salt test kit

[Bart]

I am having a problem trying to find a test kit for checking the amount of salt in your water. I have the Pond Care Master test kit but the salinity test is not included and I dont want to spend the $100 for one of those pen type testers. Anyone have a suggestion?
Thanks

 

[fishin4cars]

http://cgi.ebay.com/TDS4TM-3000-Sal...611?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35ac644ae3

I've been looking at this one, I want a digital read out and thinking for the price this one would not be too bad to try. I have a refractrometer that I had for my reef tank, the problem with it is I'm reaching .1% salinity before I start getting a reading at all. This one appears to be more Koi pond Goldfish pond friendly.

 

[Bart]

Fishing4Cars For your information. I just received that salt tester you told me about that was on ebay. Looks good and works good also.

 

[fishin4cars]

YW, Glad it worked good, my friend just ordered one Saturday.

 

[hewhoisatpeace]

PM DoDad, he can surely get it for you cheaper, usually better stuff, too.

 

[Peepers Mom]

I have a question - I just ordered and received a TDS4TM-3000 Salt-Salinity Tester (it was less expensive, and the website said it would measure salinity); the package it came in had the model number printed as an extra sticker over the "TDS Meter" on the package, and the tester itself says "TDS & Temp". The website says it can be used as a salinity tester in koi ponds. http://www.eseasongear.com/hmditdmekoip.html
Does anyone have this meter, and does it work? And HOW do you know if it's measuring just the salt? I'm a little confused now with it, because supposedly it tests for 'Total Dissolved Solids' which is probably more than the actual salt........
I just used it for the first time and it read 686 ppm (NO 'x10' showing), so that would be about .07%, correct? What I don't know is if that is going to be just a reading of the salt, or everything else that is floating around in the water, too. The back of the meter has a calibration button that says 'Calibrate with NaCl', and the website said that it was "precalibrated at 300x10ppm = 3000ppm = 0.3% salt so there is no calibration needed." There are NO other instructions that came with it, and the package has very little in the way of directions.

It says this on the website:
>>TDS4TM-3000 Digital Salt Salinity Tester/Meter for Koi Fish Pond, Pool
Salt Range: 0-9990ppm or 0-1.0% Temperature Range: 1-50 °C
100x10ppm = 1000ppm = 0.1% salt;
300x10ppm = 3000ppm = 0.3% salt
The TDS4TM-3000 is precalibrated at 300x10ppm = 3000ppm = 0.3% salt so there is no calibration needed.
This meter is equivalent to the Koi Medic Salt Meter - Electronic Pond Water Salt Level Tester>Total Dissolved Solids are the total amount of mobile charged ions, including minerals, salts or metals dissolved in a given volume of water. TDS, which is based on conductivity, is expressed in parts per million (ppm) or milligrams er liter (mg/L). TDS includes any inorganic element present other than the pure water molecule (H2O) and suspended solids.

 

[Peepers Mom]

So, I just found a post on this subject from Dr. Dave back in 2007, and it looks like it may answer my questions about my TDS meter measuring salinity....? This is the post -- and if I'm reading this correctly, I may be able to use this. (Hated chemistry.... lol!) I would still love confirmation that this unit I have will give me the correct measurements, or not.....
Thanks!!
>>Originally Posted by DoDad View Post
Total Dissolved Solids?
1. "Dissolved solids" refer to any minerals, salts, metals, cations or anions dissolved in water. This includes anything present in water other than the pure water (H20) molecule and suspended solids. (Suspended solids are any particles/substances that are neither dissolved nor settled in the water, such as wood pulp.)

2. In general, the total dissolved solids concentration is the sum of the cations (positively charged) and anions (negatively charged) ions in the water.

3. Parts per Million (ppm) is the weight-to-weight ratio of any ion to water.

4. TDS is based on the electrical conductivity (EC) of water. Pure H20 has virtually zero conductivity. Conductivity is usually about 100 times the total cations or anions expressed as equivalents. TDS is calculated by converting the EC by a factor of 0.5 to 1.0 times the EC, depending upon the levels. Typically, the higher the level of EC, the higher the conversion factor to determine the TDS

Again, the same conductivity meter that measures TDS also measures salinity. It is the exact same measurement but expressed in either % or ppt (parts per thousand).

At 1% salt content, the TDS meter should read 10,000 ppm.
Say you put 0.3% salt in the pond to help with whatever. Well, that would be a TDS reading of 3000 ppm. It won't kill the fish!
This is a good way to measure salinity of your pond or q-tank.

 

[fishin4cars]

Thank you! I use the same meter as the one you purchased and the one bart got. I'm pretty happy with it but bart had ask a while back about reading it and I was begining to wonder if i was reading it correctly. That answered my question as well.

 

[Bart]

Yea, thanks for the clarification.
Bart

 

[koiguy1969]

the .15% maximum salinity is for ponds with plants...plants have a much less tolerance to salt than your fish do...1&1/4 cup per 100 gals will keep you safely under that .15% limit. if youve got plants and want to salt in a medicinal use, you'll have to seperate the fish in question in a hospital tank...koi can handle a .3% salinity as a regular rate. the thing to remember is salt doesnt evaporate so if you plan on maintaining a consistant level you dont add salt at water top offs...just changes.

 

[Peepers Mom]

Great, guys! I guess we're on the right track then...... I'll use it and just keep track of how much I add as well, as a 'control'. Glad I can keep things 'stirred up'..... ha ha!
PM Karen

 

[poconojoe]

I bought the same meter and at first I was a little confused too. I hadn't seen the blinking 10X yet. The bonus is that it also reads temperature!