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Acquamarine Phosphate Remover




I've been mucking around with this stuff.  It's a bacteria culture
that's supposed to remove phosphates.  I've got it living in a
trashcan with a pump and UGF.

My results match what my LFS guy told me to expect.  The phosphate
levels dropped...  But then came back up.

But it's *very* hard to tell because my testkits (Red Sea and
Aquarium Pharmaceuticals) aren't very good.  They both change
color over time.  (i.e. they recommend you let the stuff sit
for a couple minutes and then read it.  But the color doesn't
stabilize - wait 5 minutes and the color is more intense...)

I ran two tests with the Aq.Pharm. testkit on the same water at
the same time, being excessively careful with both tests, and
came up with .5ppm in one tube and 3ppm in the other.

I've never seen a zero reading in either, even though my 55 has
massive plant growth, is algae-free, and has good nitrate readings
(~30ppm.  High, but tolerable).  Just to be sure, I bought a bottle
of steam-distilled water.  It gave the same reading as the algae-
free tank.  ~.5ppm.

Urg.  Anybody want to offer me some hope?  Or should I just shell
out for a RO system?

						- Steve

------
Steve Benz (steveb at tall-tree_com)   |   Tall Tree Software Co.
http://www.tall-tree.com            |   Ph/Fax: 512-453-4909