ICP test vs Red Sea pro po4

[DeniableArc]

I have been using Red Sea pro po4 rest for a year now at least 2x per week and I know when it reads 0.01-0.03 my corals look unhappy and coralline algae dose not grow as fast. With that said I keep my phosphate at 0.08 on the RS test kit with some help of reef roids and no po4 absorbers at all. Now I just got my first ICP test back and to my amazement it says I have 0.003 phosphorus and 0.009 phosphate! And on the day as always my phosphate was a solid 0.08 on the RS po4 test.

 

[SPR1968]

The Red Sea test kit is hobby grade with a slight error margin (the webb sites quotes both 0.01 and 0.02 as error margins so....), and of course there is also possible ‘user error’ as well but it gives you a guide as to were you are.

I would just keep doing what your doing if it’s all working ok for you. If my Hanna reads zero I’m delighted because of the test error margins. It just means it’s very low.

 

[DeniableArc]

The Red Sea test kit is hobby grade with a slight error margin (the webb sites quotes both 0.01 and 0.02 as error margins so....), and of course there is also possible ‘user error’ as well but it gives you a guide as to were you are.

I would just keep doing what your doing if it’s all working ok for you. If my Hanna reads zero I’m delighted because of the test error margins. It just means it’s very low.

I completely understand what your saying I’m only very cautious from when I used gfo and got po4 readings of 0-0.01 and that caused a lot of trouble.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

FWIW, there is no technical reason for icp values to be lower. If anything, they might be higher by icp since it detects more forms of P than does a test kit.

 

[Dan_P]

I have been using Red Sea pro po4 rest for a year now at least 2x per week and I know when it reads 0.01-0.03 my corals look unhappy and coralline algae dose not grow as fast. With that said I keep my phosphate at 0.08 on the RS test kit with some help of reef roids and no po4 absorbers at all. Now I just got my first ICP test back and to my amazement it says I have 0.003 phosphorus and 0.009 phosphate! And on the day as always my phosphate was a solid 0.08 on the RS po4 test.

If the coral and coralline are happy at your Red Sea value, that is all you need to know. In other words it is all relative. Use the Red Sea value as your guide to success.

 

[DeniableArc]

Just ordered a Hanna ultra low phosphorus checker. I like the Red Sea kit just for its consistency and ease of use but I think the Hanna will be worth the investment.

 

[Paulie069]

Just ordered a Hanna ultra low phosphorus checker. I like the Red Sea kit just for its consistency and ease of use but I think the Hanna will be worth the investment.

I have a Hanna and find it to be a pain in the you know where,