Judging Phosphate

[wasp]

Well since that thread a few days ago I've been convinced to get a Hanna Colorimeter. The good and bad thing is that this has been discussed with family and I will get one :icon_bigg , but not until next Christmas. :worried:

So - The thing is, how to judge phosphate in the meantime?

My current kit always reads zero even in pre zeovit days when I had hair algae, so I don't trust it. Also in the past, there was no such thing for me as too little phosphate, it was always a case of trying to get it as low as possible. I judged it by how often I cleaned the glass, if it was 3 days or less I figured there was too much phosphate.
But now I only clean the glass maybe once a month. Just wondered if that could mean phosphate is too low, or if it is not really an accurate indicator at all?

[Orion76]

What kit do you use now? As far as reagant based test kits go, I'm partial to Merck.

If you clean your glass only once a month I think your nutrients are probably very very low

[wasp]

I'm using a Seachem. But I'm not buying anything else, I'll hang out until I get the Hanna.
Just sometimes the corals have great color, and then they seem to go pale for a while. I'm guessing this is phosphate related but it will be nice to know for sure exactly where I'm at.

[keigo]

maybe u can do the same.. send your water to someone who has hanna and help you test and u will roughly know your p04 level is...

[G.Alexander]

Alastair, I made the experience if colours look “washed out” and the tissue of corals is very light, some additional “coral feeding” will bring back intensive coloration. It can also be helpful to use less zeolite & carbon. I also would recommend to dose, especially ZeoStart ,in a very low quantity until you notice the tissue becomes darker again.

It is also possible to lower the efficiency of the zeolite reactor by a weaker water flow through the material.

Make also sure you dose AAHC.

G.Alexander

[wasp]

That all makes good sense, thanks for the great advice!

Although Keigo there is nobody in my country, that I know of, with a Hanna colorimeter, I think I will be the first!

I'm in a pale stage at the moment, so I will do all that.

Also, I've been using start2, but I decided a couple of weeks ago to finish off the old bottle of start1, and have been using that for around two weeks, which is the same time the sps began to pale. Wonder if that could be the reason, or just coincidence?

[Aged Salt]

Hi Alastair, no doubt Start1 is a factor here. One might consider alternating betwwen Start1 & 2 until Start1 is finished. Also do use AAHC, as Alexander mentioned. Bob

[wasp]

Yes I'll be dosing AAHC, and I might just toss the old start1 bottle. Would some additional zeofood7 be any advantage?

On the subject of AAHC, a guy here had a very positive experience with it recently, been on zeo for I think around 4 months but still had some sps just not growing, pretty much dormant. Then he began AAHC, and these sps all began growth, he is very pleased.

[keigo]

but how much AAHC he is dosing..??

[wasp]

Hmm... Let me check that, I'll let you know.

[keigo]

thanks...

[cookie extreme]

my tank is 1000ltr plus a sump of 200ltr filled with water (acutal sump is 330 ltr).
i dosed daily zeofood7 plus zeostart2 with good results, execept some of my acro's showed no sign of growth what so ever. i then started to dose aahc and within a week some of my dorment acro's produced growth tips and are still growing strong. the only think i changed was adding aahc from zeovit it was quite awesome.
nowadays i dose 2ml zeostart2, 7 drops food, 7 drops aahc. i just down graded my lights to 150 watts so will keep you updated.

[kiwireefer]

Wasp, I had a Hanna photometer but sold it to Rnb here in NZ. I think the best indicator for PO4 is the old "eyeometer"
I became very frustrated with the Hana. I think "cookie extreme" uses the eyeometer as well, you need to calibrate it though with lots of steinlager

Brendan Zeovit New Zealand Australia

[Orion76]

you need to calibrate it though with lots of steinlager

HAHAHAHA

[wasp]

Wish I'd known that Brendan. I always seem to miss these things. Actually I think Peter is mounting a secret campaign to buy up every second hand item that is sold in NZ before anyone else can get it :hahano:

Keigo I should mention that Cookie Extreme is the person I was refering too re the AAHC, he answered your question himself.