0 phosphate on my test? Why was that?

[Ocean Lotion]

I did my water tests today and for the first time ever I got 0 for phosphate. I use the Hanna checker ul phosphorus tester and feel pretty confident in it. Of course I did not look at the results of the first test because the 2 mins had passed and the display had shut off. If I do not set the alarm on my phone I miss the results frequently. ADD at work. Any way, I asked myself, self, why did I get 0? Less feeding? Nope. Just changed gfo? Nope again. I had been praying to the poceleon goddess do to a nasty flu. Did not leave my upstairs for 24 hours so never even looked at my tank and I had not shut my UFO light off the day before so my tank went 3 days with the fuge light on 24/7. I usually shut it off for 8 hours a day. I also noted definatele chaeto growth since the last time I peered into my sump. I am going to have to do an experiment. 3 days of shutting my fuge off for 8 hours a day and then test. Then go 3 days of 24/7 lighting and then test and do this a couple times along with measured feedings. Need to order more test reagents first. Anyone else notice a similar correlation?

 

[hybridazn]

Yea your phosphates are just being absorbed quickly, this is evidence by your cheato growth. If everything in the tank seems fine I wouldn't worry too much about it. You could also try bumping it up a bit by extra feedings if you are worried about it.

 

[Ocean Lotion]

That is how it appears. So a reefer could possibly control the po4 in their tank by fuge light schedule. Portland is getting a little high, leave fuge light on longer. I did not think po4 could be controler by light time. Just another tool.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

That is how it appears. So a reefer could possibly control the po4 in their tank by fuge light schedule. Portland is getting a little high, leave fuge light on longer. I did not think po4 could be controler by light time. Just another tool.

That may happen, certainly. It can also be controlled by total flow past the algae.

How much higher was phosphate before the 24/7 lighting?

I personally never noticed a difference between 24/7 lighting and reverse cycle lighting on my tank inhabitants (wasn't measuring phosphate), so I went with less hours since it was cheaper.

 

[Ocean Lotion]

I had checked it 3 weeks earlier and it was .066. Always runs between .03 and .06. Had not changed any gfo or h2o changes. I know 1 measure is not a trend or good test. Was interesting though and I will have to try and prove it out.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I had checked it 3 weeks earlier and it was .066. Always runs between .03 and .06. Had not changed any gfo or h2o changes. I know 1 measure is not a trend or good test. Was interesting though and I will have to try and prove it out.

OK, let us know what you find.