter?

[Crackhead Johny]

Have you ever calibrated the TDS meter?

It said it was factory calibrated so I have not.

[Vpier]

It said it was factory calibrated so I have not.

You need to re-calibrate. Things move, change during shipping. The cheaper pens need to be re-calibrated once in a while. Its easy, you get some 342ppm solution and if its off there is a set screw in the back.  If your pen is still inconsistent then its the pen. When it comes to devices that measure water you get what you pay for. I learned that yours ago the hard way.

[Pokeshrimp]

I was just in Amazon and there is also a 1000ppm calibration fluid. Is one more accurate than the other? Or does it all depend of the range of the pen or something?

[Shrimple minded]

I believe that like pH, it is better to calibrate closer to your actual observed test ranges, so 342ppm would be a better choice for freshwater aquaria and shrimping.

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