Losing Battle to PO4

so you think api is garbge test kit too, and you dont recomend red sea either i am guessing. cause i need a new kit

as far as the pic IMO a little to much, i have had worse. but i would proby get a couple of algea eaters, but that just me. its nothing to stress about that is for sure.

 

OK cool. Well I have Blenny and cleaner crew, and now that the eel isnt eating 2 a night, maybe they will catch up. I just added a Lettuce Sea Slug in hopes he would eat some, but so far just stuck to the glass and stayed there.

So the API has like 5 colors that are so sililar it is hard to dicern what number you are at. That plus the color that came up isn't even on the card, Shrug. The read sea I thought was good until I tested 5 dirffereent source waters and they all came up at 1.0

The new Elios seemes OK and the colors range from a almost clear to a dark blue for a 1.0. Still dont know what to believe, but at least I can read it and it shows up on the scale.

I may very well switch to all digitala accross the board. I will start looking into it.


\Cheers.

 

let me know about the digital, that sounds easy...:

 

What kind of sand did you use? Could it be possible that the sand is the culprit?
Check if your phosphate adsorbants remove both inorganic and organic forms of phosphate. Then, check the red sea tet kit if it measures the inorganic and organic forms.

If nothing else works, it's time for a water change. You mentioned that unfiltered water gave lower phosphate readings. That's quite interesting. Try using that or your local fish store's water. You could also compare your test kit with the LFS's to determine any inaccuracies.
just my $0.02

 

Well I have found many things out. First, My house filter is definatley adding phosphates as part of the filtration process. Thats why it was lower from the outside spiggot.

I tested poland spring water with same results, I suspect its the filtration process.

Untill I upgrade MY house RO to a fish capable RO/DI, I will use the Natures Ocean Live Water. I have done 3 changes of 5 gallons and my P4 is steady at .05, only one nothch up on the new Elos test kit.

I'm not running the phosgaurd in the Via Aqua Media canister anymore as it already crapped out and is leaking.

\Cheers

 

Algae and Phosphate

I just put in phosguard and haven't noticed much difference. I took out 3 main rock that had a lot of bryopsis on them and scrubbed them and then boiled them. I have now 3 little rocks with very little bryopsis left and it does not seem to be growing. ALso added chaeto to in-tank refugium hopefully it grows now that 95% of bryopsis is gone. I read about Rowaphos being the best for algae? I might try that also. My API kit is giving me a 0 on phosphate. Now sure if its because there is 0 or the algae left is absorbing the phosphate. Well see.
Adam

 

Try adding a bunch of snails to your tank and watch them clean up the LR. Luna

 

I use Rowaphos its great and the best product I have ever used and I have and do use Phosguard until the 25 lb bucket is used up . But I used that for yrs , Now The Iron oxide products like Rowaphos have to be ran in a reactor and even with the aluminum oxide based Phosguard works better in a reactor .. If you are not using a reactor then you are just getting a portion of the benefits of either of the products. Also with any iron oxides you have to keep them is in a fluidized state or it will set up like steel and if you are or try to lay the iron oxide stuff in a bag under a source of running water its not going to do anything but turn to a iron brick..

 

phosbuster is also good

 

I though RowaPhos was ferric oxide?