What ppm of Phosphate do you have in your SPS tanks?
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ReefMan Qc.
New member
0.02 ppm with Hanna Checker !:spin3:
karsseboom
New member
0.00 hanna meter...
urbaneks
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MammothReefer
Active member
for the past 2 months I've averaged .04 on my hanna meter. With a high of .07 and a low of .02
I've found my colour has been steadly improving or the past 2 months (why I only talk about that range), and have taken no notice to a deter from that direction when my phosphates hit the .07 mark. I just chalked up the highs and the lows to variances in the test which is why I put the average. However whenever I notice a steady increase in phosphates I swap out the GFO. Which is starting to show a pattern of once every 2-3 months as I'm not very regular with my feeding habits. I've also reduced my GFO as of late, since I found my corals were getting a little pale.
I've found my colour has been steadly improving or the past 2 months (why I only talk about that range), and have taken no notice to a deter from that direction when my phosphates hit the .07 mark. I just chalked up the highs and the lows to variances in the test which is why I put the average. However whenever I notice a steady increase in phosphates I swap out the GFO. Which is starting to show a pattern of once every 2-3 months as I'm not very regular with my feeding habits. I've also reduced my GFO as of late, since I found my corals were getting a little pale.
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allsps40
New member
My reef tank always tests at 0ppm for po4, I use a API test at home (I know they suck). I do a good full water test about every month or 2 or if I think something is off, using salifer, elos and/or hanna. I have seen po4 go up to .02 a few months back but have not seen any ill effects on my corals, growth and color is good. I do have some algae I am fighting right now so I know there is some po4. Not feeding the tank right now and 3 days lights off to kill off the algae.
BuckeyeTodd
New member
Can you guys tell me what Hanna you are using, cause I need one.
I use the checker,
http://www.tbaquatics.com/hanna-ins...2.html?zenid=ef0d35891c06f4430cced2eabb3fc366
Either of the checkers work well, the phosphous checker is supposed to be more precise, you just have to do a calculation to get it in the ppm range you are used to seeing.
karsseboom
New member
Bio pellets
sslak
New member
I was testing consistent 0.0 with API too.
I am now testing consistent 0.05 with my new Hannah checker.
Very interested in this thread as I've perfected "keeping SPS alive and growing" but they all look like colorless crap.
Next step is getting the colors I see all over this forum. GFO is finally pushing that PO4 down to acceptable ranges!
Allmost
New member
:beer:
RynosReef
New member
It took me a long time to finally man up to getting hanna low range meter. I used API, then Red Sea Color Wheel thingee and the hanna checker. But overall I'm really happy with the meter. Yea it was $200 bucks but once you bite the bullet you won't miss it. I paid more for all the other cheaper kits combined trying to avoid paying for the nice one.
If nothing else it's worth it to ask your LFS to test your po4 if they have a nice po4 meter. The API kit just isn't up to snuff to measure the low range we need for sps. And with such powerful chemicals we're using like GFO and carbon dosing that can easily over clean the water, it seems super risky to not be able to test accurately. My old API kit was useless or i'm color blind lol. It was like yellow, green-ish yellow, then greener greenish yellow, then yellowish green then muddy green, then dark green... Not easy to read and then, like mentioned it starts reading at 0.25.. waaaaaay over where po4 should be in any situation. Everyone is chasing color and po4 is such a huge factor in that. In my tank, my sps react to a change in po4 from 0.03 to 0.09. A test kit should be able to measure that low or you might end up chasing your own tail.
If nothing else it's worth it to ask your LFS to test your po4 if they have a nice po4 meter. The API kit just isn't up to snuff to measure the low range we need for sps. And with such powerful chemicals we're using like GFO and carbon dosing that can easily over clean the water, it seems super risky to not be able to test accurately. My old API kit was useless or i'm color blind lol. It was like yellow, green-ish yellow, then greener greenish yellow, then yellowish green then muddy green, then dark green... Not easy to read and then, like mentioned it starts reading at 0.25.. waaaaaay over where po4 should be in any situation. Everyone is chasing color and po4 is such a huge factor in that. In my tank, my sps react to a change in po4 from 0.03 to 0.09. A test kit should be able to measure that low or you might end up chasing your own tail.
MarcWeaver
New member
Go ahead and order another pack of reagents while you wait on the call back. I had the same problem and called Premium Aquatics and ordered a box of any lot except H006. Hanna is still backordered on reagents. They agreed to replace them for me a few weeks ago and I have yet to receive them. It may be a long wait. I can confirm H010 is testing OK.
gromero
New member
Mine is always at 0.08 and I see no reason to aggressively lower it, apart from I'd have to clean the glass less.
I still have nice colours but I also like the extra growth and health of the sps from the easily available levels of phosphate.
This is a good read.
http://************.com/2011/12/05/acropora-phosphate-growth/
I still have nice colours but I also like the extra growth and health of the sps from the easily available levels of phosphate.
This is a good read.
http://************.com/2011/12/05/acropora-phosphate-growth/
allsps40
New member
Totally agree 100%. As I said they suck, useless test kit. I want a Hanna po4 tester, the little green one. Cant justify spending $200 for the older Hanna po4 tester, the large gray one. IME they doth are great and spot on.
