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
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