# initial fill up TDS



## blt93932 (Oct 9, 2011)

I ordered a RO/DI system monday, it hasn't shipped yet. I was hoping to be able to have my tank filled by Friday so that I could make a trip to the not so local fish store for some more live rock. I bought a TDS meter and out of my tap my TDS is 34. Would this be ok for an initial fill? I wouldn't have corals for a few weeks, so water changes would be done with RO/DI water. Could I use phosphate remover? 

I have some fish in a 20 gallon holding tank (came with my tank) that are waiting to be transferred to something bigger. Also have 50lbs of live rock or so in that tank.


----------



## Reefing Madness (Aug 12, 2011)

Yea, your ok with that number. I would not add any coral for several weks though. I'd test conditions before adding them, but your fish should be ok. And you should not add fish until your rank has cycled.


----------



## blt93932 (Oct 9, 2011)

The tank was set up and running when I bought it, there is still some substrate in the bottom of the tank. With Live rock and live sand how long will the cycling take? Wouldn't the tank and sump have beneficial bacteria already since it was running?


----------



## Reefing Madness (Aug 12, 2011)

If the substrate has been dried out, it useless now, until it grows again. Same thing with the Live Rock, if it dried out, yiu will have die off and your tank will take roughly 4-6 weeks to go through a normal cycle.


----------



## AZDesertRat (Apr 10, 2009)

I would never use tap water myself regardless of what the TDS is. You have no idea what that TDS is made up of so better safe than sorry.

Water is the single largest ingredient in your reef system and everything depends on it, why not provide the best since you have the means to do so?


----------

