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Re: High phosphates (Kati/Ani vs. RO)





>4 mg/l of PO4 is a staggering amount of PO4.  Is this from a test kit, or
>from an analysis provided by your water utility?
     The NO3 value  was provided by the local treatment plant, but I measured 
the
PO4 using Aquarium Pharmaceutical's PO4 kit.  They did supply me with a 
phosphourus level = .7 mg/l. (as phosphourus)  
  I have been using phosguard in my main plant tank which is helping 
considerably but I don't want to rely on this for a long term solution.  

> silica causes false positive
>readings in color tests for phosphate.  I have a lot of silica in my tap
>water.  Most of us have some - 10 to 20 mg/l is pretty normal.
     I am aware of this, but I have no idea what the silicate levels are in 
my tap water,
or how high they would have to be to cause a significant error in the 
reading.  

>So, maybe your PO4 isn't really that high?
     Without using Phosguard in the filter, I get a long, dark colored,  
phosphate - loving type of algae that grows from the filter output return 
pipe.  I get other types
of PO4 - loving algae as well, some growing on the plants and tank walls. 
(BBA)  The algae growth seems to confirm my high PO4 levels.  

> KATI is rechargable with HCl, which is commonly
available.  And there is no waste water.
>This sounds too good to be true.  Is there a catch?
     There does seem to be one catch:  

>There have been reports in the German aquarium literature that water
>that stands in a column overnight leaches something deleterious from the
>column and has to be discarded. Its not so much the volume of water
>lost, as the bother.
     I wonder what exactly is leaching into the water and is it deadly to 
fish/plants?
The water can be flushed out, which is a bother, but IMO it's a bother that I 
am required to use a system like this to begin with.  

Thanks to all that responded,
Andrew