Is there a diy PO4 reference solution?

nereefpat

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We can help you do the math. What product are you using for phosphate?

You will need a scale, and you will have to make a big batch and do large dilutions to get to hanna checker levels.
 
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Miller535

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We can help you do the math. What product are you using for phosphate?

You will need a scale, and you will have to make a big batch and do large dilutions to get to hanna checker levels.

I have a few bottles of Neophos laying around. And I do have a gram scale that I bought on Amazon a while back.
 

Randy Holmes-Farley

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Here's a commercial one:


I would not use a hobby company dosing solution to make a standard.

If the goal is to evaluate a test kit, I think it will be useful to be in seawater.
 
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Miller535

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nereefpat

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I agree about not using a dosing solution.

Something like trisodium phosphate would be best. It is about 58% phosphate by weight, so adjust for that.

If the goal is to evaluate a test kit, I think it will be useful to be in seawater.


@Randy Holmes-Farley , do you expect some kind of interference?
 

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I agree about not using a dosing solution.

Something like trisodium phosphate would be best. It is about 58% phosphate by weight, so adjust for that.




@Randy Holmes-Farley , do you expect some kind of interference?


Well, I'm not sure, but acidification is an important step in a typical phosphate test kit, and that will happen differently in freshwater than salt.
 

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Randy Holmes-Farley

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How would one make a saltwater solution to test?
Would you just add your reef salt to this solution to make it 35ppt?

I'd spike that standard (or a DIY) into new salt water that showed little to no phosphate. Since it is 1 ppm, 10% of it and 90% tank water would give a 0.1 ppm standard.
 

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