Do phosphates evaporate?

[Mikro]

If I rinse something off in water that has phosphates in it (tap water), do the phophates just evaporate as they dry or are they still there after it dries?

[SeanT]

So you are saying if you take a powerhead out of the tank and the PO4 from the water is on them, can you rinse them off?
Then yes.

Or are you referring to products with plasticizers in them leeching phosphates out?
If so then no, they can not be rinsed off.
But if you were to let them sit in some saltwater or RODI water for a few days the PO4 would leech out adding much less to your system.

hth,
Sean

[Mikro]

What I am saying is if I rinse the powerhead off with water from the tap containiing phostphates and then let it dry, are the phosphates still on the powerhead...And if I put the powerhead in my tank am I introducing phosphates.

[DrBDC]

I keep a salt bucket full of ro/di to rinse everything and change it out weekly, or sooner if I'm rinsing alot of things.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Phosphate will not evaporate in such a scenario. It will be left behind, along with any other salts in the water. There is not likely to be much there, however, and I expect the amount is unimportant except perhaps in testing apparatus (cups/syringes/etc). An RO/DI rinse is a fine way to go to eliminate loose phosphate. :)

I sometimes give an RO/DI rinse after cleaning my skimmer with tap water (sometimes not :D ).