Guess my phosphate levels ...

[specialk]

Lol ... that subject line HAD to draw many reactions and weird faces when reading .. lol ..

... I know phosphate and testing has many opinions and everyone handles it differently. Some test, some don't test ... some only run and/or change their GFO when things like algae breakouts happen, the glass needs more frequent cleanings with the mag float .. etc. Everyone has their own tell -tale signs when phosphate levels are creeping up.

I recently had a phosphate outbreak (due to a lot of travel with work and not as much care as I should have given to it) and I'm in the process right now of slowly bringing it back down with GFO. I am aware that the GFO can go "bad" in a few days, OR a few months depending on how much phosphate is in my tank.

I am trying not to have to buy a hanna checker (I know this hobby is expensive and I do and am spending A LOT right now as it is, so I am trying to restrain from having to make another purchase .. all be it a valuable one in many peoples eyes -- in others eyes, phosphate checkers are not needed and they do not use them)

BUT .. I am I guess asking this question in a very general, ball park type sense .. and that is, to all those who have used the API phosphate test kit ( I know, I know, it is a garbage test kit and does not give you a true concise reading) and also used the Hanna checker ...

I tested out of curiosity with the API test kit, and it was not yet at the yellow stage (where API say's it is 0 and where it should be) but it WAS at the next level up .. it was a bit grayish. Now I will say the color is coming down with this test kit (which is a good thing) AND my corals are really coming back with vibrant colors and poly extension . ...

... in comparing the 2 test kits, would you say that I STILL have a VERY high phosphate level and I would find this to be true by using the hanna checker ??? ... or is it manageable and as long as it is coming down and the corals are rebounding and looking better, I should just keep running the GFO and wait till everything looks as it should and back to normal, healthy thriving SPS and use that as my "test kit" to gauge the phosphate levels?

 

[cromag27]

If you really want to avoid buying a other test kit, keep watching livestock health and algae growth. one indicator for me is heavy film algae on the glass that comes back every few days or so. that usually tells me the po4 is rising. every tank is different and so will be some of the indicators.

 

[specialk]

If you really want to avoid buying a other test kit, keep watching livestock health and algae growth. one indicator for me is heavy film algae on the glass that comes back every few days or so. that usually tells me the po4 is rising. every tank is different and so will be some of the indicators.

Thx cromag ... I am assuming, that you still have to mag float your glass a little bit everyday though? OR when your phosphate is low do you barely have to clean the glass? ( curious as to how much others have to clean their glass when phosphates are low as I know this is a gauge many many people use to know when phosphates are creeping up)

 

[Waterjockey]

My one and only experience with the api phosphate test was not a good one. The kit was not expired. I consistently read the exact same every test, no matter what I did to try and lower phosphates. I finally tested my tap water, my Rodi water, my pond water, and they all read exactly the same. I pitched it in the garbage, and now use the basic Hanna. I still use api for nitrates and calcium as they seem to work fine for me, inexpensive, and are available at my lfs. Your mileage may vary, but I will never use the api phosphate test kit again.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Guess my phosphate levels ...
what do we win?

 

[Sabellafella]

Lol ... that subject line HAD to draw many reactions and weird faces when reading .. lol ..

... I know phosphate and testing has many opinions and everyone handles it differently. Some test, some don't test ... some only run and/or change their GFO when things like algae breakouts happen, the glass needs more frequent cleanings with the mag float .. etc. Everyone has their own tell -tale signs when phosphate levels are creeping up.

I recently had a phosphate outbreak (due to a lot of travel with work and not as much care as I should have given to it) and I'm in the process right now of slowly bringing it back down with GFO. I am aware that the GFO can go "bad" in a few days, OR a few months depending on how much phosphate is in my tank.

I am trying not to have to buy a hanna checker (I know this hobby is expensive and I do and am spending A LOT right now as it is, so I am trying to restrain from having to make another purchase .. all be it a valuable one in many peoples eyes -- in others eyes, phosphate checkers are not needed and they do not use them)

BUT .. I am I guess asking this question in a very general, ball park type sense .. and that is, to all those who have used the API phosphate test kit ( I know, I know, it is a garbage test kit and does not give you a true concise reading) and also used the Hanna checker ...

I tested out of curiosity with the API test kit, and it was not yet at the yellow stage (where API say's it is 0 and where it should be) but it WAS at the next level up .. it was a bit grayish. Now I will say the color is coming down with this test kit (which is a good thing) AND my corals are really coming back with vibrant colors and poly extension . ...

... in comparing the 2 test kits, would you say that I STILL have a VERY high phosphate level and I would find this to be true by using the hanna checker ??? ... or is it manageable and as long as it is coming down and the corals are rebounding and looking better, I should just keep running the GFO and wait till everything looks as it should and back to normal, healthy thriving SPS and use that as my "test kit" to gauge the phosphate levels?

Its not that the api gives you a true precise accurate reading ect, its about the actual spread on the test reading itself. To all .25 is high, and its the first reading on the color spread other then 0. All other phosphate test run from 0 to lets say 1ppm. On their spread you can determine the normal p04 value a reef tank "should" be running at. Compared to other p04 test kits, itll only cost you 5-10 extra dollars more to get a test kit thats based on owning a reef.

 

[cromag27]

I can go 5-7 days until a thin layer develops. once I see it returning after 3 days I know something's up.

Thx cromag ... I am assuming, that you still have to mag float your glass a little bit everyday though? OR when your phosphate is low do you barely have to clean the glass? ( curious as to how much others have to clean their glass when phosphates are low as I know this is a gauge many many people use to know when phosphates are creeping up)

 

[john.m.cole3]

Hanna ULR is the way to go. Like sabellafella said, .25 is about 10x higher than most of us want it. If I have to clean my glass more than at weekly water change times, somethin bogus is happening. If you are spending money on sps, you should quit buying corals until your test kit game is up

 

[jason2459]

I prefer the Hanna ULR. The Elos Pro and Hach kits are also good.

From this thread is a link to the phosphate kit shootout I did

http://reef2reef.com/threads/big-3-...os-elos-salifert-api-hanna-triton-awt.234660/