Considering carbon dosing/ need recommendations for PO4 test kit

D

Dans85

New member
I have been having nitrates that are a little higher than I would like after winning a battle with dinoflagellates via the dirty method. Nitrates are consistently hovering around 5-10ppm and according to my API kit, phosphates are somewhere between 0-.25ppm. I have a really hard time reading the color chart. My tank has quite a few pieces of sps including a red planet and an Oregon tort that I am desperately wanting to not only live, but thrive. I have noticed that the other sps pieces that are in the tank that have been there for a bit are coloring nicely and aren't showing any signs of stress. I have a fuge with some cheato and grape caluerpa that aren't growing much, I do also have some patches of GHA that aren't growing or receding. I am seeking some advise for possibly carbon dosing that will maintain NO3 and PO4 to optimum levels for both growth and color. I am also needing some solid recommendations for a PO4 test kit. I am leaning towards a Hanna low range phosphorus checker, but I'm still unsure.

Other Params:
Alk 8
Cal 500
Mag 1400
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
 
The Hanna ULR Phosphorus Checker seems to be okay on average, although there are bad batches of reagents from time to time. The Hach PO-19 kit seems fine to me, although you do need to do color matching with a wheel comparator. You could try dosing vodka or vinegar. This article covers vodka dosing:

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-08/nftt/index.php

To dose vinegar, just multiple the numbers for 80 proof vodka by 8, since vinegar is very dilute.
 
I just recently purchased a Red sea Phosphate test kit. You do have to match the color but it has pretty good reviews everywhere I have checked. LFS recommended it to me.
 
Thanks for the links. I read some reviews about the Red Sea kit on BRS and they weren't necessarily impressive. I'll dig around the web a little more.
 
We don't have much data on how accurate the various test kits are. Randy Holmes-Farley tested a copy of the PO-19, and said it was accurate enough for our purposes. Unfortunately, that was only one copy evaluated.
 
It seems that Red Sea has taken care of the issues that they were having with their kit, but foe the price the Hanna 736 seems to be the way to go. The only concern I have is with the issues with the reagents. I would love to buy a hach, but $100 on a test kit is kind of a hard pill to swallow.
 
The Hanna units are generally nice and more affordable. They probably are good enough for most purposes, and might be as good as the Hach, although I'm skeptical about that.
 
Dans85 said:
I actually just got done reading through that thread. Thanks :)
Click to expand...
Thanks. It was a good learning experience for me and hope others get something out of it too. I'm getting things lined up for a cal,alk,Mg shoot out in the spring when it gets a little warmer to send more samples to Triton at the same time.
 
I'm looking forward to it. A big thank you to you and the other folks that spend their heard earned cash on reviews like that so others can benefit. It sure saves me and I'm sure a lot of other people from wasting both time and money.

On the other hand, I think I am going to go with a Hanna 736. It seems to be about the best value.
 
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