colstudent69's Full Review: Salifert Phosphate Test Kit
OK mad scientists, it is time for another installment of reef chemistry 101! What is that, you are saying "Do we HAVVVEEE To mad scientist Brian?" Do you want your corals to grow as fast as possible and be healthy? I thought so. Do you want to minimize the time you are spending cleaning algae off your glass? I thought so, so listen up!
Phosphate Discussion:
Why are saltwater(SW) reef keepers concerned about phosphate? Well, some recent studies have shown that high levels of phosphate will actually slow or stop the growth of corals in aquariums. Any level higher than .25ppm will slow coral growth.
Phosphate is also an important nutrient for the growth of algae in aquariums. Some algae is good in aquariums, especially macro(large) algae that can be harvested for nutrient export. However, too much phosphate will cause undesirable algae to cover the surface of your tank and grow on your rocks or in severe cases on your corals. Nuisance algae are the bane of many reef keepers lives.
So monitoring phosphate is useful to make sure you aren't allowing conditions favorable for algae growth or reduced coral growth.
Major sources of phosphate in SW aquariums are water, live rock, food, phytoplankton and in some cases, salt mixes.
The test kit:
You get the testing vial, one liquid reagent, one crystal reagent, a measuring/mixing spoon and a color chart.
Usage:
This test kit can only be used at one strength and lasts for 60 tests. You add 4 drops of the liquid reagent, 1 spoon of the crystal and mix it for 40 seconds total. You then compare the color of the liquid to the color chart.
It can be used for higher sensitivity by doubling the reagents and water.
This test should be used once every 1-2 months to monitor your phosphate levels. Once you detect phosphate then you need to remove the phosphate and test more frequently, probably once a week.
The Good:
This test kit is easier to use than most other Salifert kits that involve 3 or more reagents and precise drops.
The price on-line is around $12-$13 as of 06/15/2005, so that works out to $.20 per test, a very reasonable price for a test kit.
The Bad:
The expiration date is typically 2-3 years after you get the test, so if you only need to test once a month then the test kit will expire before you are finished with the tests.
The test kit does involve liquid reagents and a crystal that could absorb water, so be sure to store them sealed very tight or they could become contaminated.
The color chart is difficult to read at time, especially when you have a very faint level of phosphate. The chart scale is: 0.03, 0.10, 0.25, 0.50, 1.00, 3.00. It is difficult to determine if your color is between two readings, for example it is hard to tell if your phosphate level is .03 or .10. This isn't a major problem, but something to note.
Brian's Helpful Aquarium Tip #240:
Most aquariums that use RO/DI water and light feeding will have a zero Phosphate reading, so it might be hard to be sure your test kit is working. You can make sure you test kit is detecting phosphate with two methods. First you can test just tap water which typically contains phosphate, or you can put some DT's phytoplankton into some of your tank water and that will definitely show phosphate.
Who needs this test kit:
The beginning aquarist does not need this test kit, you will be too busy learning how to maintain the tank to mess with this test kit and the extra expense. Once your tank is established and stable, and you are reasonably sure you have The top 10 things you NEED to start a saltwater aquarium, then you can get this test. It is also an excellent test to get if you are having a bad outbreak of algae and want to determine if phosphate is part of your problem.
Summary:
A good test kit to have for determining if you have too much phosphate in your tank. This will be helpful in determining the cause of algae outbreaks and maximizing your coral growth. If you are doing a fish only tank and your algae is under control, you can probably skip this tank.
Just to be clear, this is only a test kit, it won't help you solve your phosphate problems, just detect them. In the future I will tell you what products to use to remove phosphate from your tank water. Until then!
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