Phosphate too high?

[Acemann]

Hey so I have a question I doubt anyone will know but worth a shot. I went to a professional fish store for them to test my salt water… he ended up telling me my phosphates are at 10.00 ppm??!! (100 gallon tank). Came home to test the phosphates with my api reef master test kit came back with a result of 1.0 ppm. Is there any way that he could’ve tested it wrong (professional saltwater store guy)? Or could the hour long ride there effect the results I’m really confused here. Tested 3 times and it’s 1.0ppm and expiration date is 2025.

 

[Spare time]

While the API phosphate test is one of the worst available (only reads down to 0.25 and 0ppm, nothing in between), I HIGHLY suspect he performed the test wrong. It is very difficult to get to 10ppm with even a half decent routine for a tank. Out of curiosity, do you have any idea what test kit they used?

 

[gbroadbridge]

Hey so I have a question I doubt anyone will know but worth a shot. I went to a professional fish store for them to test my salt water… he ended up telling me my phosphates are at 10.00 ppm??!! (100 gallon tank). Came home to test the phosphates with my api reef master test kit came back with a result of 1.0 ppm. Is there any way that he could’ve tested it wrong (professional saltwater store guy)? Or could the hour long ride there effect the results I’m really confused here. Tested 3 times and it’s 1.0ppm and expiration date is 2025.

The API kit is not very reliable, however I doubt that the result is 10ppm either.

Do you know which test the shop used?

Like I said 10ppm is unlikely.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Personally I would doubt you both and I would go buy a Hanna tester and I would trust that result.

 

[Acemann]

The API kit is not very reliable, however I doubt that the result is 10ppm either.

Do you know which test the shop used?

Like I said 10ppm is unlikely.

Honestly not to sure but it was a liquid dropper probably api or Red Sea

 

[Pistondog]

Either level is high for corals, mignt be ok for fish only.

 

[Acemann]

This is the tank rn

 

[GatorGreg]

I know this post is a couple weeks old but. Are you sure you didn’t misunderstand him and it’s actually 10ppb phosphorus meaning 0.031 phosphate?

I know there’s like 2 or 3 different Hanna checkers out there. They have a conversion chart that you’re supposed to use to convert the phosphorus PPB to phosphate
PPM.

Your best move is to throw that API in the trash. I use Hanna ULR phosphate and salifert everything else. Also go back and verify what test kit they used and make sure you’re understanding them correctly. Because I’d bet that there would be a gang load of GHA and a host of other problems if you were at 1ppm phosphate.