Brian Prestwood
Premium Member
Phosphate is supposed to be below 0.03 ppm in a reef tank. The LaMotte and SeaChem phosphate test kits I had didn't go into that range so they went into the trash.
The description of the Salifert test kit on their website says their phosphate test kit goes down to the range necessary for reef tanks (0.015 ppm) if you double the sample and reagents. If you double up the ticks on the color chart are: 0, 0.015, 0.05, 0.08, and up. I can barley see the difference between 0.015 and 0.05 on the color chart. That range goes from good to bad.
The doubling trick works because Salifert uses a look down approach. You look down through the sample for the color match. Doulbing the sample and reagent doubles the color.
The sample container included with the kit only holds 40 ml. I used a taller sample container of the same diameter that holds 60 ml and tripled the sample and reagents. That brings the ticks on the scale down to: 0, 0.01, 0.03 and 0.08.
NOTE: SALIFERT DOESN'T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT USING A LARGER SAMPLE CONTAINER AND TRIPLING THE REAGENT.
The box says the kits contains 60 tests. I assume that means at the normal sensitivity. At the rate I'm using reagents I should get 15 tests for $20.
That Rowa test kit isn't looking so expensive. I'd like to see the color chart before I spend $80 on a test kit. Anyone know what the ticks on the color chart are?
FYI - In triple sensitivty mode, the Salifert test kit indicates I have around 0.03 ppm phosphate. I'm using PhosBan (flow through, no tumbling) to bring it down.
The description of the Salifert test kit on their website says their phosphate test kit goes down to the range necessary for reef tanks (0.015 ppm) if you double the sample and reagents. If you double up the ticks on the color chart are: 0, 0.015, 0.05, 0.08, and up. I can barley see the difference between 0.015 and 0.05 on the color chart. That range goes from good to bad.
The doubling trick works because Salifert uses a look down approach. You look down through the sample for the color match. Doulbing the sample and reagent doubles the color.
The sample container included with the kit only holds 40 ml. I used a taller sample container of the same diameter that holds 60 ml and tripled the sample and reagents. That brings the ticks on the scale down to: 0, 0.01, 0.03 and 0.08.
NOTE: SALIFERT DOESN'T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT USING A LARGER SAMPLE CONTAINER AND TRIPLING THE REAGENT.
The box says the kits contains 60 tests. I assume that means at the normal sensitivity. At the rate I'm using reagents I should get 15 tests for $20.
That Rowa test kit isn't looking so expensive. I'd like to see the color chart before I spend $80 on a test kit. Anyone know what the ticks on the color chart are?
FYI - In triple sensitivty mode, the Salifert test kit indicates I have around 0.03 ppm phosphate. I'm using PhosBan (flow through, no tumbling) to bring it down.
