Red sea po4 test better than hanna?!? (How to upset alot of people)

[Reefkeepers Archive]

So, this is something I recently found. I've been running a coral-only setup for awhile now. A few days ago i checked my po4 with my Hanna, which read .07, I do feed nightly so I didn't for a fee days. Come back to today, checked it again. It read .09, which wouldn't make sense considering I haven't added any food, have no fish and have been running my refeugium. The tritaton packet is years away from expiring. After that I checked my po4 with my red sea kit. Which read .04, which made alot more sense. Now, I am NOT saying that hanna test kits are unreliable in most circumstances, however in the situation I'm in, they can occasionally be inaccurate. Hanna checkers use optical sensors, which can be inaccurate if there are any particulate matter in the water or if the vial is scratched. In my case, I've had many microbubbles and some microplastics (from filter floss) in my water column, and while this does not negatively effect my corals, it can skew results of hanna checkers. The red sea test kit, on the other hand, uses a color changing activator and is checked manually, meaning it is not effected by particulates in the water. Am I saying that hanna checkers are incorrect? Again, no. This is just what I've found works for me.

 

[BairCorals]

I've been told that p04 is a really hard one to pin. You could test with all the brands and all the icp's and get completely different numbers from all of them. Best thing is to pick one and stick to it and adjust accordingly. These aren't kits designed for science or pharmaceutical work, they are hobby grade. That's why so many big name reefers and coral farmers say don't chase the number, just get an idea and adjust as needed. These tests have about a 10 to 20% accuracy rating and that is what you're seeing imo. Not trying to steal your thunder or shut you down, just giving what I've found on this.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

In my case, I've had many microbubbles and some microplastics (from filter floss) in my water column, and while this does not negatively effect my corals,

How do you know you have microplastics? If you do, I'd definitely stoip any activities that add them:

https://www.epa.gov/sciencematters/tiny-plastics-big-threat-how-are-microplastics-impacting-our-coral-reefs

"Recently, EPA scientists studied how microplastics impact two different species of coral and found that long-term exposure to microplastics impaired the corals’ growth."

 

[Reefkeepers Archive]

How do you know you have microplastics? If you do, I'd definitely stoip any activities that add them:

https://www.epa.gov/sciencematters/tiny-plastics-big-threat-how-are-microplastics-impacting-our-coral-reefs

"Recently, EPA scientists studied how microplastics impact two different species of coral and found that long-term exposure to microplastics impaired the corals’ growth."

I'm trying, its small fibers, usually 1-3 mm long, probably from filter socks/floss, recently added my 3rd biological filtration method to see if that makes a difference

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I'm trying, its small fibers, usually 1-3 mm long, probably from filter socks/floss, recently added my 3rd biological filtration method to see if that makes a difference

Why are using using that material?

I have no idea if that material or any other releases microplastics to the tank.

 

[Reefkeepers Archive]

Why are using using that material?

I have no idea if that material or any other releases microplastics to the tank.

I'll let the system run for a day or two with the sponge i added. See if that makes a difference.

 

[Troylee]

I can tell ya this much.. Hanna doesn’t match hanna lol.. used the same water sample to calibrate and both monitors read differently. I repeated the test and the ppb was pretty much the same reading every time and the ppm varied a lot. Ppb read .067 while the ppm read .17

 

[c4haskett]

I ditched hanna long ago and use salifert only. not saying it's more accurate but it's undeniably more consistent. i do use red sea periodically and it aligns pretty spot on with salifert. Salifert just happens to be cheaper and more readily available.

 

[Reefkeepers Archive]

Why are using using that material?

I have no idea if that material or any other releases microplastics to the tank.

It mentioned in the article how microplastics can block digestive tracks of coral, once I remove them from my system will the coral eventually release them from their system?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

It mentioned in the article how microplastics can block digestive tracks of coral, once I remove them from my system will the coral eventually release them from their system?

I do not know.

 

[SnubbsDebolt]

So, this is something I recently found. I've been running a coral-only setup for awhile now. A few days ago i checked my po4 with my Hanna, which read .07, I do feed nightly so I didn't for a fee days. Come back to today, checked it again. It read .09, which wouldn't make sense considering I haven't added any food, have no fish and have been running my refeugium. The tritaton packet is years away from expiring. After that I checked my po4 with my red sea kit. Which read .04, which made alot more sense. Now, I am NOT saying that hanna test kits are unreliable in most circumstances, however in the situation I'm in, they can occasionally be inaccurate. Hanna checkers use optical sensors, which can be inaccurate if there are any particulate matter in the water or if the vial is scratched. In my case, I've had many microbubbles and some microplastics (from filter floss) in my water column, and while this does not negatively affect my corals, it can skew results of hanna checkers. The red sea test kit, on the other hand, uses a color changing activator and is checked manually, meaning it is not effected by particulates in the water. Am I saying that hanna checkers are incorrect? Again, no. This is just what I've found works for me.

How do you know you have microplastics? They’re invisible to the naked eye. Did you have a laboratory water test done or are you referring to tiny pieces of filter floss you can see suspended in your water?

I’m just wondering because I googled microplastics and filter floss to see if there was any documented cases of it since microplastics is starting to trend these days in the news for health it made me think of my aquarium and it led me to this thread.

 

[Reefkeepers Archive]

How do you know you have microplastics? They’re invisible to the naked eye. Did you have a laboratory water test done or are you referring to tiny pieces of filter floss you can see suspended in your water?

I’m just wondering because I googled microplastics and filter floss to see if there was any documented cases of it since microplastics is starting to trend these days in the news for health it made me think of my aquarium and it led me to this thread.

Should clarify that it's strands of filter floss suspended in the water. The problem went away once I added sponge after the floss

 

[SnubbsDebolt]

Should clarify that it's strands of filter floss suspended in the water. The problem went away once I added sponge after the floss

Copy that.