I hate this test please help.

[Treenk]

Ok so I did the salifert phosphate test I did the normal amount to do a 1 to 1 ratio and if I want it more sensitive it says double everything and then divide it by 2. I may not see colors well enough for this tester. What would you say this color matches up to? And what's an easier test

And is this too high?

 

[45ZoaGarden]

I say it looks too high as it looks to be .25. I have the Hanna low range phosphate checker and love it. Keep mine around .1-.15

 

[UCF Alum]

.25
Get a Hanna checker. I too hate the Salifert po4

 

[Treenk]

Seems my nitrates are high now too I'd guess are 13.. anything I can do side from my water changes. Doing about 10-15% a week atm. I have 30lbs of live rock in a 29g biocube with a 13g sump I have plenty more I could add the the back of the aio thing and I dont have any in the sump. I also have an extra compartment in the sump where I could fit something before it hits skimmer maybe a 4x5x5 area

 

[Treenk]

I mean in addition to where I could put LR in sump I have a whole (time out area) I could fill with whatever

 

[vetteguy53081]

.25 looks like the closest
How do you know you did the test correctly? Simply take a water sample to a reputable LFS and have them test for you and see what they come up with on their test for comparison. Then you will know for future testing.

 

[45ZoaGarden]

You could add a biopellet reactor or cheato

 

[45ZoaGarden]

13 ppm of nitrates is fine though.

 

[Saltyreef]

Salifert p04 range is too high for a good differentiating color. I use red sea algae control kit that has a lower range po4 so its easier to differentiate colors between .01 .02 .04 and so on.
Water change for nitrate reduction and a little gfo to suck up excess phos. Just careful not to bottom out.

 

[JCOLE]

Depends on what you have in your tank. Does look close to .25. I dont like the big gap between readings. I have a Hanna ULR and it is really easy and takes the guess work out.

 

[DivingTheWorld]

If you really want to test Phosphate, get the Hanna ULR Phosphorus tester. It’s the only one I really trust.

 

[Treenk]

If you really want to test Phosphate, get the Hanna ULR Phosphorus tester. It’s the only one I really trust.

Isnt phosphate one of the more important tests

 

[hotdrop]

Isnt phosphate one of the more important tests

Idk phosphate and Kh is all I test consistently the rest don’t really change enough to matter

 

[Terry Mattson]

Hanna ultra low test kit. I think 50$. Love it. I keep my phosphates at .03 to .07. I have a gfo reactor to help. And a refugium with cheto with a h80 light. Grows like mad.

 

[Terry Mattson]

Isnt phosphate one of the more important tests

Yes. SG, Cal, Mag, dkh, P04, P03, Ph with in range, iodine ... and temperature.

 

[Treenk]

I have a chaeto and a light but it doesn't grow or die lol. A reactor is kind of out of budget right now can I bag the phosphate stuff and put it by a drain to the sump or something? That's kind of what I do with the carbon. Anyhow thank you all I seem to research everything like mad and then it doesn't go the way I think ever and have to ask anyway lol.

 

[Terry Mattson]

Yes, you can place the gfo in a bag and place in flow area in your sump. My cheto did not grow much but when I replaced the 30$ grow lite with the hd380 I now pull a quart or more out weekly.

 

[Treenk]

I'm upgrading my main light I wonder how the current orbit would do as a sump light lol

 

[DivingTheWorld]

Isnt phosphate one of the more important tests

Yes, my point was that Hanna is the best way to test it at the low levels we want in outback tanks.

 

[hyprc]

13 ppm of nitrates is fine though.

I agree, and with po4 at .25, I'd want it even higher than that (closer to 35ish but I know that number even scares people that like some no3 haha).