Phosphate in new water. Where's it coming from

[LxHowler]

I have been dealing with high phosphate recently, I've been running a rowaphos reactor to try and bring the levels down but I just tested my fresh saltwater for phosphate and it says that the water has .08 phosphate in it. Where would this come from? My ro water is testing 0 tds and I am using tropic Marin pro reef salt. Test was done with the redsea pro phosphate kit. I'm left at a dead end, any advice?

 

[UCF Alum]

99% of phosphate in your tank comes from the foods you feed your fish.

edit- Nevermind. You said it was in your freshly mixed salt water. Have your local fish store check it. I’m betting on test kit error. Check the Tropic Marin site to see if you can check the batch number for the ICP test. I highly doubt it’s your salt though. Are you storing it in a mixing container? It’s possible that it could be leaching phosphates

 

[GoVols]

I have been dealing with high phosphate recently, I've been running a rowaphos reactor to try and bring the levels down but I just tested my fresh saltwater for phosphate and it says that the water has .08 phosphate in it. Where would this come from? My ro water is testing 0 tds and I am using tropic Marin pro reef salt. Test was done with the redsea pro phosphate kit. I'm left at a dead end, any advice?

Are you running a RO / DI unit?

Or buy a new tds meter

Triple Inline TDS Meter TRM-1

Why does BRS recommend this? Using a RODI system without a TDS meter is like driving a car without a speedometer and gas gauge. At some point you will end up in trouble. With RODI systems it is TDS that you will want to monitor for performance and filter quality. If you have a single or dual...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

FWIW:
Liking the new Hanna phosphate ULR ppm checker

Phosphate Ultra Low Range PPM Colorimeter HI774 Hanna Checker - Marine Water

The HI774 Ultra Low Range Phosphate Checker® is a cost-effective way to measure phosphate in marine systems, including reef tanks. Excessive phosphate levels can prevent calcification, skeletal formation, and growth of many coral species, particularly those referred to as SPS or small-polyp...

www.marinedepot.com

HI774-25 Phosphate ULR Reagents - Marine Water

Phosphate Ultra Low Range reagent refills for the easy to use, handheld Phosphate ULR ppm Colorimeter HI774 Hanna Checker HC - Marine Water, as well as the Marine Master HI97105 Multiparameter Photometer. 25 packets of reagent Item #: HI 774 -25

www.marinedepot.com

 

[GoVols]

99% of phosphate in your tank comes from the foods you feed your fish.

His fresh RO water test at .08ppm

 

[LxHowler]

Are you running a RO / DI unit?

Or buy a new tds meter

Triple Inline TDS Meter TRM-1

Why does BRS recommend this? Using a RODI system without a TDS meter is like driving a car without a speedometer and gas gauge. At some point you will end up in trouble. With RODI systems it is TDS that you will want to monitor for performance and filter quality. If you have a single or dual...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

FWIW:
Liking the new Hanna phosphate ULR ppm checker

Phosphate Ultra Low Range PPM Colorimeter HI774 Hanna Checker - Marine Water

The HI774 Ultra Low Range Phosphate Checker® is a cost-effective way to measure phosphate in marine systems, including reef tanks. Excessive phosphate levels can prevent calcification, skeletal formation, and growth of many coral species, particularly those referred to as SPS or small-polyp...

www.marinedepot.com

HI774-25 Phosphate ULR Reagents - Marine Water

Phosphate Ultra Low Range reagent refills for the easy to use, handheld Phosphate ULR ppm Colorimeter HI774 Hanna Checker HC - Marine Water, as well as the Marine Master HI97105 Multiparameter Photometer. 25 packets of reagent Item #: HI 774 -25

www.marinedepot.com

Yes I am running rodi, I have borrowed a friend's tds meter aswell to check mine is working properly, both read 0. I havent used the Hannah checker but the test kit was my next thing to check just wanted to check if anything else could be causing it first

 

[LxHowler]

99% of phosphate in your tank comes from the foods you feed your fish.

edit- Nevermind. You said it was in your freshly mixed salt water. Have your local fish store check it. I’m betting on test kit error. Check the Tropic Marin site to see if you can check the batch number for the ICP test. I highly doubt it’s your salt though. Are you storing it in a mixing container? It’s possible that it could be leaching phosphates

I will get my fish store to check it when they reopen. They have shut as the UK is in lockdown. I am not storing the water, it is getting mixed and going straight into a water change, I use the plastic Jerry cans that most people use to transport water to mix my salt. I am looking at getting a Hannah checker as I can still get one of those with the shop being shut. Thanks for the icp idea I will try to find that

 

[GoVols]

Yes I am running rodi, I have borrowed a friend's tds meter aswell to check mine is working properly, both read 0. I havent used the Hannah checker but the test kit was my next thing to check just wanted to check if anything else could be causing it first

I'd buy the Salifert freshwater phosphate kit, to test your RO/DI water.

If it's at zero, then mix a fresh batch of TM Pro and re-test the new batch for phosphates with your marine kit, to rule out the salt mix.

@UCF Alum is on the right track.

 

[LxHowler]

I'd buy the Salifert freshwater phosphate kit, to test your RO/DI water.

If it's at zero, then mix a fresh batch of TM Pro and re-test the new batch for phosphates with your marine kit, to rule out the salt mix.

@UCF Alum is on the right track.

Never thought of using a freshwater test kit. I already have one from my turtles I will test and see what that says. Tanks for the idea

 

[Uncle99]

I have been dealing with high phosphate recently, I've been running a rowaphos reactor to try and bring the levels down but I just tested my fresh saltwater for phosphate and it says that the water has .08 phosphate in it. Where would this come from? My ro water is testing 0 tds and I am using tropic Marin pro reef salt. Test was done with the redsea pro phosphate kit. I'm left at a dead end, any advice?

Phosphate in city water is quite common, it’s used to mitigate corrosion in delivery pipes.
While I understand your concern of the 0.08ppm in your water, this is not a bad reading, actually it’s not a bad trace amount that corals need to survive.

When you say your dealing with high phosphate in your tank, what is the reading from the DT.

Just want to ensure what we are actually going to fix and that it needs fixing.

 

[LxHowler]

Phosphate in city water is quite common, it’s used to mitigate corrosion in delivery pipes.
While I understand your concern of the 0.08ppm in your water, this is not a bad reading, actually it’s not a bad trace amount that corals need to survive.

When you say your dealing with high phosphate in your tank, what is the reading?

Before I started running the reactor it hit .68 but I know what caused this, I had a auto feeder break and dump all of the food into the tank, it just kept spinning all day whilst nobody was home. I got most of it out but it still elevated my phosphate and nitrate. They are starting to come under control again now after a few weeks of constant maintenance. but I tested my water to see if that was affecting how fast they are coming down as in doing 2 water changes a week at the minute. It is now down to .12 which is why I checked the water to see if that was slowing it down.