Hanna Phosphate checker

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dlyon101

dlyon101

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Dec 30, 2010
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I got one of these Hanna digital phosphate checkers. I hadn't ever really tested for phosphates before now (except taking a water sample to my LFS). I checked my phosphates last Thursday night as soon as got the tester. They read 0.11 ppm. I did a water change yesterday and thought I'd check my new batch of water before putting it in the tank. It showed a phosphate reading of 0.05. I don't really get it. Is that the margin of error for this Hanna checker or am I really starting out with phosphates at 0.05?

My RO/DI cartridges are new and TDS reads zero. I use a Brute (Rubbermaid) 30 gallon trash can to hold the water. I do get some brown scaly stuff building up in the bottom every couple months. I usually rinse it out with the garden hose and dry it out before every month or two.

I'm wondering if my water supply just has high phosphates. Maybe I should add another GFO reactor?

FYI... Other parameters

Nitrates 5
Alk. 8.2
Mag 1600 (I know this is high. I stopped dosing and I'm doing water changes to get it down)
Calc. 550. (I don't dose this. It must be high because of my dosing to raise alk)
Temp. 79
Sg. 1.0245
 
Arakkis

Arakkis

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Apr 7, 2008
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SJ Cali
you don't have to dose calc and alk at the same time, just stop the calc and continue with the alk and check again next week. you may just be a feeding machine and the food is making the phosphate change. did you kill off anything lately (coral, fish, cyano, etc)?
 
dlyon101

dlyon101

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Dec 30, 2010
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My fish act like they are constantly hungry. I put in a sheet of Nori (seaweed) every day or do. Perhaps I should cut that back a bit. Are phosphates at 0.11 really bad?
 
F

Fish Magician

Professional, but not yet an expert
Jan 22, 2012
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Brendan
Phosphate is pretty notorious in my local water supply. Issues from the tap at .5ppm. I personally use API's phos-zorb in my h.o.b. filter, but a solution with a sump could be to build a phosphate reactor. Cheap parts and not a bad way to spend an hour or two! You can find plans, and even videos very easily online, and route it through your return pump for no need for additional equipment.
As for the nori, if you have less than the eating power equivalent to a few grazing tangs, I'd probably drop it back to about once or twice a week. Any that goes to waste will slowly release phosphates.
On the calcium, I would check to see if the alk you are using contains calcium too.
 
dlyon101

dlyon101

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Dec 30, 2010
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My Blue Throat Trigger and Fox Face feed on the Nori pretty aggressively. The other smaller fish eat the scraps that are released into the water column. I've started taking out any uneaten Nori after an hour or so. I really don't have any visible algae on the rocks in the display. I have to admit that I may feed a little extra sometimes to make sure my Blenny, two Gobies, and crabs & shrimp get something to eat.Over the past couple weeks I have changed a few things (weekly water changes, changing filter socks weekly, skimming a little more aggressively) and managed to get my parameters a little better in order.I still wonder what my phosphates should really be. I have a phosphate reactor I bought from Bulk Reef Supply. I'm not sure if maybe I'm not running enough volume of GFO. Perhaps I need another reactor or a larger one?FYI I checked the Phosphates in my RO/DI water after changing membrane etc. TDS is zero but Phos still shows .08Current params:phos. 0.13Nitrate 2.5Alk 8.8Calc. 520Mag 1480Temp 79SG. 1.024Tonight I have:
 
Arakkis

Arakkis

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Apr 7, 2008
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Yeah 1.1 isn't good, but cutting back food would be ok though I'd try a GFO reactor to absorb phosphate, or use biopellets to reduce nitrates and phosphates into a form your skimmer can remove

Phosphates are high as with nitrate, so follow above instructiuons to reduce, the alk is a little low and cal is 100 high, mag is fine
 
dlyon101

dlyon101

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Dec 30, 2010
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I'm not sure if I mistyped or something. My phosphates currently are 0.13 not 1.1. I have read that phosphates are supposed to be below 0.1. I was just wondering if that were true. If so them I'm not far off at 0.13Since my RO/DI water is still showing readings of .05 - .08 I am thinking about dropping a mesh bag of GFO in my trash can while I am mixing the water & salt (and aerating). My TDS meter reads zero coming out of the DI cartridge. I'm not sure how phosphates could still be present. Aren't phosphates considered a "dissolved solid"? Anyway, I don't think it can hurt to put a bag of GFO in the new water. I just want to see if I can get the new water going into the tank to show zero phosphates. Any comments?
 
greech

greech

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May 13, 2009
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Unless you are mixing your water in a glass container, chances are the PO4 in your mix water is leaching from the mixing container itself. Even food grade containers have reportedly leached PO4. Have you tested the TDS of the water sitting in the mixing container? The bag of GFO in the container won't hurt anything but at those levels, GFO in the display system should also reduce them no a non-issue as well.
 
dlyon101

dlyon101

AC Members
Dec 30, 2010
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My TDS meter is in line on the RO/DI unit. I only know that it is zero TDS going into the container, but not coming out. So I bet you are right about the container leaching phosphates into the water.
 
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