Getting my head around Phosphorous readings-help!

Crush Coral · 03/29/2015, 01:37 PM

I recently purchased a Hanna Phosphorous Low Range 736 tester. I tested my HA infested bio fuel producing tank last week and got a reading of 41. After doing the conversion to phosphate by 41*3.o66/1000 I get .125.
?#1 Is this high as I believe so?

Yesterday I changed out my reactor and put in 1 cup of phospure along with 1 cup of carbon. 24 hours later I checked it and got a reading of 25. After the conversion I get a final number of .07665.

If the target is .05 as I have read should I assume that my tank is a phospate factory? I feed 1/2 cube of frozen food being mysis or plancton along with about the same amount of Limpets frozen coral food. 40% H2O changes every 3 weeks with rodi water. I could pull about 1/8 cup of HA daily from my 75 gallon tank.

Please school me. What #s should I be seeing if I were to get rid of the HA? I do not have my refugium installed yet but a ATS is in my future. For now I would like to get rid of the HA with GFO.

Any help is appreciated!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Crush Coral · 03/29/2015, 03:39 PM

Any help here? I need to understand this test better.

CStrickland · 03/29/2015, 04:46 PM

I think you're doing the test right.
Of course, it only showing you free phos, a tiny snapshot of the total phos in the tank. Many algae are inorganic phos limited at starting ~.05 I think, but it doesn't work like one can just hit that number and the GHA withers. Algae can be pretty clever at utilizing organic phos before the gfo or Hanna gets a chance to see it.

I don't know what you mean by a phosphate factory? Most of it comes in as food, I prefer to feed plenty and remove phos when it comes out the backdoor

so it depends how many fish you have. Also, I thought the phosfree dosage was in the tablespoons? Using a cup and dropping the level by half overnight might be a little drastic for your stock. How old is the tank, and what corals do you have?

Here's an article I like that might help http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-09/rhf/

Crush Coral · 03/29/2015, 08:18 PM

10 year old 75 gallon tank. Monti cap, setosa, digitata, and the rest softies and lps. If I added gfo by the tablespoons I would be changing it every other day. Should I not be reading 0 24 hours after changning my gfo?

CStrickland · 03/29/2015, 08:46 PM

I think its like anything else, only bad things happen fast. But idk if that's too fast, I just usually stick to the instructions when it comes to chemicals and stuff. Some of the sps can be picky about things like that and it takes longer to recover than it does to bleach.

Did the article help?

tkeracer619 · 03/29/2015, 09:45 PM

Like posted you are only seeing a tiny portion of the phosphates. Continue manual removal and gfo. It takes a long time to remove the phosphate but you are on the right track.

Whater changes hardly remove excessive phosphates.

Crush Coral · 03/30/2015, 06:53 AM

The article did shed more light on it. Thnx. I just do not understand why. Read success stories from other reefers and my battle just goes on. Tess I will keep fighting and look forward to the day i can install my sump and ats. Thnx

CStrickland · 03/30/2015, 09:21 AM

It can take a loooong time because of how the phos attaches to your rocks, and the algae has a lot of tricks to stay alive. Also, I think that even though we just call it all hair algae there's like diff species and stuff. Like how there diff kinds of grass and some do better in shade or with less water, y'know? If you get the right one for your tank it is a battle.

Good luck!

03/29/2015, 09:45 PM	#6
tkeracer619 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Westminster, CO Posts: 17,289	Like posted you are only seeing a tiny portion of the phosphates. Continue manual removal and gfo. It takes a long time to remove the phosphate but you are on the right track. Whater changes hardly remove excessive phosphates. __________________ Hobby Experience: 9200ish gallons, 26 skimmers, and a handful of Kent Scrapers. Current Tank: Vortech Powered 600G SPS Tank w/ 100gal frag tank & 100g Sump. RK2-RK10 Skimmer. ReefAngel. Radium 20k.

03/29/2015, 01:37 PM	#1
Crush Coral Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Central Wisconsin Posts: 1,233	Getting my head around Phosphorous readings-help! I recently purchased a Hanna Phosphorous Low Range 736 tester. I tested my HA infested bio fuel producing tank last week and got a reading of 41. After doing the conversion to phosphate by 41*3.o66/1000 I get .125. ?#1 Is this high as I believe so? Yesterday I changed out my reactor and put in 1 cup of phospure along with 1 cup of carbon. 24 hours later I checked it and got a reading of 25. After the conversion I get a final number of .07665. If the target is .05 as I have read should I assume that my tank is a phospate factory? I feed 1/2 cube of frozen food being mysis or plancton along with about the same amount of Limpets frozen coral food. 40% H2O changes every 3 weeks with rodi water. I could pull about 1/8 cup of HA daily from my 75 gallon tank. Please school me. What #s should I be seeing if I were to get rid of the HA? I do not have my refugium installed yet but a ATS is in my future. For now I would like to get rid of the HA with GFO. Any help is appreciated!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

03/29/2015, 03:39 PM	#2
Crush Coral Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Central Wisconsin Posts: 1,233	Any help here? I need to understand this test better.

03/29/2015, 04:46 PM	#3
CStrickland Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: New England, U.S. Posts: 4,595	I think you're doing the test right. Of course, it only showing you free phos, a tiny snapshot of the total phos in the tank. Many algae are inorganic phos limited at starting ~.05 I think, but it doesn't work like one can just hit that number and the GHA withers. Algae can be pretty clever at utilizing organic phos before the gfo or Hanna gets a chance to see it. I don't know what you mean by a phosphate factory? Most of it comes in as food, I prefer to feed plenty and remove phos when it comes out the backdoor so it depends how many fish you have. Also, I thought the phosfree dosage was in the tablespoons? Using a cup and dropping the level by half overnight might be a little drastic for your stock. How old is the tank, and what corals do you have? Here's an article I like that might help http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-09/rhf/

03/29/2015, 08:18 PM	#4
Crush Coral Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Central Wisconsin Posts: 1,233	10 year old 75 gallon tank. Monti cap, setosa, digitata, and the rest softies and lps. If I added gfo by the tablespoons I would be changing it every other day. Should I not be reading 0 24 hours after changning my gfo?

03/29/2015, 08:46 PM	#5
CStrickland Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: New England, U.S. Posts: 4,595	I think its like anything else, only bad things happen fast. But idk if that's too fast, I just usually stick to the instructions when it comes to chemicals and stuff. Some of the sps can be picky about things like that and it takes longer to recover than it does to bleach. Did the article help?

03/30/2015, 06:53 AM	#7
Crush Coral Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Central Wisconsin Posts: 1,233	The article did shed more light on it. Thnx. I just do not understand why. Read success stories from other reefers and my battle just goes on. Tess I will keep fighting and look forward to the day i can install my sump and ats. Thnx

03/30/2015, 09:21 AM	#8
CStrickland Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: New England, U.S. Posts: 4,595	It can take a loooong time because of how the phos attaches to your rocks, and the algae has a lot of tricks to stay alive. Also, I think that even though we just call it all hair algae there's like diff species and stuff. Like how there diff kinds of grass and some do better in shade or with less water, y'know? If you get the right one for your tank it is a battle. Good luck!