[RyanG]

Todd, it would probably be a good idea to go out and buy real testing kits, Good brands are: Seachem, elos or salifert.

Dip test strips are notoriously bad to go by.

Sources of phosphates (po4):

* Some Internal Reasons
o high fish and/or coral population in the aquarium,
o plant material that dies off and mineralization,
o breakdown of undigested food in feces,
o bacterial die-off and its decomposition and mineralization,
o algal die-off and its decomposition and mineralization,
o any other living material that dies, decomposes,
o fish slime (and coral slime in reef tanks) that decomposes (cfr Thiel)

* Some External Reasons
o Overfeeding and the decay of the food that is not consumed,
o Phosphate in the water you are using,
o Phosphate present in the salt you use to make up water,
o Additives that contain it,
o Carbon that leaches phosphate into the water,
o Calcium hydroxide of low quality used to make limewater,
o Phosphate based chelators in additives (cfr Thiel)
o Phosphates in buffering compounds,
o Using frozen foods and adding the liquid after it thaws, to the tank (cfr Thiel),
o Using low grade calcium carbonate in calcium reactors (cfr Knop)