Is your Red Sea Phosphate test kit reading 0.08?

[MnFish1]

My results show both readings.

Unfortunately - I cant read what you posted - even with magnification.

 

[maxtek]

ICP measures 'phosphorous'. not 'phosphate'

My results show both readings.

Exactly, I’m using the same vendor. All of the measurements I’ve quoted in this thread are of phosphate. I did a 60g change on a ~250g system over the last week. Reefbot reported the last Red Sea test to be 0.04…

 

[LegendaryCG]

TLDR; pick a test kit you like and stick with it.

I actually don’t think any of the general test kits are particularly accurate, but thats ok. They provide a baseline that as long as you are performing the test the same way each time your results should give you an indication of where you are. I actually think using multiple brand test kits is probably doing more harm than good because they all give different results and assuming that a Hana is better than a titration test just because it gives a digital output is dangerous. If you really want accuracy have an ICP test done occasionally.

 

[tundraguy1106]

Unfortunately - I cant read what you posted - even with magnification.

Try clicking on the picture and zoom in.

 

[tundraguy1106]

TLDR; pick a test kit you like and stick with it.

I actually don’t think any of the general test kits are particularly accurate, but thats ok. They provide a baseline that as long as you are performing the test the same way each time your results should give you an indication of where you are. I actually think using multiple brand test kits is probably doing more harm than good because they all give different results and assuming that a Hana is better than a titration test just because it gives a digital output is dangerous. If you really want accuracy have an ICP test done occasionally.

I use multiple test kits to make sure my original kits aren’t off (ballpark). I gotta say my Hanna alk and phosphate are pretty accurate. Salifert for checking my alk and always for calcium. Nyos for nitrates and Red Sea for magnesium. My ICP was to ultimately confirm my home results.

 

[MnFish1]

Try clicking on the picture and zoom in.

OH - yeah - I did. Buy yourself a MacBook Air. Double click on your image. Then realize that it actually shrinks the image - not enlarges it with the comments that enlarge the page. The page enlarges - the image gets smaller.

 

[MnFish1]

I use multiple test kits to make sure my original kits aren’t off (ballpark). I gotta say my Hanna alk and phosphate are pretty accurate. Salifert for checking my alk and always for calcium. Nyos for nitrates and Red Sea for magnesium. My ICP was to ultimately confirm my home results.

IMHO you are making a mistake. Every test has an error. Comparing multiple tests with multiple errors is much less efficient/practical than just using 1 test - your method, and your values. Plues - IMHO - NO offense its like a lot of things here - OCD

 

[tundraguy1106]

IMHO you are making a mistake. Every test has an error. Comparing multiple tests with multiple errors is much less efficient/practical than just using 1 test - your method, and your values. Plues - IMHO - NO offense its like a lot of things here - OCD

Sooo my way of testing is the issue. What mistakes? I explained how I have my particular tests I use and when I doubt my results for whatever reason I check against another proven reliable test. I then ultimately confirmed all of my results against a lab grade test (ICP) So Despite having good levels on both my tests and confirmed with an ICP test you see an issue??? Care to explain instead of making a generalized statement like “it’s a lot of things”

as for the MacBook Pro issues I can’t help you. I posted a picture from my iPhone and view it just fine from that same iPhone when I click on it. Both phosphorus and phosphates are listed.

 

[TheDragonsReef]

How old is the kit? Test kits do have expiration dates. My red sea kit reads fine. i get different readings on both my tanks and it stays pretty close to my hanna checker as well.

 

[tundraguy1106]

How old is the kit? Test kits do have expiration dates. My red sea kit reads fine. i get different readings on both my tanks and it stays pretty close to my hanna checker as well.

So you like to check your readings against another at home test kit? That’s what I do too. I understand they are ballpark readings but it helps. So if The ICP, which everyone claims to be the best shows the same similar results as my home kits then I think I’m good with those kits.

 

[MnFish1]

Sooo my way of testing is the issue. What mistakes? I explained how I have my particular tests I use and when I doubt my results for whatever reason I check against another proven reliable test. I then ultimately confirmed all of my results against a lab grade test (ICP) So Despite having good levels on both my tests and confirmed with an ICP test you see an issue??? Care to explain instead of making a generalized statement like “it’s a lot of things”

as for the MacBook Pro issues I can’t help you. I posted a picture from my iPhone and view it just fine from that same iPhone when I click on it. Both phosphorus and phosphates are listed.

Its the values the test can read. And your eyes. Its not designed to measure the same values as the Hanna Checker. In other words. Lets say your PO4 is .05. The graduations on the test are .04 and .08. One person will read them as .04. One will read as .08. One might read as .12. Its not designed to test the same values as a more 'tight' test. Most tanks are going to be in teh .08 range color wise - thus most tanks will read .08 with this test. Its not an error, conspiracy, or some other problem with the test. Its the expectation of the user. Your ICP is not lab grade. ICP measures Phosphorous. They do an independent test of 'phosphate' just like you do. Hopefully this helps. ICP does not measure phosphate AT ALL. ICP measures Phosphorous. They might have done a Phosphate test. But they didnt do it by ICP. Not trying to criticise - its a common misconception. ICP cannot measure alkalinity either. Yet many companies report it

 

[MnFish1]

OH - yeah - I did. Buy yourself a MacBook Air. Double click on your image. Then realize that it actually shrinks the image - not enlarges it with the comments that enlarge the page. The page enlarges - the image gets smaller.

PS - it could be my browser. I cannot enlarge your image.

 

[tundraguy1106]

Its the values the test can read. And your eyes. Its not designed to measure the same values as the Hanna Checker. In other words. Lets say your PO4 is .05. The graduations on the test are .04 and .08. One person will read them as .04. One will read as .08. One might read as .12. Its not designed to test the same values as a more 'tight' test. Most tanks are going to be in teh .08 range color wise - thus most tanks will read .08 with this test. Its not an error, conspiracy, or some other problem with the test. Its the expectation of the user. Your ICP is not lab grade. ICP measures Phosphorous. They do an independent test of 'phosphate' just like you do. Hopefully this helps. ICP does not measure phosphate AT ALL. ICP measures Phosphorous. They might have done a Phosphate test. But they didnt do it by ICP. Not trying to criticise - its a common misconception. ICP cannot measure alkalinity either. Yet many companies report it

That’s interesting stuff.... well I guess I’ll go with trial and error at home... so far only errors. Lol I’m hoping lowering my alkalinity will somehow help my issues.

 

[TheDragonsReef]

So you like to check your readings against another at home test kit? That’s what I do too. I understand they are ballpark readings but it helps. So if The ICP, which everyone claims to be the best shows the same similar results as my home kits then I think I’m good with those kits.

I once lost quite a few corals when using an expired nitrate test. Kept reading fine. Decided to double check with a new red sea kit and they were off the charts. So now i get new test kits every year or so, and i always double check with other brands if something looks off. Test kits do expire and its not common but bad batches of reagents can happen. Expect some margin of error with any test kit but they shouldnt be wildly different between brands. And API shouldnt be used for anything other than fowlr lol

 

[tundraguy1106]

I once lost quite a few corals once when using an expired nitrate test. Kept reading fine. Decided to double check with a new red sea kit and they were off the charts. So now i get new test kits every year or so, and i always double check with other brands if something looks off. Test kits do expire and its not common but bad batches of reagents can happen. Expect some margin of error with any test kit but they shouldnt be wildly different between brands. And API shouldnt be used for anything other than fowlr lol

I think I only use API for PH and ammonia. I rarely test those anyways, usually just when starting a new tank. I’ve had bad reagent before and I watch my expiration dates. I actually count out my alkalinity tests because the reagent bottle says “25 tests” but there is more reagent in the bottle. At the 25th test I throw away the rest and open a new bottle.

 

[Bolek]

Just experienced major issue and difference which caused death in my tank: Hanna 0.3+ vs Redsea <=0.08

I have had some issues in my tank as I had an alk spike and some corrals and fish died. But I was happy that PO4 is staying low as usual <=0.08 but still things did not improved and more animals where dying. I was using RedSea as it is easiest for me, also reading on the new pro kit is good, it was clearly 0.04 or 0.08 or inbetween. But as animals where dying I took out also Hanna to confirm - and it showed crazy 0.32. Tested again and again >0.3. Borrowed another Hanna checker to make sure it is not wrong and 0.32 again.

I have just send ICP so we will see.

But I have strong hypothesis that RedSea makes terrible job not detecting spikes in PO4 which are deadly. If that is confirmed by ICP I would be very angry at Redsea.

Anyone has some new good/bad experience with RedSea PO4?

 

[DrMMI]

I stopped using the red sea kit and just stick with hanna. Whether one is more accurate or not, I have no idea, but at least I'm not trying to find perfect lighting and guessing trying to match up colors.

I don't think a phosphate of 0.3ppm killed any of your livestock. I've literally had phosphate levels 10x that at 3. It was probably higher, but 3 was the max my test kit would go. Other than slow coral growth and some red cyano, I had no coral or fish death.