A good phosphate test kit

[Peixe]

Hello everyone. Just curious about a good PO4 test kit... any opnion?

 

[Terrance]

IME red sea has been good and easy for me. I can't remember why I chose it over some of the other brands when researching last year.

 

[sodbuster95]

I use the API test kit. Works fine, though the colors can be difficult to discern. The "trick" is to use a good light source (preferably, sunlight) and a white background to read it against.

 

[Sniperhank]

Hanna checkers are amazing. Never go back to color tests.

 

[Breakthecycle2]

ELOS kits

 

[Peixe]

ELOS kits

That's what I've got. ELOS PO4 Test kit

 

[Mr. D]

I like Red Sea.. The come in combo packs for really cheap and they also sell refills for 10-15 depending what u are testing for.. Not sure how much the phosphate one is

 

[carey]

I use salifert for the chemical test but I love my hanna checker. Its super easy and it reads a digital number for the phosphates. Its awesome. No guessing with colors and in 3 minutes to have a result to the hundredth degree. ie: 1.56

 

[Gregcoyote]

I use salifert for the chemical test but I love my hanna checker. Its super easy and it reads a digital number for the phosphates. Its awesome. No guessing with colors and in 3 minutes to have a result to the hundredth degree. ie: 1.56

+1 Hanna is the best $50 I have spent, next to my refractometer.

 

[Rmckoy]

I just recently bought a refractometre .
Phosban reactor and a RODI system .
What's this Hannah checker everyone is talking about ?
What do you test with it ?

 

[Gregcoyote]

I just recently bought a refractometre . Phosban reactor and a RODI system . What's this Hannah checker everyone is talking about ? What do you test with it ?

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/catalog/product/view/id/1182/ In systems you want to grow hard corals in, you strive to keep phosphates below .1ppm. Sweet spot for best hard coral coloration is around .05ppm. These are hard numbers to work with using a color check type test. A study was done with Acros recently where they found maximum growth occurs at about .07 - 1ppm. Coral is brown with lots of symbiotic algae. Growth slows down but color increases at lower levels. Below .05ppm you can starve the corals algae out.

 

[Rmckoy]

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/catalog/product/view/id/1182/ In systems you want to grow hard corals in, you strive to keep phosphates below .1ppm. Sweet spot for best hard coral coloration is around .05ppm. These are hard numbers to work with using a color check type test. A study was done with Acros recently where they found maximum growth occurs at about .07 - 1ppm. Coral is brown with lots of symbiotic algae. Growth slows down but color increases at lower levels. Below .05ppm you can starve the corals algae out.

I have 0 testable phosphates.
But I know I have some cause of the red algae ,
Cyano
Apparently from what I have read it is absorbed into the rocks and sand and leaches out over time creating algae blooms but can't e detected or tested positive .
Is this just cause of the testing equipment ?

 

[Gregcoyote]

I have 0 testable phosphates. But I know I have some cause of the red algae , Cyano Apparently from what I have read it is absorbed into the rocks and sand and leaches out over time creating algae blooms but can't e detected or tested positive . Is this just cause of the testing equipment ?

zero might not be zero. As I mentioned it is really hard to see those smaller readings with a color check test kit. Something is generating the Cyano and phosphate can be one of the causes.

 

[Rmckoy]

zero might not be zero. As I mentioned it is really hard to see those smaller readings with a color check test kit. Something is generating the Cyano and phosphate can be one of the causes.

I just bought a RODI system ,
And did a huge 50% water change to see how much of a difference the RO water makes .
I'm thinking the Phos was coming in with the water I was using .
I did test nitrates in the water I was using a couple months ago .
The water tested at 10ppm before it even entered the tank .

 

[js198027]

I just got my Hanna test kit and really like it. only thing i don't care for is getting the powdered reagent out of the little packet. Wish they would come with a liquid or other way to do the powder. I happened to get them when BRS had them on sale for 36.99 i think i paid.

 

[Rmckoy]

I just got my Hanna test kit and really like it. only thing i don't care for is getting the powdered reagent out of the little packet. Wish they would come with a liquid or other way to do the powder. I happened to get them when BRS had them on sale for 36.99 i think i paid.

Wow they are cheap .
I'll look for one .
What else do they test ? Just phosphate ?

 

[js198027]

Wow they are cheap .
I'll look for one .
What else do they test ? Just phosphate ?

That was black friday pricing I think they are 49.99 regular pricing. It only tests Phosphates. I also bought one that tests Alkalinity. They also make a Calcium test which I did not purchase. but I picked up a refractometer for 24.99 they had some awesome sales going on.

 

[Rmckoy]

That was black friday pricing I think they are 49.99 regular pricing. It only tests Phosphates. I also bought one that tests Alkalinity. They also make a Calcium test which I did not purchase. but I picked up a refractometer for 24.99 they had some awesome sales going on.

I bought a refractometre off eBay ,
Shipped from China .
$21