Test Kit Lesson, Nitrate & Phosphates

NS Mike D · 06/15/2016, 10:06 AM

Today I switched from using the API test kits to Red Sea N03/PO4 test kits. I started this hobby a little more that 14 months ago with a little research and a lot more impulse, and so I came home from Pet Smart with a basic 29gal tank and the API saltwater test kist (Ph, Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate adding the Phosphate test a few months later). I use Red Sea for CA, K & Mg.

Thread after thread I read advice that began with knowing what the tank parameters are to determine a solid plan of action other than guess work and impulsive dosing various chemicals. So I regularly test my water and record in a spreadsheet.

Also, I took heed of threads that put emphasis on listening to what you tank was telling you. My tank has been telling me the API tests were not accurate. For a year, they had indicated NO3 and PO4 as being zero.

Yet, the presence of cyanobacteria, great growth with my softies but inferior results with my LPS and SPS, and a heavy bio-load had me unconvinced that the API numbers were accurate.

This morning, using the Red Sea kit I recorded NO3 at 3ppm and PO4 at .04ppm.

Having recently focused on PO4 removal (and the near elimination of the cyano that was growing on my sand bed) I now have more confidence in my approach.

My target numbers are for accelerated growth = NO3 = 2ppm and PO4 = .1ppm which would also be approximately in the 16:1 ratio that is believed to limit algae blooms. My current ratio is 75.

The rest of my numbers are in range of what I have researched as acceptable, and near what I have targeted based on Red Sea's parameters for aggressive coral SPS growth.

To get the NO3/P04 in balance, I can better the flow of my bio-pellets (they barely move) by upgrading my reactor pump and removing the GFO I had added to deal with the cyano.

So the whole point (and passing along good advice from the members of this board) is spend the money on good test kits and don't ignore your observations of the tank just because a test kit is reading otherwise.

06/15/2016, 10:06 AM	#1
NS Mike D Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Huntington, NY Posts: 391	Test Kit Lesson, Nitrate & Phosphates Today I switched from using the API test kits to Red Sea N03/PO4 test kits. I started this hobby a little more that 14 months ago with a little research and a lot more impulse, and so I came home from Pet Smart with a basic 29gal tank and the API saltwater test kist (Ph, Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate adding the Phosphate test a few months later). I use Red Sea for CA, K & Mg. Thread after thread I read advice that began with knowing what the tank parameters are to determine a solid plan of action other than guess work and impulsive dosing various chemicals. So I regularly test my water and record in a spreadsheet. Also, I took heed of threads that put emphasis on listening to what you tank was telling you. My tank has been telling me the API tests were not accurate. For a year, they had indicated NO3 and PO4 as being zero. Yet, the presence of cyanobacteria, great growth with my softies but inferior results with my LPS and SPS, and a heavy bio-load had me unconvinced that the API numbers were accurate. This morning, using the Red Sea kit I recorded NO3 at 3ppm and PO4 at .04ppm. Having recently focused on PO4 removal (and the near elimination of the cyano that was growing on my sand bed) I now have more confidence in my approach. My target numbers are for accelerated growth = NO3 = 2ppm and PO4 = .1ppm which would also be approximately in the 16:1 ratio that is believed to limit algae blooms. My current ratio is 75. The rest of my numbers are in range of what I have researched as acceptable, and near what I have targeted based on Red Sea's parameters for aggressive coral SPS growth. To get the NO3/P04 in balance, I can better the flow of my bio-pellets (they barely move) by upgrading my reactor pump and removing the GFO I had added to deal with the cyano. So the whole point (and passing along good advice from the members of this board) is spend the money on good test kits and don't ignore your observations of the tank just because a test kit is reading otherwise.