Phosphate help

[MohrReefs]

Hello everyone.

Cant seem to get my phosphate under control.
Not sure if it's my water or the Hanna test kit, first reading was .12 and second reading was. 23.

Current params:
Temp 77
Sal 1.026
Nitrate 5ppm
Nitrite 0
Ammonia 0
Alk 8.554 dkh or 153ppm
Calc 400
Phosphate - .12 or .23 or bad tester?

Should I test it a third time?
Last week is was .05 before a water change.

 

[Lithoman]

What tester are you using... I like the Hanna tester

sorry i see you are using hanna.. could be user error

 

[MohrReefs]

What tester are you using... I like the Hanna tester

sorry i see you are using hanna.. could be user error

I'm testing it for a third time. Maybe I'll shake the test vial less vigorously to mix reagent.

 

[MohrReefs]

This time it says .07 lol

 

[Idoc]

I'm testing it for a third time. Maybe I'll shake the test vial less vigorously to mix reagent.

If using a Hanna tester, you probably don't want to shake the vials vigorously...causes micro air bubbles which I would suspect can throw off the light meter detector. I just slightly shake and then flip the vials up and down for 2 minutes and everything is dissolved at that point.

I just tested my PO4 last night...0.45 ppm! I thought it was bad a few weeks ago at 0.2 ppm! I started to panic, but then noticed that every coral in the tank has been looking better and better lately (LPS stuff). I'm not so worried now. So, don't chase numbers...monitor the health of the tank instead.

 

[reefiniteasy]

I’ve been having phosphate issues and I was concerned, but a very wise reefer told me don’t chase numbers, observe your tank. If everything is happy, it’s fine!

 

[MohrReefs]

If using a Hanna tester, you probably don't want to shake the vials vigorously...causes micro air bubbles which I would suspect can throw off the light meter detector. I just slightly shake and then flip the vials up and down for 2 minutes and everything is dissolved at that point.

I just tested my PO4 last night...0.45 ppm! I thought it was bad a few weeks ago at 0.2 ppm! I started to panic, but then noticed that every coral in the tank has been looking better and better lately (LPS stuff). I'm not so worried now. So, don't chase numbers...monitor the health of the tank instead.

Welllllll, I do have one coral looks a bit bothered. My micro is a bit closer to its skeleton than usual but it's still puffed up. That's what sparked my full chem test (I'm obsessive). I'll just keep an eye on everything I guess and keep up with water changes as normal.

 

[MohrReefs]

My most sensitive coral, the bubble seems really happy. That coral is my canary in the mine and so far has served well for that purpose.

 

[MohrReefs]

Thanks everyone!

 

[Idoc]

My most sensitive coral, the bubble seems really happy. That coral is my canary in the mine and so far has served well for that purpose.

My canary coral is my Duncan! It really gets ticked and doesn't show itself if something is out of whack!

 

[Lithoman]

Idoc was correct on shaking the vial and I stop after 1.3 mins and remove any bubbles by slowly tilting the vial, then test.

 

[MohrReefs]

My canary coral is my Duncan! It really gets ticked and doesn't show itself if something is out of whack!

That's so funny, my Duncan would be in a cup of uncirculated tap water.

 

[MohrReefs]

Idoc was correct on shaking the vial and I stop after 1.3 mins and remove any bubbles by slowly tilting the vial, then test.

I think that would explain my extreme results. I'll take it easy on the shakey shake.

 

[lilgrounchuck]

I’ve been having phosphate issues and I was concerned, but a very wise reefer told me don’t chase numbers, observe your tank. If everything is happy, it’s fine!

^ This. I chased “ideal” numbers and growth was slow, corals were dull. I started just letting the tank do it’s thing and growth exploded. After I got through the ugly phases I don’t really care if nutrients go up a bit. In fact, the corals seem to get a growth bump when they do slide up a bit.

 

[xxkenny90xx]

You have to be very careful with Hanna checkers. Bubbles, fingerprints, even cleaning the vials in tap water will throw off your test results

 

[MohrReefs]

You have to be very careful with Hanna checkers. Bubbles, fingerprints, even cleaning the vials in tap water will throw off your test results

How should I clean the vials? Alcohol?

 

[xxkenny90xx]

How should I clean the vials? Alcohol?

Distilled water

 

[MohrReefs]

Distilled water

Got it, thanks.