high lithium

salty joe · 02/19/2018, 08:48 PM

I had my water tested by ATI, had a couple things a little high, a couple things a little low, nothing crazy except for lithium - it was 2229 ug/L. The reference value is 168.4 ug/L. I suspect it might be from the trace of light grease or oil on the Jebao pumps, IDK.

I planned for the no water change method. I'm running cuprisorb, rox 8 carbon and purigen. Algae filter but no skimmer.

I only have live rock and am ready to start adding animals.

Do you guys have any idea how bad this lithium level is? Does it even matter?

bertoni · 02/19/2018, 08:59 PM

Did you use lithium grease on the pumps? I probably would ignore the reading, since I'm not sure that I believe it. If the level is high, it might kill starfish, for example. Other animals probably won't care.

salty joe · 02/20/2018, 05:06 AM

I didn't use any grease on pumps or anything else, although I have used a tiny bit of Vaseline on O rings in the past. I don't think I used any Vaseline on this build though.

ATI recommended three 20% water changes. I hate to do that unless it's absolutely necessary because it's a big system.

It wont be 100% skimmerless....I set up aeration to give pH a bump and it looks like it will end up being an old school counter current skimmer. I wonder if lithium is that high and is still hooked up with grease, (assuming that's where it came from) a bitty skimmer just might take it out.

bertoni · 02/20/2018, 06:08 PM

I don't know whether the lithium (if present) will bind with organics. If it does, carbon or skimming might remove it. I suspect that the test is wrong. I'd just ignore it, personally, but water changes with a low-lithium salt mix would be the only way to fix the problem. If the lithium actually is that high, I suspect that you've got a bad batch of salt. I can't think of another credible source. Lithium grease won't do it.

salty joe · 02/20/2018, 07:19 PM

Thanks. I'll add some snails and see how they do.

02/19/2018, 08:48 PM	#1
salty joe Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: medina, ohio Posts: 2,419	high lithium I had my water tested by ATI, had a couple things a little high, a couple things a little low, nothing crazy except for lithium - it was 2229 ug/L. The reference value is 168.4 ug/L. I suspect it might be from the trace of light grease or oil on the Jebao pumps, IDK. I planned for the no water change method. I'm running cuprisorb, rox 8 carbon and purigen. Algae filter but no skimmer. I only have live rock and am ready to start adding animals. Do you guys have any idea how bad this lithium level is? Does it even matter? __________________ Time to roll the dice.

02/19/2018, 08:59 PM	#2
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	Did you use lithium grease on the pumps? I probably would ignore the reading, since I'm not sure that I believe it. If the level is high, it might kill starfish, for example. Other animals probably won't care. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

02/20/2018, 05:06 AM	#3
salty joe Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: medina, ohio Posts: 2,419	I didn't use any grease on pumps or anything else, although I have used a tiny bit of Vaseline on O rings in the past. I don't think I used any Vaseline on this build though. ATI recommended three 20% water changes. I hate to do that unless it's absolutely necessary because it's a big system. It wont be 100% skimmerless....I set up aeration to give pH a bump and it looks like it will end up being an old school counter current skimmer. I wonder if lithium is that high and is still hooked up with grease, (assuming that's where it came from) a bitty skimmer just might take it out. __________________ Time to roll the dice.

02/20/2018, 06:08 PM	#4
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	I don't know whether the lithium (if present) will bind with organics. If it does, carbon or skimming might remove it. I suspect that the test is wrong. I'd just ignore it, personally, but water changes with a low-lithium salt mix would be the only way to fix the problem. If the lithium actually is that high, I suspect that you've got a bad batch of salt. I can't think of another credible source. Lithium grease won't do it. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

02/20/2018, 07:19 PM	#5
salty joe Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: medina, ohio Posts: 2,419	Thanks. I'll add some snails and see how they do. __________________ Time to roll the dice.