po4 test nothing below .08ppm

[kmaxwell]

I thought i had seen something on here about a possible issue with the color wheels. I have an algae management kit and straight out of my ro/di im getting .08ppm. New filters and my tds is 0.00ppm. Any advice would be great, thanks

[barry_keith]

I'm in the same boat with you, I've got the new color wheel, tried shaking it and so on... and it's always 0.08. Apparently a lot of people are having this problem. I've been reading the same thing on many other sites as well. I wish Red Sea would address this. I just purchased a couple bottles of the NOPOx and to be honest I'm kind of hesitant to start using it.

[sabbath]

I'm in the same boat with you, I've got the new color wheel, tried shaking it and so on... and it's always 0.08. Apparently a lot of people are having this problem. I've been reading the same thing on many other sites as well. I wish Red Sea would address this. I just purchased a couple bottles of the NOPOx and to be honest I'm kind of hesitant to start using it.

Coming from just vinager dosing. I started using nopox and their reef energy a and b a few weeks ago. I have their no3 test and use a hanna ppb po4 checker for testing po4. I have found with only dosing 1ml in a 120g a day im still reading 0 no3 and very low po3.
I'm seeing less algae growth and better coral colors at this point. So I hope that it is mostly that there po4 test is faulty. This fits too with their instructions as i read them. I read them as, dose nopox based on no3 and reef energy on type of corals and to back off if you get too much algae growth.

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[Whitebeam]

I get a clear 0.02ppm PO4 reading each time. Either my eyes are odd or it works for me.

Now, what we need are absolute 0.02, 0.04 & 0.08ppm reference solutions...

Peter

[AquamanSE]

I have a 0.02 reading. I plan to take a water sample to our next week club meet for a hannah reading. I'm on a little bit of a RS kick right now so I went ahead and got them too as it was good value to boot. I hope I made the right choice. Oh the reading was more clear than salifert.......I think this is a reminder to the hobbiest that no one has all the bases covered.

[d0ughb0y]

The color is really a bit tricky to read. If you search here, I too had the same issue where it seems the reading is always 0.08 regardless. I have since used a different cuvet (one from salifert kit) and wait an extra few minutes before checking the color, and it definitely looks more like 0.02 than 0.08. And I don't use the wheel holder. I just put up the vial next to the color wheel. But I think even if you use the cuvet and wheel holder that comes with the RS kit, if you just wait a few minutes longer, you can get a better reading. 0.02 is a lighter shade of 0.08 color.

[RedSea Aviad]

Good morning everyone,
First of all, all of our test kits work best under fluorescent lights, lab standard COOL WHITE.
In some tests like PO4 test, it highly recommended to test under such light, as it can influence the results.
TEST UNDER THIS LIGHT FIRST.

Second ,we might have a problem with some of the reagent A droppers,
try adding 11 drops or 0.5 ml (with syringe), of reagent A, and see if this is the cause.

I’ll be happy to hear about it and get the LOT#, in order to see if this is the cause or we might have a greater issue.
Thank you for letting us know and helping us improve.
All the best,
Aviad

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?p=19490418#post19490418

Please let me know there.
All the Best,
Aviad

[d0ughb0y]

I don't know about others, I find my reagent B bottle to be quite oily, like it is leaking. I am sure the bottle and the box are always stored upright and never on its side.

[Whitebeam]

I have a 0.02 reading. I plan to take a water sample to our next week club meet for a hannah reading. I'm on a little bit of a RS kick right now so I went ahead and got them too as it was good value to boot. I hope I made the right choice. Oh the reading was more clear than salifert.......I think this is a reminder to the hobbiest that no one has all the bases covered.

When comparing your answers, do remember that the Hanna Phosphorus Checker has a stated accuracy of +/-10ppb phosphorous - this is equivalent to +/-31ppb or +/- 0.03ppm phosphate. The quoted accuracy of the RS kit is +/-0.02ppm phosphate (all figures taken straight from the manufacturer's websites).

Quoting an extreme case, this means that your RS reading of 0.02ppm could actually be anywhere between 0.04ppm and 0.00ppm whereas a 0.07ppm phosphate (23ppb phosphorous) reading on the Hanna could actually be anywhere between 0.10ppm and 0.04ppm phosphate - as these ranges overlap (albeit only just), you would have to say that these two readings would still be valid for the same sample.

Peter

[RedSea Aviad]

I don't know about others, I find my reagent B bottle to be quite oily, like it is leaking. I am sure the bottle and the box are always stored upright and never on its side.

Hi,
Reagent B is thick indeed, make sure there is no leftover reagent on the dropper, or wipe it afterwards.
The remaining reagent on the top will slide down at the end of each use, it might be confused with leakage.
Aviad

[d0ughb0y]

FWIW, I tried using 11 drops and my reading appears to be 0. I asked two other people in the house and both says 0.

Perhaps the PO4 issue thread should be stickied.

[AC_TRS]

I have the same result when I test for PO4, it is always 0.08ppm and I do it under white flourescent light. The lot number on my reagent A bottle is 081 and on the B is 041.

[RedSea Aviad]

Please post all of the info here:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2092152
Thank you.
Aviad