Phosphate levels of GAC

[fritz]

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/volume_4/V4I2/carbon/carbon_comparisons.htm
Steve Pro ran the old "phospahte levels after adding carbon to a beaker" test.


Different results than the last time I saw someone do this. I'd like to see this done with a Hana meter. I'll volunteer an unopened canister of ESV for the test. I'll even order some TLF as well.

 

[fritz]

I'd like to add, before anyone reads the above article that he used a Salifert test kit so very scientific and precise terms such as "looked a little more blue" and "seemed less blue" were used.

 

[ReeferGoneMad]

Wow he couldnt even use a lamotte.lol

 

[cali_reef]

You should ask Chris to test the 5 gallon bucket of carbon I gave him first. We can do a group buy if the PO4 test result are positive.

 

[jhale]

Pierce I have a 5 gallon pail in my car from ebay, I got a while ago.

I guess I should test it, I have some unopened esv also.

 

[alrha]

i can volunteer some Seachem Matrix Carbon

 

[gnatp2]

I performed this same test with a Hanna meter and ESV GAC.

I followed the same methods for the most part. I used 50ml of GAC and 250 ml of RO/DI water. Using a Hanna meter, the RO/DI water read .03 before adding it to the GAC. I added it to the unwashed GAC, mixed it around a lot and come up with some very grey looking water. After adding a sample of water to the Hanna cuvet and putting it in the meter to get a base "zero" reading, the Hanna meter read "LO" (ie... it ain't gunna work cuz the water is too cloudy). So I dumped out the 250 ml of water from my GAC/Carbon mix and added a new 250ml of RO/DI water. (essentially the GAC went through 1 light washing in order to get the water cloudyness down). Again, I stirred the water/GAC mixture and let it sit for 3 minutes. I added this sample of water to the cuvet, zero's out the hanna and performed the test. Came up with .04.

What does this tell us? Probably nothing other than that I got a different answer from Steven Pro.

Nate

 

[jhale]

Nate, I'll go with your readings over steven pro's

using a salifert test kit for a published article was a bit strange I thought.
it's a concensus that the salifert PO4 kit is not the most reliable kit out there.