Red sea phosphate test kit

LS90gal · 01/09/2014, 12:53 PM

I purchased a red sea Phosphate test kit yesterday. I tested my tank water and it was .08ppm.
I tested my RO/DI water and it also tested .08ppm.
My RO/DI has a TDS meter and that reads 0.00
Has anyone one had issues with this test kit?
I think this kit is off.

LS90gal · 01/10/2014, 08:09 PM

Anyone using red sea phosphate kit.

nogascans · 01/10/2014, 08:15 PM

Was it RO/DI water, or RO/DI water mixed with salt at proper level?

Sincerely,

David

LS90gal · 01/15/2014, 08:23 AM

It was ro that was mixed to a proper level.

Ikserk · 01/15/2014, 10:23 AM

Since the RO/DI water was mixed with salt before you tested it, it is unclear whether the .08 ppm on the phosphate test is from the RO/DI water or the salt mix you are using.

Try testing RO/DI water straight out of your DI stage, even avoid putting into a holding tank if possible. if the phosphate test on the pure RO/DI water is 0, then the phosphate is coming from either the salt mix, the salt water mixing container, or the RO/DI storage container.

Flakes · 01/15/2014, 01:04 PM

0.08ppm is the lowest value this test kit can read.If I am not mistaken the manufacturer made a comment on this issue as well.Happened to me..

Realposition · 01/16/2014, 12:26 AM

i tried this test kit as well, always read .08ppm. There are lots of threads about it

downbeach · 01/16/2014, 05:04 AM

A Hanna checker would be best for testing PO4. Although I do like the new Red Sea Pro kit for Ca, Mg and Alk.

SeargentSlice · 01/16/2014, 06:33 AM

I have both red sea and Hanna. I wouldnt wast the money on the hanna its just as bad with readings. There quality control on the reagents is not good I got a pack of 100bad reag that all test 0.00 and reaqdings also depend on how clean the are an the oriantation on which they are placed in the meter. I was given the advise to get an elos phos kit never did now I dont test i just observe the tank if I have to clean haze off glass daily ill change GFO. My acros got way more color now then keeping my water stripped of po4 I dont have nusiance algea and growth of corals is way better. No more headaches of chasing numbers. One thing I did learn is pulling po4 out to fast trying to chase the target .03 with inacurate test kits has cost me a few frags.

Yogre · 01/16/2014, 06:45 AM

I have the Red Sea Pro PO4 kit as well, and no matter what I tested I could never get a result below 0.08ppm, even testing effluent from a freshly refilled GFO reactor. The kit I have is junk, I don't use it.

There have been several threads about this issue, even in the Red Sea forum. As far as I know, Red Sea has never stated definitively what the problem is with the kit.

curviceps · 06/14/2016, 02:56 AM

Hi all, apologies for resurrecting this thread. Have seen that there have been issues dating back many years where the reading always came out at 0.08, and have not been able to find anything definitive as to whether or not the Red Sea Phosphate test kits are now more accurate.

I am considering buying the Red Sea Nitrate/Phosphate combo kit and was wondering if the phosphate kits are fine to use now.

Cheers
Tim

downbeach · 06/14/2016, 03:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by curviceps

Hi all, apologies for resurrecting this thread. Have seen that there have been issues dating back many years where the reading always came out at 0.08, and have not been able to find anything definitive as to whether or not the Red Sea Phosphate test kits are now more accurate.

I am considering buying the Red Sea Nitrate/Phosphate combo kit and was wondering if the phosphate kits are fine to use now.

Cheers
Tim

I think a Hanna checker is your best bet for this test, I never had a problem with mine.

homer1475 · 06/14/2016, 05:13 AM

I use a red sea kit and get very reliable readings. I don't know if they changed something or not since these year old threads.

After reading several threads about the trouble with them I bought a Salifert kit, and Hanna checker just to confirm my readings. All 3 kits come out to nearly identical results. So whatever the issue was with red sea kits, I think they have fixed them.

On a side note, my red sea kit is roughly 6 months old. Just slightly younger then the OP of this thread.

FWIW & IMHO, I really dislike the hanna checker, it's way to finicky to read accurately. A simple smudge from a fingerprint, or slight haze from use will throw it completely off. For the price they charge for these kits, they should be easier to use and not be so finicky. I do not use the Hanna meter anymore and rely strickly on my Red Sea or Salifert kits.

01/09/2014, 12:53 PM	#1
LS90gal Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: CT Posts: 109	Red sea phosphate test kit I purchased a red sea Phosphate test kit yesterday. I tested my tank water and it was .08ppm. I tested my RO/DI water and it also tested .08ppm. My RO/DI has a TDS meter and that reads 0.00 Has anyone one had issues with this test kit? I think this kit is off.

01/16/2014, 12:26 AM	#7
Realposition Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Cheektowaga NY Posts: 320	i tried this test kit as well, always read .08ppm. There are lots of threads about it __________________ Larry

01/16/2014, 06:45 AM	#10
Yogre Cheesehead Reefer Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Madison, Wisconsin Posts: 1,351	I have the Red Sea Pro PO4 kit as well, and no matter what I tested I could never get a result below 0.08ppm, even testing effluent from a freshly refilled GFO reactor. The kit I have is junk, I don't use it. There have been several threads about this issue, even in the Red Sea forum. As far as I know, Red Sea has never stated definitively what the problem is with the kit. __________________ "Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow." ~ Albert Einstein Current Tank Info: 215 gal TBS Reef

06/14/2016, 05:13 AM	#13
homer1475 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Upstate NY Posts: 5,313	I use a red sea kit and get very reliable readings. I don't know if they changed something or not since these year old threads. After reading several threads about the trouble with them I bought a Salifert kit, and Hanna checker just to confirm my readings. All 3 kits come out to nearly identical results. So whatever the issue was with red sea kits, I think they have fixed them. On a side note, my red sea kit is roughly 6 months old. Just slightly younger then the OP of this thread. FWIW & IMHO, I really dislike the hanna checker, it's way to finicky to read accurately. A simple smudge from a fingerprint, or slight haze from use will throw it completely off. For the price they charge for these kits, they should be easier to use and not be so finicky. I do not use the Hanna meter anymore and rely strickly on my Red Sea or Salifert kits. __________________ 80G SCA Build: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2560256 Originally posted by der_wille_zur_macht: "He's just taking his lunch to work"

01/10/2014, 08:09 PM	#2
LS90gal Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: CT Posts: 109	Anyone using red sea phosphate kit.

01/10/2014, 08:15 PM	#3
nogascans Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Jesup, Georgia (USA) Posts: 387	Was it RO/DI water, or RO/DI water mixed with salt at proper level? Sincerely, David

01/15/2014, 08:23 AM	#4
LS90gal Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: CT Posts: 109	It was ro that was mixed to a proper level.

01/15/2014, 10:23 AM	#5
Ikserk Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 72	Since the RO/DI water was mixed with salt before you tested it, it is unclear whether the .08 ppm on the phosphate test is from the RO/DI water or the salt mix you are using. Try testing RO/DI water straight out of your DI stage, even avoid putting into a holding tank if possible. if the phosphate test on the pure RO/DI water is 0, then the phosphate is coming from either the salt mix, the salt water mixing container, or the RO/DI storage container.

01/15/2014, 01:04 PM	#6
Flakes Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 63	0.08ppm is the lowest value this test kit can read.If I am not mistaken the manufacturer made a comment on this issue as well.Happened to me..

01/16/2014, 05:04 AM	#8
downbeach Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Smyrna, Delaware Posts: 3,767	A Hanna checker would be best for testing PO4. Although I do like the new Red Sea Pro kit for Ca, Mg and Alk.

01/16/2014, 06:33 AM	#9
SeargentSlice Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Weathersfield, OHIO Posts: 219	I have both red sea and Hanna. I wouldnt wast the money on the hanna its just as bad with readings. There quality control on the reagents is not good I got a pack of 100bad reag that all test 0.00 and reaqdings also depend on how clean the are an the oriantation on which they are placed in the meter. I was given the advise to get an elos phos kit never did now I dont test i just observe the tank if I have to clean haze off glass daily ill change GFO. My acros got way more color now then keeping my water stripped of po4 I dont have nusiance algea and growth of corals is way better. No more headaches of chasing numbers. One thing I did learn is pulling po4 out to fast trying to chase the target .03 with inacurate test kits has cost me a few frags.

06/14/2016, 02:56 AM	#11
curviceps Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2014 Posts: 38	Hi all, apologies for resurrecting this thread. Have seen that there have been issues dating back many years where the reading always came out at 0.08, and have not been able to find anything definitive as to whether or not the Red Sea Phosphate test kits are now more accurate. I am considering buying the Red Sea Nitrate/Phosphate combo kit and was wondering if the phosphate kits are fine to use now. Cheers Tim