Red Sea Phosphate Pro Reef Test Kit (100 tests)
This test kit, when used in conjunction with the Nitrate Pro test kit, enables accurate dosing of your aquarium with Red Sea's N:P-X Bio NO3/PO4 reducer which is part of the Complete Red Sea Reef Care Program.
Contents:
Comparator
Colour Disk
Instruction Manual
Syringe 10ml
P-PO4 Reagent A - 50ml
P-PO4 Reagent B - 15ml
In nature a true Phosphorus cycle exists. Phosphate is an important plant fertilizer that stimulates plant growth at very low concentrations. The Phosphate level in unpolluted natural waters is always very low, and Plants use so much that there is always a demand for it.
In the aquarium, the fish density is much higher than in nature. In most aquariums the plant growth is insufficient to use up all the Phosphate that is added with feeding, therefore it accumulates in the water. This leads to several undesirable effects, in particular blue, green and hair algae find favorable conditions and grow very fast. Marine invertebrates like corals may loose their zooxanthellae, (tiny brown algae that live in the tissue of invertebrates leading to degeneration and eventually to the death of these sensitive animals.
Especially in a reef aquarium, the Phosphate level should be checked every week. The concentration should be as low as possible with 0.3 ppm as an absolute maximum for the reef aquarium.
Higher concentrations than this value are not in any way toxic for marine or freshwater fish - the danger lies only in the fact that the water gets over fertilized, which results in algae growth and harm to invertebrates.