PO4 In Distilled Water?

[aquababy]

Randy,
Last week I had concerns about the amount of PO4 that could squeeze through an R/O membrane - thanks for the membrane efficiency post. I have, in search of the cause of this problem, obtained distlled water from my LDS (local drug store) and tested it with a brand new Red Sea Phosphate test kit. The kit shows a reading of .1ppm PO4 not zero as would be expected. Years ago there was copper distilled water and glass distilled water. I am told that all water nowadays is glass distilled. What do you think is at fault here - this new test kit or the distilled water?
Bob

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I don't know. I'd am surprised that distilled water would have that much phosphate, but stuff certainly happens.

What kit did you use?

Have you ever used it on any water and found zero phosphate?

[aquababy]

Randy,
I used a "Red Sea Test Kit" - as mentioned above - what were you doing last night? The test kit is brand new and I purposely tested distilled water to see if it would read zero - I never tested water and found zero PO4 with this kit. That was my purpose in buying the distilled water. What else can I test that does't have phosphates to see if this test kit is accurate?

[Boomer]

What else can I test that does't have phosphates to see if this test kit is accurate?

RO/DI water or try another bottle of distilled water, of another brand, from the LGS.

On another note Red Sea is not noted for having very good kits. You may want to try the HACH

Type in PO-19 in the search

http://www.hach.com/

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I used a "Red Sea Test Kit" - as mentioned above

Sorry. I try to answer a lot of posts in a little time and sometimes miss such things. :D

I agree that some other brand of water is worth testing.