Phosphate test kits

[nicholasb]

Often high phosphates can cause the algae that grows in S.P.S corals, to grow to fast. The coral then ejects the algae, and the coral bleaches and dies. In this case you could have something else limiting the growth of the algae, like iron. High phosphates slows down the calcification of corals, but wont kill them. As for the test kits they are always difficult to read. Salifert is easy to read it you have phosphates levels below 0.03ppm. Other wise salifert is a nightmare!!.

 

[anthonys51]

I am dosing Iron. Maybe that's why I haven't noticed algae growing like crazy.


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[nicholasb]

There are probably many reasons why the algae in your corals is not growing to fast. Lack of iron was just one idea. No one really knows why S.P.S corals can sometimes stand high phosphates. Why are you dosing iron. Iron is algae's best friend.

 

[anthonys51]

I am dosing iron at half the recommended dose because I have Macro algae and I heard Macro algae grows better with the addition of iron. Is this incorrect thinking. My calurpa is dark green and growing like crazy. Plus my halimeda is growing like crazy too. I have a 57 dsb tank with Macro algae ( fancy ones ) and 50 gallon refugium in my sump My tank is 2 months old. Used rock from my 57 and 75 lbs of live rock and 200 lbs of drive rock to start tank. My old tank was neglected and little dirty. So I think using that rock made my new tank have high nitrates ny firsts test result was 75 and phosphates .1 Marco was added and over the course of 2 weeks nitrates quickly lowed to .25. Over time it hit .10 or lower. But phosphates went up but I did start feeding more as I saw nitrates drop.


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[nicholasb]

Yes macro algae needs iron. It is difficult to tell how much to dose, but difficult to overdose. Macro algae is 98% water, and often does very little for phosphate removal. Using G.F.O is a better way to remove phosphates. It is probably cheaper than dosing iron.

 

[anthonys51]

Thanks. This is my first real try with Macro algae. I was under the assumption that it lowered nitrates and phosphates equally. I now know I am incorrect



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[nicholasb]

Macro algae will eat more nitrates than phosphates. If you took out the macro algae, it likely that the natural denitrifying bacteria will take up the excess nitrate.

 

[anthonys51]

East ?


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[nicholasb]

eat

 

[anthonys51]

Oh I was under the assumption they use more nitrogen ( nitrates) then phosphates.


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[nicholasb]

Your are right. It is late and I am half asleep.

 

[anthonys51]

Oh your in England I was going to say 830 isn't that late


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[nicholasb]

Correct!!!!.

 

[anthonys51]

I would of though phosphates that high in a 2 month old tank with lots of dry rock would be teaming with algae. But maybe dosing iron helped me maybe my 4 tangs and cuc kept it in check. Either way just texted .10. So hopefully a few more days it will be down to levels I want


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[anthonys51]

Think I just read that 25 grams of algae taken out of A 67 gallon tank would reduce phosphate.10 ppm while reducing nitrates 10ppm


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[bertoni]

Sometimes, dosing iron seems to help macro algae. That doesn't happen all the time, though. It's certainly safe to dose and reasonable to try.

 

[anthonys51]

Thanks. If it can't hurt why not try it


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[Martin Kuhn]

Phosphate is maybe THE test kit where a lot of scrap is sold.
Besides estimating which one of yours is correct (maybe both aren't...) you should purchase a reference solution with "exactly known po4 value" .... could just cost some $.....

Measure this solution instead of your water and decide which of the kits is closer to the known value.
If both are far off .... get another / better test kit and repeat.
The best ones are reef-Analytics and Rowa's kits

Or, Maybe you do something wrong whilst measuring. .... so you learn how to measure / read the result better

Then, you calculate the correction factor for this measurement kit.
EG
Ref.solution 0,03 ppm
You tested 0,025 ppm

0,03 / 0,025 -> 1,2

Then measure your tanks water and multiply the result x 1,2 -> your tanks po4 value

If this factor is <0,5. or > 1,5 I wouldn't trust the test kit


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[anthonys51]

Who do you find water with a know po4 solution. I was also looking into finding water with a know alk level. I know these are hobby grade test kits so you can never be 100 percent sure they are right


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[bertoni]

I haven't found any reasonably-priced saltwater check solutions. Hanna sells a solution that might provide a fairly reasonable test of the Phosphate Checker, but it's primarily a freshwater solution, and I wouldn't use it on the Phosphorus ULR.