Dinoflagellate cause bad readings with the Red Sea Pro / Hanna P04 tests?

[m.kristoff]

I am running the red sea po4 pro test in my mastertronic. I started getting super low po4 reading from it. Usually, I can get the exact same reading from my Mastertronic and my Hanna tester. I ran reference fluid on both my Hanna and the Mastertronic using your PO4 test and they both read it exactly the same so both are working correctly.

When I test my tank water with the Mastertronic using the Red Sea Pro test comes back with super low numbers. When I test using the Hanna. I am getting 0.05.

I am having a big Dino issue . Can Dinoflagellate cause errors with the tests? I am not dosing silicates yet.

 

[blaxsun]

The Hanna may be more prone to user error.

 

[Dan_P]

I am running the red sea po4 pro test in my mastertronic. I started getting super low po4 reading from it. Usually, I can get the exact same reading from my Mastertronic and my Hanna tester. I ran reference fluid on both my Hanna and the Mastertronic using your PO4 test and they both read it exactly the same so both are working correctly.

When I test my tank water with the Mastertronic using the Red Sea Pro test comes back with super low numbers. When I test using the Hanna. I am getting 0.05.

I am having a big Dino issue . Can Dinoflagellate cause errors with the tests? I am not dosing silicates yet.

Sounds like your phosphate level is low.

 

[m.kristoff]

Sounds like your phosphate level is low.

Agreed. I think the Hanna maybe be reading it high. the only common denominator between the 2 is that the tank water has Dino in it.

 

[The_Paradox]

Dinos will consume phosphate. If you have a decent outbreak of them they will strip the water column nitrate and phosphate to zero.

 

[taricha]

When I test my tank water with the Mastertronic using the Red Sea Pro test comes back with super low numbers. When I test using the Hanna. I am getting 0.05.

I am having a big Dino issue . Can Dinoflagellate cause errors with the tests?

as others have said, the simpler explanation is that the PO4 levels is quite low, and nuisance outbreaks can also push it low. Regardless - at very low PO4 levels, the different test kit sensitivities can cause them to disagree at very low levels.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Just on the specific dino question, there's no reason to think the presence of any organism in the tank will cause an interference in phosphate testing.

 

[m.kristoff]

Just on the specific dino question, there's no reason to think the presence of any organism in the tank will cause an interference in phosphate testing.

thanks for your response. I am sure that my po4 levels are super low because of the dino's. I Just wanted to rule out interference of the tests.