Phosphates

[Screwgunner]

Ok here I go . Yesterday I had .10 phosphates per hanna checker. Today .00 checked it twice .00 how and why.
120 gallon system
Was running filter pad and bio rocks.
Took filter out and put in ats 50 Sq. Inches of screen 10x 5 hardly any algea on it.
I did add salt it was at 1.023 now it is 1.025 instant ocean. What would give me a false reading with a hanna. The water with the powder turns blue . Not this time it is clear as my water. ????

 

[Sean Clark]

Possibly the 0.10 result was a testing error.

 

[Dhaleillama]

Do you have the calibration test fluid for it? I have the same curiosity so I always test twice, and recently got a red sea phosphate test kit just so I have something to compare it to.

 

[Screwgunner]

Two days be for it was .12 before that it was .14. About a month ago I was at .24 was running phosgaurd to bring it down . 1/3 cup per 50 gallons . Phosgaurd got it to .12 put ats back on and it went to .13 next day .11. Yesterday. .1 no way did it drop .1 over night.

 

[Sean Clark]

Odds are that it did not drop to 0 over night. Odds are that it is not 0. Try another test kit.

 

[Screwgunner]

No I do not have calibration fluid. I do for my refractometer. I do have some water from before that tested .11 I will test that again. And see what it says.

 

[jsker]

It may sound like an odd question, what checker are you testing with?

 

[DE FISH]

Sounds like a Hanna checker

 

[Screwgunner]

look at that .10 opened up a new box of reagent. Hanna is going to get a ear full from me!!!

 

[Screwgunner]

Do not trust there reagents I just got this in the mail 2 weeks ago . Glad I bought 2 boxes of it.

 

[PatW]

I sometimes get a high reading on my Hanna ULR phosphorous checker. I think that sometimes, a bit of phosphorous rich material is in the sample (like a bit of poop, food or what not) and skews the results.

 

[Dhaleillama]

I use their phosphorus tester. But without owning their calibration fluid for the hannah tester you will never know how accurate it is. I believe its $13, bulk reef or hannah themselves sell them for each hannah tester.

 

[DE FISH]

I trust mine although procedure has to be exact every time I must have done over 500+ tests

 

[DE FISH]

look at that .10 opened up a new box of reagent. Hanna is going to get a ear full from me!!!

They will put it down to testing error I use jeweller scales to match my sg so I weigh 10.25 grams to match 1.25sg

 

[DE FISH]

I sometimes get a high reading on my Hanna ULR phosphorous checker. I think that sometimes, a bit of phosphorous rich material is in the sample (like a bit of poop, food or what not) and skews the results.

This is a valid point if a fish takes a dump prior to you testing it can potentially vary your results maybe get a icp?

 

[Screwgunner]

I did 3 tests in a row. 2 on my tank water and one on some water I pulled out of the tank a week ago. All read .00 opened up a new box of reagent and tested tank water .10. The reagent is no good. From the first box. It is not my testing ! I clean vials every time .

 

[DE FISH]

I use the ppb checker not the ppm