Inorganic Vs Organic Phosphate

[TheClark]

Can Triton test for both? Is that even a valid question? Given that my hannah tests for inorganic, should I expect the Triton results to be higher if organic phosphates exist?

Thanks!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I'm not involved with Triton, but I'll take a stab at it before they answer.

The "P" value you get from ICP includes any possible form of dissolved phosphorus in the water, both organic and inorganic. So the Hanna will not necessarily match that.

I presume the "PO4" number is only inorganic phosphate, and it should match the Hanna, recognizing that both methods have uncertainties involved, and that, at least in the case of the Hanna, are larger than most people credit (+/- 0.04 ppm for the 713 and +/- 0.015 ppm for the 736).

 

[TheClark]

I'm not involved with Triton, but I'll take a stab at it before they answer.

The "P" value you get from ICP includes any possible form of dissolved phosphorus in the water, both organic and inorganic. So the Hanna will not necessarily match that.

I presume the "PO4" number is only inorganic phosphate, and it should match the Hanna, recognizing that both methods have uncertainties involved, and that, at least in the case of the Hanna, are larger than most people credit (+/- 0.04 ppm for the 713 and +/- 0.015 ppm for the 736).

Thank you Randy, appreciate all you do/have done for the hobby and the personal attention to this question.

That is interesting. Having a 'P' number that includes organic phosphate is interesting to me, seems like new data not easily available before.

 

[Triton US]

I'm not involved with Triton, but I'll take a stab at it before they answer.

The "P" value you get from ICP includes any possible form of dissolved phosphorus in the water, both organic and inorganic. So the Hanna will not necessarily match that.

I presume the "PO4" number is only inorganic phosphate, and it should match the Hanna, recognizing that both methods have uncertainties involved, and that, at least in the case of the Hanna, are larger than most people credit (+/- 0.04 ppm for the 713 and +/- 0.015 ppm for the 736).

Thanks, Randy! I think you are right on as usual!

-Scott

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Thank you Randy, appreciate all you do/have done for the hobby and the personal attention to this question.

That is interesting. Having a 'P' number that includes organic phosphate is interesting to me, seems like new data not easily available before.

You're welcome and thanks.

Here is someone's actual result.

https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/re.../176536-reef-crystals-vs-esv-triton-test.html

If you look at the two numbers they report for their aquarium (second post in thread), there appears to be no more total P than phosphate.

Total P is 5.65 ug/L, which translates to 0.017 ppm phosphate.

The value they show for phosphate is 0.02 ppm.

Maybe the Triton folks are keeping track of such things and can report back whether there is often more total P than can be attributed to phosphate. That's part of the beauty of having a large number of data points using the same set of tools. Maybe organic P is not really very significant in most aquaria. At least it appears to not be in this one.

 

[TheClark]

That would be great if Triton has a chance to mine some of that data and reply. There are several things out there that suggest organic phosphate may be much higher than inorganic in an aquarium, seems the data should be showing up to back this up or deny it.