Oldsalt01 Posted October 8, 2017 Share Posted October 8, 2017 In the market for a Hanna Checker. I'm wondering if, as a casual reefer, I need to worry about the accuracy of my phosphates vs phosphorus. BRS did a side-by-side comparison and the Phosphorus checker was more accurate, especially below 0.04 ppm. I'm much more cognizant of the need to keep phosphates low considering my recent nightmare with BA, but I'm not sure I need to worry too much if my checker's reading 0.00 (phosphate), vs 0.02 (phosphorus) for the same samples. Looking for some input from folks who use either checker. I can afford 1, but not both. Quote Link to comment
Thrassian Atoll Posted October 8, 2017 Share Posted October 8, 2017 Get the ultra low phosphorus. It's a lot more accurate. You just have to calculate the number to phosphates. 1 Quote Link to comment
Clown79 Posted October 17, 2017 Share Posted October 17, 2017 Ya get the ultra low. I watched a bunch of videos on the various testers, I wanted to know the difference as well. The ultra low is the most accurate one out of them all 2 Quote Link to comment
Thrassian Atoll Posted October 17, 2017 Share Posted October 17, 2017 Here's the conversion from the UL Phosphorus to phosphates if anybody was wondering. Weird the file shows up before I post and is blank after I post. https://premiumaquatics.com/images/file.php?file_id=139 Quote Link to comment
Oldsalt01 Posted October 26, 2017 Author Share Posted October 26, 2017 OK. I got my Hanna Phosphorus ULR Checker today and did my first test. "Great", I thought. NOW I can actually get an idea of what my Phosphate levels really are. Lovely packaging, fairly straight forward instructions, technical specs, battery management, "tips for accurate measurement". Lovely. "Good to go", I thought. Onliest problem is that NOWHERE in the instructions do they tell you how to convert ppb to ppm. As I understand it, ppm is pretty much your target value, so I'm baffled as to why they wouldn't give you the equation in the instructions to work that out. So, can someone tell this dumbass how to convert the values, please? Quote Link to comment
Thrassian Atoll Posted October 26, 2017 Share Posted October 26, 2017 I posted it above. ?♂️ Quote Link to comment
Oldsalt01 Posted October 26, 2017 Author Share Posted October 26, 2017 1 hour ago, TILTON said: I posted it above. ?♂️ Yes,I know, but the file won't open, so it's tit's on a bull to me.? Quote Link to comment
Thrassian Atoll Posted October 26, 2017 Share Posted October 26, 2017 There's a link there too... https://premiumaquatics.com/images/file.php?file_id=139 Multiply PPB Phosphorus by 3.066 then divide by 1000 to equal PPM Phosphate Quote Link to comment
burtbollinger Posted October 26, 2017 Share Posted October 26, 2017 (edited) EDIT: sorry, didnt read that you already got it. I find the standard Phosphate one useless...I have never, ever gotten a reading that was not 0.00. I very much regret not getting the ultra low....even just for a standard LPS tank. its not about 'casual' or not...its about getting one that even gives a reading....and wasting 50 bucks. Edited October 26, 2017 by burtbollinger Quote Link to comment
Oldsalt01 Posted October 26, 2017 Author Share Posted October 26, 2017 1 hour ago, TILTON said: There's a link there too... https://premiumaquatics.com/images/file.php?file_id=139 Multiply PPB Phosphorus by 3.066 then divide by 1000 to equal PPM Phosphate Thank you, my friend. I found the Hanna conversion chart, which confused me even more: 59ppb=0,181. Means diddly to me as I don't recall using comma's in chemistry class. But then I was more interested in Ellen Beach's chest (my chemistry class partner), than I was about chemistry. Just sayin. 1 Quote Link to comment
Thrassian Atoll Posted October 26, 2017 Share Posted October 26, 2017 On the Apex when I put the number in, it automatically converts it. It would have taken me forever to realize that it wasn't as simple as 6 equals .006. Quote Link to comment
Oldsalt01 Posted October 26, 2017 Author Share Posted October 26, 2017 6 hours ago, TILTON said: There's a link there too... https://premiumaquatics.com/images/file.php?file_id=139 Multiply PPB Phosphorus by 3.066 then divide by 1000 to equal PPM Phosphate Thank you, my friend. I found the Hanna conversion chart, which confused me even more: 59ppb=0,181. Means diddly to me as I don't recall using comma's in chemistry class. But then I was more interested in Ellen Beach's chest (my chemistry class partner), than I was about chemistry. Just sayin. Quote Link to comment
Oldsalt01 Posted October 26, 2017 Author Share Posted October 26, 2017 Thanks for the conversion. Reading 0.1077. STILL too high. I may have to get more Phosguard. Can't seem to get it below that. Quote Link to comment
Ebn Posted October 26, 2017 Share Posted October 26, 2017 Don't stress over the reading if your corals looks fine and you don't have any algae. What my last test shows. Quote Link to comment
Thrassian Atoll Posted October 26, 2017 Share Posted October 26, 2017 If you have mostly softies I wouldn't worry a whole lot. High phosphate will inhibit growth and color from your sps though and might even enable tissue necrosis. Just tested mine and sitting pretty at .003. Quote Link to comment
Ebn Posted October 26, 2017 Share Posted October 26, 2017 Readings above are from my SPS dominant tank. Quote Link to comment
Thrassian Atoll Posted October 26, 2017 Share Posted October 26, 2017 10 minutes ago, Ebn said: Readings above are from my SPS dominant tank. That's interesting for sure. How's your algae? Quote Link to comment
Ebn Posted October 27, 2017 Share Posted October 27, 2017 None, other than coralline. I run the flipper on the glass every 2-3 days on average for the dust that's on just about every tank. My nitrates bottom out every couple of days and last measure at 0.2 ppm. I actually dose nitrates to keep it available for the corals. Quote Link to comment
Thrassian Atoll Posted October 27, 2017 Share Posted October 27, 2017 16 minutes ago, Ebn said: None, other than coralline. I run the flipper on the glass every 2-3 days on average for the dust that's on just about every tank. My nitrates bottom out every couple of days and last measure at 0.2 ppm. I actually dose nitrates to keep it available for the corals. I have heard it's hard to increase nitrate without increasing phosphate. Pretty interesting that your sps are doing well with the high phosphate though. I usually hear the high phosphate is the sps killer. I have heard a bunch about running high nitrate though and have good color and growth. Quote Link to comment
Ebn Posted October 27, 2017 Share Posted October 27, 2017 Yeah, most of the time, it's a combo of both, high nutrients with both nitrates and phosphates. In my case, it's high phosphates and me adding KNO3 to keep nitrates in my system. This is even with a heavy bioload of fish and feedings. Growth and colors don't seem to be affect, other than the fact that I can't get true yellows. It's more greenish than yellows for the most part, but that's always been an issue in others' tanks as well. I didn't test my phosphates until March 22, which read 0.15 ppm at that point and it's gone up since then to the 0.17 ppm. I take a lot of pics so I can always go back to reference them. Here's how the corals have done from March 20ish to within the last week or so (haven't taken any pics in almost a week haha). 1 Quote Link to comment
Thrassian Atoll Posted October 27, 2017 Share Posted October 27, 2017 I just got my first true yellow acro. I know yellow is one of the hardest colors to keep. That home wrecker though. ? Quote Link to comment
Oldsalt01 Posted October 27, 2017 Author Share Posted October 27, 2017 Corals? Hell, I can't even keep zoas alive. My toadstool is fine, and the Red People Eaters seem to have stopped receding, but I've lost every other zoa colony I've gotten. I'm considering Xenia..... yah, I know it's a pain, and it's invasive, but I'd like to be able to actually grow something in this tank besides bubble algae (no longer an issue, since I tore the tank down and sterilized it, replaced all the rock, and added sand). I'm afraid to try anything else. I even lost my Acans. Quote Link to comment
Oldsalt01 Posted November 5, 2017 Author Share Posted November 5, 2017 14g Biocube update. Been using the ULR Phosphorus Checker for about 1 week now, and I'm quite happy with it. Takes the guesswork out of color comparison with these old eyes. I'm not crazy about the test chemical format. Too bad it's not a liquid, as there is always some residual in the pouch when you dump it in, but it is what it is and I'm not running a chemical analysis company here, so..... A new Phosguard pouch in on Sunday. I tested for phosphates on Monday: 0.154, Thursday : 0.055ppm, Saturday: 0.064ppm, today: 0.091ppm. My Nitrates have climbed to 40ppm! THAT has me scratching my head a little as I only feed every other day for the fish (<1/4 cube Hakari Biopure brine and spirulina, or several small pinches of Sera Marin granules, and will occasionally supplement with a very tiny amount of cyclops or calanus) and I target feed the red people eaters, Neon Green GSP, and Ball 'nems with Reefroids once a week. The GSP only went in a week ago and has already started attaching to the isolated rock i glued the plug to. The people eaters (which I've had since the first of the year, small frag, 5 polyps) seem to be diminishing in size, but my Toadstool and Mushrooms seem to be going great guns. I had to replace all my LR due to a massive Bubble Algae outbreak about two months ago, and now I'm wondering if the replacement rock (seasoned, from my LFS) could be the source of the rising phosphates. But where the devil are the Nitrates coming from? I change 10-15% of my water weekly and do a floss change at the same time, and am running a stock carbon/floss cartridge in chamber 1, with a supplemental bag of Red Sea Reef-Spec carbon in the second chamber with additional floss over that. I've pulled the stock reticulated foam out of the baffle between chambers 2 and 3, and that's where I put the Phosguard bag. This tank has been a PIMA since I got it and I've never been able to keep zoas, no matter what I do. I replaced the stock CFL hood with a Hydra 26 and controller and that helped with the high temp issues I had, but not with any zoa growth. Opinions? Quote Link to comment
rsucre Posted November 5, 2017 Share Posted November 5, 2017 Ultra Low Phosphorus PPB Quote Link to comment
Oldsalt01 Posted November 5, 2017 Author Share Posted November 5, 2017 2 hours ago, rsucre said: Ultra Low Phosphorus PPB U want it in PPB? Sure: 30PPB ULP = 0.091 PPM PO4 Quote Link to comment
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