Help phosphates are being weird. Faulty kit?

[NANO NEMS]

So I tested the water in my reef tank wih api phosphate kit and it reads 2.0 thinking to myself cant be I have zero algae so I test some distilled water brand new also tests 2.0 then I tested tap water same thing is the kit busted I already added a bag of phosguard seachem to the filter should I pull the phosguard out is the kit bad shouldnt distilled be zero phosphates ? Corals are also all open with no signs of them hurting.

 

[xxkenny90xx]

If corals are happy I wouldn't make any changes yet. Pull the phosgaurd (don't want to bottom out Po4). Can you try a different test kit? Maybe have the lfs test you water?

 

[Ippyroy]

Remove the phosgard. I like the Hanna phosphate checker personally. Sounds like human error.

 

[NANO NEMS]

If corals are happy I wouldn't make any changes yet. Pull the phosgaurd (don't want to bottom out Po4). Can you try a different test kit? Maybe have the lfs test you water?

I pulled it it was only in there for about 2 hours should I scrap that api kit being its testing high on ever water I check including distilled.

 

[NANO NEMS]

Remove the phosgard. I like the Hanna phosphate checker personally. Sounds like human error.

Removed i tossed the api kit and I'm ordering hanna phosphate checker now thanks guys.

 

[xxkenny90xx]

I pulled it it was only in there for about 2 hours should I scrap that api kit being its testing high on ever water I check including distilled.

Ah api, it all makes sense now. Api is popular because it is cheap and readily available, not because it is good. I use Hanna, it's fast and simple!

 

[KrisReef]

Does API seem to be an acronym for Any Phosphate In-there?

As you mentioned and I can see from your picture, that tank must be soaring above 100 or 200PPM based upon the lush growth of algae blocking the glass. This algae is also hindering your API test kit, apparantly?

If you want to get a better idea of this parameter you should get a Hanna ULR Checker. It will give you a truer reading than the "API" resultant.


Edit: Good enough. I'm a bit late and perhaps as reliable as an API?

 

[Ippyroy]

Removed i tossed the api kit and I'm ordering hanna phosphate checker now thanks guys.

The hanna checkers for PO4 and Alk are awesome. I prefer those over anything else. Say no to their calcium checker. Too small of a sample size. I also use their salinity checker. I've had problems with refracto juice being off. I am going to use RHF refracto recipe after I find it again.

 

[NANO NEMS]

The hanna checkers for PO4 and Alk are awesome. I prefer those over anything else. Say no to their calcium checker. Too small of a sample size. I also use their salinity checker. I've had problems with refracto juice being off. I am going to use RHF refracto recipe after I find it again.

I'm ordering the hanna calc and phos checkers now. Thank you.

 

[Ippyroy]

I'm ordering the hanna calc and phos checkers now. Thank you.

No to the calcium. Alk yes, calcium is a no go.

 

[xxkenny90xx]

The hanna checkers for PO4 and Alk are awesome. I prefer those over anything else. Say no to their calcium checker. Too small of a sample size. I also use their salinity checker. I've had problems with refracto juice being off. I am going to use RHF refracto recipe after I find it again.

Just my opinion but I like the Cal checker. Due to the small sample size you have to be extremely careful not to contaminate it (no washing vials with tap water, no fingerprints, no using rodi for testing (distilled only), ect), it's been very reliable for me (at least now that I know how to use it right)

 

[Ippyroy]

Just my opinion but I like the Cal checker. Due to the small sample size you have to be extremely careful not to contaminate it (no washing vials with tap water, no fingerprints, no using rodi for testing (distilled only), ect), it's been very reliable for me (at least now that I know how to use it right)

Too many easy mistakes to be made. Better than triation though. Triation might be the worst part of reefing IMHO.

 

[NANO NEMS]

Got the calc checker and phosphate checker reading was 0.00 so good. Also I rinsed both in tap water after I was done doh my mistake.

 

[Spieg]

Don't have the Cal Checker, but do have the Alk and Phos checkers. I like to rinse the vials with RODI and store them full of clean RODI until next use.

 

[DinoMagnet]

Started with api and after being on this forum and noticing every time you need some help on an issue color cards are a disaster (when they ask for params) with that said I have cal, salinity, dkh, copper, phosphate all by Hanna. Still a few more to get.