Phosphate testing and results

[Clown79]

So we all no 0 phos is not optimal and there are instances when phos/nitrates aren't in balance which can cause issues in our tanks.

 

My experience since I started my tanks - I always get 0 results for phos.

 

I have 4 Reef tanks and my phos tests are always 0, from the beginning.

 

With or without phosguard use my phos is always 0. I even stopped testing because it was useless. 

 

I use salifert to test.

 

Anyone else have this experience?

[TheBig053]

Yes, I have never once had my phosphate test anything other than 0. With or without PhosGuard or GFO. Also using Salifert test. I have had algae problems though! Hah. 

[brianinak]

hanna low range, always 0.00

[gone_PHiSHin]

had 0 ppb on the Hanna ULR until i took the GFO out

 

now it reads from 5-15 ppb

 

i still have no algae in the tank, i just have to clean the glass every other day

[FISHnChix]

Yea I have had that lately with the salfert test kit . I also have their ph kit. For reference now I put plain saltwater in the second vile from the ph kit.  Makes it easier to see if you are 0 or .03...

[Clown79]

Glad its not just me.

 

I've had some algae issues from time to time, I use tiny amounts of phosguard but even before I still had 0 phos.

 

 

[Sea_Of_Treachery]

Corals absorb phosphates as well which could be why its reading 0 also. If everything in your system is happy and thriving, i would not be worrying about adjusting any phosphate levels or adding more nutrients to create more. I'm reading 0 on my Seachem Kit.

[reeferx2]

I used to always see 0 phosphate also in my reef, stopped testing for it altogether for quite sometime. Now that I've been more on top of testing lately, I began using the low range method from Salifert and see .015 almost religiously. If I do the standard test I see 0 still.