Reef Chemistry

[czoolander]

I have started dosing Neophos to get phosphate in my tank again it has been reading 0.00 for months

After first Neophos dose last week it registered 0.06 the next day and then on my sunday test back to 0.00

Dosed again neophos last night and will test phosphate again tonight . Should i be dosing more frequently if my system is consuming the PO4 in 1-3 days

Can I dose NOPOX to reduce my nitrates at the same time ? Nitrates have been increasing since my last WC from 15 to 22 last night

On my Neophos it says to dose with a product called reef biofuel? is this similar to a NOPOX or a Vodka carbon dosing ??

Side note

Salifert test kits . Whats the deal with these ? The calcium test is supposed to start pink and change blue . Mine every time is purple starting colour then goes to a blue.

But i am testing the same way every time and getting a wide range of results on both calcium and magnesium.. I just cant trust these results to dose reliably

Need hanna to get the digital reagants back on the market this is driving me bonkers

 

[Dan_P]

I have started dosing Neophos to get phosphate in my tank again it has been reading 0.00 for months

After first Neophos dose last week it registered 0.06 the next day and then on my sunday test back to 0.00

Dosed again neophos last night and will test phosphate again tonight . Should i be dosing more frequently if my system is consuming the PO4 in 1-3 days

Dose as often as you need to.

Can I dose NOPOX to reduce my nitrates at the same time ? Nitrates have been increasing since my last WC from 15 to 22 last night

Yes

On my Neophos it says to dose with a product called reef biofuel? is this similar to a NOPOX or a Vodka carbon dosing ??

Probably

Side note

Salifert test kits . Whats the deal with these ? The calcium test is supposed to start pink and change blue . Mine every time is purple starting colour then goes to a blue.

I wonder if your magnesium level is off?

But i am testing the same way every time and getting a wide range of results on both calcium and magnesium.. I just cant trust these results to dose reliably

Need hanna to get the digital reagants back on the market this is driving me bonkers

 

[czoolander]

Dose as often as you need to.

Yes

Probably


I wonder if your magnesium level is off?

Magnesium could be low . If i am to believe last nights test result it said my magnesium was 1260 but it was 1400 the week before and 1500 the week before that .

I dont think my lightly packed tank is consuming that much magnesium in 3 weeks ?

Maybe it is ? I am going to test tonight again though before i dose anything i just dont trust these salifert results at all

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Magnesium consumption is never more than about 1/10th of the calcium consumption rate, and neither will be dropping if alk is not dropping substantially.

On the phosphate issue, you likely just need more. It can sometimes take a large amount before rocks and sand are adequately coated with phosphate that they stop taking it up at the levels you want to attain in the water.