TDS, how high is too high for breeding zebras?

myjohnson · Post by **myjohnson** » 25 Mar 2012, 20:42

Hey guys,

I got a colony of zebras. Some are around 4 years old. I recently checked my TDS and it was sky high at 380ppm.

I'm doing 70% water change a week via tap water. My tap water has high TDS.

Is 380ppm to high for breeding? I do have a RODI unit.

jsalas623 · Post by **jsalas623** » 29 Mar 2012, 03:47

That isnt too bad my Tap water is 1500+ TDS!! Read some of Barbie's comments regarding TDS. Here is one:

IME, zebras handle hard water MUCH better than they do pH swings. I'd just switch to more tap water in their tanks. Mine are having fertile spawns at a TDS of 270 and more. The pH has YET to fall below 7.8 in that tank. The only time I've ever lost zebras was when I crashed the pH in a discus tank I had them in. That's just my experience, but I'd save the RO water for simulating rainy seasons, personally.

Barbie

Heres another one:

In the US, nitrate levels are one of the things they monitor for in drinking water. RO doesn't necessarily remove nitrate anyway, only the DI portion is doing the majority of that.

With that said, I've seen more people kill fish in general, and zebras in particular, crashing the pH using RO water, and it's honestly just not necessary, or even really beneficial for these guys. If your water is VERY hard (like over 1500 tds) then you could mix it half and half with RO and still be able to stimulate them to spawn. I just think people make way too much of a priority providing conditions the fish themselves don't require to thrive.

Barbie
[Mod edit: Addd purple colour for "Barbie quotes" --Mats]

Post by **Barbie** » 30 Mar 2012, 07:30

Dang, I have to get people to use the purple when they quote me!

With that said, 380ppm is what my tap was when I first started my zebras spawning. Have you measured the tap, not just the tank parameters? If you start at that and then do a large rainy season with daily RO changes, you should easily get the fluctuation needed to induce spawning. Granted, that is if they are already in condition ;).

Barbie

MatsP · Post by **MatsP** » 30 Mar 2012, 10:16

Barbie wrote:Dang, I have to get people to use the purple when they quote me!

With slight [ab]use of my mod-powers, I have arranged your wish to be done! ;)

--
Mats

jsalas623 · Post by **jsalas623** » 30 Mar 2012, 20:25

Sorry about that Barbie. I don't really know how to use the advanced functions. But by reading all of your answers to people's questions you've helped me raise my fry and I appreciate that tremendously!!! U should write a book with your knowledge:)

Post by **Barbie** » 02 Apr 2012, 07:28

Oh gosh, I could have fixed it, I was just teasing!

As to writing a book, I can barely write an article that I can bear to read, let alone tackling a book with my meager experience! The kind words are greatly appreciated though ;).

Barbie

myjohnson · Post by **myjohnson** » 07 Apr 2012, 04:23

@ Barbie,

Thank you for the advice!

To answer your question. Yes, I have tested the tap water. It's 370ppm with ph between 7.8-8 depending on season.

So you suggest I do a big water change with RO and slowly change with tap to get TDS back up?

Post by **Barbie** » 07 Apr 2012, 09:19

I would do 3 or 4 days of 50% changes with RO water, then leave them be for a week or so. I use 86 degrees for conditioning, then after the rainy RO season, I drop the tank temp to 82. It may take a couple cycles to get them to go, but it works nicely

.

Barbie

Bellenz · Post by **Bellenz** » 07 Apr 2012, 14:53

I really agree with Barbie on the pH level for the zebra. We breed them regularly in the water with pH of 7.9. The point is that we have to try to provide constant water condition as possible.

myjohnson · Post by **myjohnson** » 07 Apr 2012, 16:37

Barbie wrote:I would do 3 or 4 days of 50% changes with RO water, then leave them be for a week or so. I use 86 degrees for conditioning, then after the rainy RO season, I drop the tank temp to 82. It may take a couple cycles to get them to go, but it works nicely .

Barbie

I can do that!

How fast should I put the new RO water back in?

I'm scared a big drop in ph maybe hurt them.

MatsP · Post by **MatsP** » 07 Apr 2012, 17:50

I wouldn't be very worried with a 50% water change. Just fill it up as fast as it will go in there.

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Mats

myjohnson · Post by **myjohnson** » 07 Apr 2012, 19:10

Thanks Matsp!

I'll start the RO brew and wait for a rainy day to do a water change.

The fish seem to be in condition to breed. I have a female that looks berried up!

But the males aren't really making anything happen.

I may also need to change the direction of some caves bc water flows into the opening but I wanted to alternator one thing at a time.

I'll let y'all know how it goes for me.