Has anyone used these tests kits before?

[BeesGoneWild]

Has anyone used these tests kits that somethingfishy sells?


http://www.toofishy.com/home.php?cat=563

Also is there a pinpoint moniter that detects phosphate?


I need a very good reliable phosphate kit my red sea tests kits just arnt cutting it anymore. (they never did in the first place lol)

 

[rickyfins]

I haven't found a pinpoint monitor for phosphates, but if you are looking for accurate these outta work well.
The first link does many accurate tests.
http://www.aquaticeco.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/product.detail/iid/653

This one does just phosphate.
http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewI...ulti_Item_Monitors___Controllers~vendor~.html

 

[rigleautomotive]

i have used those kits and the alk is fairly accurate but there is no phos kit that will read as low as a reef tank needs with any accuracy that i know of.my sps tank always reads 0 even on a salifert kit but there is phosphates on a hanna colormeter.the hanna colormeter is the way to go to get a true reading on phos,but i dont know how useful knowing will be.most of us assume we have phos and run some gfo in a reactor to keep it at bay.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=15437

 

[BeesGoneWild]

yeah the hanna looks really good, but your right rigle, would it be worth it? I dont have a proper phos reactor as of yet im using a diy version, but the test kit im using now always comes up with the same amout of phosphate in my system no matter what i do.

Im trying to a major overhaul with my tank and get it so that its not an algea playground. I use Ro/di water but even then some phosphate gets through so thats part of the problem, the ro/di unit is fairly new. Im also thinking that my skimmer could be lacking in its function as well. Right now im using a aqua c remora, but it doesnt pull much im thinking about upgrading the skimmer with the though of upgrrading the tank in a few years. I would like to get a bermuda aquatics c3 rated for 150-200gallon tanks. But the extra skimming maybe all that i need.

So far my tank is suffering from derbesia(sp?) and some sort of red hair algea as well. Its not nearly as bad as it used to be in years past, but ive been battleing it for the last 4 years or so and im getting awfuly tired lol.

 

[Critter]

As a GHA survivor I would just like to chime in here and say, that nothing worked. I did it all, the chemicals, the drips vodka and sugar, RODI etc etc. My phosphates where in my rock primarly. I removed my rock (most of it didn't have any coral on it anyway) and put it in another tank, like a FO tank (the GHA died off in about 2 weeks). Once I got this far, I went all the way and removed all the CC in the bottom and replaced it with sand from walmart. I did the removal in two stages, and didn't have any spikes, plus gave the critters time to get into the sand. My take made a 180 degree turn for the better. My coraline alage exploded from next to nothing to covering my two side walls and back and everything else in my tank.

I believe my problems from phosphates came in two forms, 1) I was running a home made skimmer and overfed. To fix, I upgraded to an octopus 150 skimmer and reduced my feedings. 2) I killed all the bateria in my tank with chemi-clean. I found that you have to have some algae and some bateria to keep a stable tank... If you kill all the bateria, then there will be nothing to compete against the algae and will allow for an outbreak. Also, if you kill all the algae, there will be nothing compeeting with the bacteria and you will get a red slime outbreak. I also run my overflow water through a tub filled with macro algae, then it goes to the sump with phos reactor and skimmed then returned.

On a last note, if you already have algae growing, don't waste your money on a test kit. Most likely they will read next to nothing but yet its there... the algae in the tank is consuming the phosphates.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11999664#post11999664 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by BeesGoneWild
yeah the hanna looks really good, but your right rigle, would it be worth it? I dont have a proper phos reactor as of yet im using a diy version, but the test kit im using now always comes up with the same amout of phosphate in my system no matter what i do.

Im trying to a major overhaul with my tank and get it so that its not an algea playground. I use Ro/di water but even then some phosphate gets through so thats part of the problem, the ro/di unit is fairly new. Im also thinking that my skimmer could be lacking in its function as well. Right now im using a aqua c remora, but it doesnt pull much im thinking about upgrading the skimmer with the though of upgrrading the tank in a few years. I would like to get a bermuda aquatics c3 rated for 150-200gallon tanks. But the extra skimming maybe all that i need.

So far my tank is suffering from derbesia(sp?) and some sort of red hair algea as well. Its not nearly as bad as it used to be in years past, but ive been battleing it for the last 4 years or so and im getting awfuly tired lol.

 

[rigleautomotive]

clean up crew,increase skimming,tangs,especially yellow tangs and lots of flow will work if you do all.it will take time if the rock is the nutrient sink and it is liberated when needed.i had a algae outbreak most recently in a frag grow out tank in my basement that had a big downdraft skimmer and a refuge on it and lots of flow but no fish or snails or hermits.it is piped into another tank with no algae what so ever but the other tank has a tang and some cleaners.after about a year of manually pulling the algae off plugs and eggcrate i put a big yellow tang in the tank.the tank is spotless now less than two months later.i do run oversized skimmers on all my tanks though,so i think that is a big factor.

 

[BeesGoneWild]

Thanks for the advise guys, as far as removing substrate ive done it. All i have is a little batch of sand for my watchman gobie to mess around with, other than that its bare bottom. Im going to nail this, im determined and ive got nothing to loose really.
As of right now im writing a wish list and i will probably visit something fishy next week to pick up my weapons of mass GHA destruction lol. Something fishy is also one of the only places to get the bermuda aquatics skimmer i want to so thats a bonus, im also going to pick up a phosban reactor.

Not sure if i would put a tang in my tank but some sites say that yellow eye kole tangs are suitable for smaller tanks. what do you guys think? Dan you had a yellow in a 40gallon?

 

[rigleautomotive]

yes its in a frag prop tank .i use them as tools to remove algae .no problems.i have a school of 4 yellows in my 180 and a couple others as well.i guess any fish could give you greif but for me i dont like putting any fish in my reef that dont serve a purpose.looking pretty is not enough.they need to do some work.

 

[BeesGoneWild]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12003632#post12003632 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rigleautomotive
yes its in a frag prop tank .i use them as tools to remove algae .no problems.i have a school of 4 yellows in my 180 and a couple others as well.i guess any fish could give you greif but for me i dont like putting any fish in my reef that dont serve a purpose.looking pretty is not enough.they need to do some work.

Im going to have to start cracking the whip and getting my gobie and clown fish to get off there rocks and do a little clean up. heck even my damsel picks at the stuff from time to time hehe.

 

[Critter]

I had classic Bryopsis, and nothing would eat it. Found out that it actually puts out a chemical that, if I'm not mistaken, is bad for fish if eaten, and probably why my yellow tang wouldn't touch it. I bought a blenny (before I really knew what kind of gha it was) that starved because he wouldn't eat it. I bought a sea-hair which died after 2 days. Just be careful about adding something to eliminate something else for two reasons, 1 that your now adding more bioload so the addition better do its job well, and 2 if it does its job well, that it won't starve to death once complete.
Sounds like the skimmer and phosban reactor should do the trick since you don't have a substrate, you may want to check into reducing your lighting period, and make sure your not getting any direct sun on the tank. I would think it should be all gone within a month or two after adding these... if not, I would venture to say the phosphates are in your rock. time will tell.

Chris

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12003709#post12003709 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by BeesGoneWild
Im going to have to start cracking the whip and getting my gobie and clown fish to get off there rocks and do a little clean up. heck even my damsel picks at the stuff from time to time hehe.