Getting darker skimmate from Rowaphos?
- Thread starter ken6217
- Start date
tonyscoots84
New member
one thing could be u didnt wash it enough and it released into ur tank, which ur skimmer is now skimming out 
....
....I doubt it is that. I washed it twice in a bucket, and I then ran 5 gallons of water through the reactor with the output going into a bucket and then dumped it. The water was clear in the reactor. I was thinking maybe it was binding to things in the tank and then being pulled out with the skimmer. I believe ozone does this too.
Ken
Ken
The released iron (particles or just soluble iron ions) may be coloring the skimmate, or it may have allowed phytoplankton and other organisms to grow more and darken more. Caulerpa that is iron deficient can green up overnight if an iron supplement is used.
Can you judge if it is darker green or a more brownish reddish color?
Can you judge if it is darker green or a more brownish reddish color?
Randy,
It is difficult to tell, but I would say it is more like a dark geeen. It used to be more like a tea color (but not that light).
By the way, I tested PO4 last night using Lamotte Colorimeter which was just calibrated by them. The digital display shows 0.00 ppm. The other day before using the Rowaphos showed 0.28ppm.
If in fact I have no detectable phosphates, should this be a concern? I have only a few hardy soft corals right now along with the 125 lbs of live rock. I know that some phospahte is needed in a tank. I was thinking with the tank being only 5 weeks old it would be good to limit phosphates to help avoid algae.
Ken
No detectable phosphate can be too low, of course, but it can also be plenty. 01 ppm is undetectable but is adequate for most organisms.
This article has more:
Phosphate and the Reef Aquarium
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-09/rhf/index.php
This article has more:
Phosphate and the Reef Aquarium
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-09/rhf/index.php
I do not think I saw that. What's the difference anyway? It got seawater before it went into the reactor. The same water that is in the tank. Rinsing it before or running water through it in the reactor and wasting the first bit is the same thing. I doubt I lost any potency and could not have caused any harm. I can't argue with a reading of 0.00 ppm. Even if there is PO4, it is not detectable on my Lamotte and Salifert kits.
Ken
Ken
Well, I recommend that you do rinse it. Regardless of their claims, it releases fines that will otherwise get into the tank, and does not hurt anything.
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