Results from Phosphate Tests - Need an explanation

[fluidimagery]

Alright, so my wife is pregnant and she's been needing most of the attention I used to dedicate to my tank so it's been slacking a little. It's been rock solid for about 8 months but I just had my first hiccup due to a naughty angel who's since removed and an alkalinity slide. In any event I'm not sure the major cause but 2 colonies of my pocciliora started to STN. One is completely gone, no big deal but the other is my favorite that I grew from a small frag over the past 3 years from tank to tank. I did a large water change and adjusted my AquaMedic Doser, replaced carbon and phosban in their seperate reactors so I have my parameters in check right now.
However, I've been noticing my SPS aren't as colorful as they were. Time to pull out the Hanna Meter. I did a bunch of tests today as well as a few days ago. I was a bit surprised at the results.
3 days ago before the big water change (1 test each):
Tank: 0.11
Phosban Reactor: 0.06
Tonight (3 tests each)
Tank: 0.05
Phosban Reactor: 0.03
Fresh RODI Water: 0.05
Mixing Salt Water w/Tropic Marin: 0.15

Do you see the problem? Why the heck is my makeup water so high in phosphates? The TDS meter I have on the RODI shows the incoming water as 56ppm and the ouput as 0ppm. Filters were changed about 8 months ago (time to do it again)? Next is the mixed salt water... why so high in phosphates? Each one of the above tests were done 3 times and I took the average of each.
Thanks

 

[Deanos]

From those numbers, it appears to be the salt.

 

[crox99]

Are you cleaning the vial very good in between tests?

 

[Phyl]

There is also a margin of error on the meter, which may account for the .05 in your fresh RO/DI. I've understood that TM does (as do they all) contain some phosphate, and I think the number you have there is not all that uncommon.

 

[fluidimagery]

I tried a differerent container tonight just to rule that out. I typically use a 32g rubbermaid (tough?) for my water changes. I just used a 5g Tropic Marin bucket tonight. The water straight out of the tubing of the RODI measured .03 and .02 in my two tests. I then added a cup of tropic marin and a power head to the bucket. 3 hours later I tested the water again. Salinity was 1.015 and phosphate measured at .09 and .10 in my two tests. I added some more salt to bring it up to the normal 1.025 and will test again later or tomorrow morning.

Seems there's definately a considerable amount of phosphate in the salt.

I'm concerned now with the water changes. I know it's important for the trace elements, but now I'm adding more phosphates to my water. I typically do 25g changes once a week in the 140g system, maybe I'll drop that back to 10g else run a seperate phosban reactor is the salt mix to remove whatever is in there.

Maybe a bad batch of salt? dunno...

 

[crox99]

I thought TM iss one of the best!!!:tired:

 

[fluidimagery]

I don't mean to scare any of you. Tropic Marin is the only salt I've ever used since I thought it was the best. I'm going to stop at the LFS over the weekend if I get a chance and pick up a small box to see if maybe I have a bad batch ??

 

[fritz]

I'm amazed your PO4 is that low coming our of an 8 month old DI filter.

 

[fluidimagery]

I've been changing all the filters once a year. Is that too long?

 

[fluidimagery]

I just tested the water at 1.025... came back as .18 on both tests. Yikes!

Is it alright to run a phosban reactor in the mixing container or will it remove trace elements?

 

[LeslieS]

Are there any other people who use TM that can test their freshly made salt water?

 

[fluidimagery]

I'm going to setup some phosban tonight in the mixing container. I don't have any extra reactors but will use an aquaclear for now.

I found another thread on the NJ club forum that's about the exact situation as mine only with Reef Crystals.
http://www.njreefers.org/joomla/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=26&topic=4765.0

 

[fritz]

To answer your question about the filters, they all exhaust at different rates. Compounded with that, each filters job is to remove all the larger particles that would clog the other filters down the line very quickly.

I change out my sediment filters about every two months.
I change out my carbon filters every 6 months.
I change my DI about every 4-5 months.
I change my RO filter once a year.


If the sediment filter gets clogged, your carbon filters will clog up, thereby clogging up your RO filter (expensive). Essentially you use the cheap filters to prolong the life of the expensive filter.

I've been told that RO will not remove phosphates, DI is the only filter that will remove phosphates.

 

[Wes]

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/s...adid=1110313&highlight=tropic+marin+phosphate

 

[Aqua Pro Builder]

There is no doubt that TM has very high inorganic phosphorus.

Judging a synthetic sea salt JUST by the PO4 could be misleading.

In my own researches and experience that a lot of times, the good or bad of sea salt is mostly related to the metal they contained. I found that natural sea water including those contaminated water along NYC, seems to work better than any synthetic ones.

 

[fluidimagery]

I started using the NSFW but it just seemed too iffy. Some batchs had a funny smell to them... same location on a similiar incoming tide. (Shinnicock Inlet)

Just seemed like a lot of work for my weekly water changes.

 

[KathyC]

When I first started out I used TM Pro salt as I was told it was the best available. I liked the fact that it disolved so rapidly & completely but I always had a green film of algae on my glass until I hooked up a phosban reactor.

FWIW..I just tested my Rodi water (with my Hanna) and it came out at .01 (6 stage rodi, filters are all about 4 months old.. including the membrane.
The I tested my SW for my water change (it's been sitting aerating for about 3 days)..and it came out at .03..I have been using regular Reef Crystals salt.
I do mix/store my water in a Brute can.

 

[Aqua Pro Builder]

FWIW..I just tested my Rodi water (with my Hanna) and it came out at .01 (6 stage rodi, filters are all about 4 months old.. including the membrane.

Wow it's a good RO/DI machine you got there, a client of mine who brought a 5 stage filter from a vendor here has 0.06-0.09 (with Hana) at about 2 months old.

Pm me the brand please.

 

[pecan2phat]

I concur that it is the salt. I just made 40g of RO/DI water, tested with a Hanna @ 0.03, added Reef Crystals to 1.025 and let it mix overnight in a Brute container and now it tested @ 0.14

Basically false advertising on IO's part of nitrate & phosphate free :irked:

If you think about it, everytime I do a water change , I'm increasing the PO4 in my tank since it's lower then 0.14 :smash:

 

[Bob 1000]

Denitrifier with phosphate option seems to be doing a good,My corals don't have any signs of something bad happening and my PH got low for about a week...Also lets me go a long period of time without water changes too....And I just figure out how to make a cheaper version...