ICP-OES, My results

[Yellow_donkey]

Hey folks, my reef tank is about 1.5 years old now and I see a couple things I have to work on with my results (1st ICP-OES). By the way I go my kit on Amazon, prime for under $25, these are out there at a savings, don't pay a premium!

Have a look and let me know what you'll think. With the heavy metal that are high/tad high I am baffled, I run Poly-Filter and would have thought they would have been taken out, plus a I do once monthly 50% water changes, so will have to figure a few things out, but please, I welcome comments/ideas/suggestions!

Also my Phosphates, wow! I have zero algae problems as I have baseball sized cheato in my sump under 150 watt grow LED that grows up to a basketball size every 2 weeks (I harvest it back down to a baseball size or less (AND yes I overfeed)( I have fat dogs and fat fish). Should I run GFO?

[bertoni]

ICP analysis can be tricky for heavy metals, and I wouldn't worry about those results. There's some reading on the subject, if you'd like, but tests have shown that inexpensive ICP testing can be very inaccurate for trace metals. Have you confirmed the phosphate result with a test kit? Maybe a local fish store could run a test of you. I'm not sure that I'd trust the phosphorus reading just yet. If the animals all are doing well enough, I'd mostly just enjoy the tank.

[Yellow_donkey]

I have the red sea High Sensitivity test that I will run tonight. If it shows high I will go back to GFO. Not having any issues I don't even test regularly, just do my once a month 50% water changes and everyone is happy.

[bertoni]

That sounds like a fine plan to me.

[Yellow_donkey]

So, these higher copper, tin and aluminum numbers have been bothering me. I tried to sit back and just enjoy it but since I got these results last week I have been thinking. I have never had any copper near my system and have been HYPER-vigilant about any metals in my tank. I could only assume my Chinese return pump shaft was the cause or something else was very off with an additive or salt.

Anywho, I go to do my monthly 50% water change, yes I had these elevated toxic metals with once monthly 50% water changes, so there has to be something wrong. So last night I am at the end of my 50% water change and I wheel my brute to the guest room walk-in closet, or my fish room with sump, which my wife hates as you all can suspect. Anyways, I know it has been awhile since I cleaned out my biomedia bags filled with ceramic rings, pebbles and such. So I take the 4 large bags I have and rinse them all out in the waste water in the brute and replace them back into the sump. I noted that the bags are becoming rigid from age and assume that water flow has to be restricted so I decided they need to replaced.

Later last night I am on BRS and I am buying way to much fun stuff when I remember I need the media bags. I go to that section of the website and start looking at them and see the bags and they all say drawstring, drawstring... and am thinking I really like the 'zipper style' I have on one bag.......... And then it hits my like a brick.

I have a media bag, I just handled an hour before and cleaned out and has been in my reef for well over a year that has a 4" long metal zipper to close it.

I jump up from looking at BRS and go get the bag. Inspecting the white metal zipper, sure enough it is heavily pited from metal loss.

So I am writing this becasue as I said I have been hyper hyper vigilante with any metals or even the prospect of metal near my tank and for over the last year I have been seeding it with a Chinese made 4" long metal zipper which I guarantee you is made of copper, tin and aluminum.

I have not had any deaths but three of my 30 corals are unhappy and I would have expected some better growth overall. I really really do expect this zipper to be my arch-nemesis!

Thinking back I do not remember where I bought this zipper but can only assume it was s stray visit to Petco or Petsmart assuming any sold media bag would be OK for an aquarium. But in this case I was sorely sorely wrong, as they are OK perhaps in freshwater but not marine.

Don't be as naive as I was, check everything you put in your tank, as I cannot believe I did this to myself! This metal zipper never even crossed my mind, and its not like it was hidden, I handled it every time I rinsed the bags out!

[Lance M.]

Originally Posted by Yellow_donkey

So, these higher copper, tin and aluminum numbers have been bothering me. I tried to sit back and just enjoy it but since I got these results last week I have been thinking. I have never had any copper near my system and have been HYPER-vigilant about any metals in my tank. I could only assume my Chinese return pump shaft was the cause or something else was very off with an additive or salt.

Anywho, I go to do my monthly 50% water change, yes I had these elevated toxic metals with once monthly 50% water changes, so there has to be something wrong. So last night I am at the end of my 50% water change and I wheel my brute to the guest room walk-in closet, or my fish room with sump, which my wife hates as you all can suspect. Anyways, I know it has been awhile since I cleaned out my biomedia bags filled with ceramic rings, pebbles and such. So I take the 4 large bags I have and rinse them all out in the waste water in the brute and replace them back into the sump. I noted that the bags are becoming rigid from age and assume that water flow has to be restricted so I decided they need to replaced.

Later last night I am on BRS and I am buying way to much fun stuff when I remember I need the media bags. I go to that section of the website and start looking at them and see the bags and they all say drawstring, drawstring... and am thinking I really like the 'zipper style' I have on one bag.......... And then it hits my like a brick.

I have a media bag, I just handled an hour before and cleaned out and has been in my reef for well over a year that has a 4" long metal zipper to close it.

I jump up from looking at BRS and go get the bag. Inspecting the white metal zipper, sure enough it is heavily pited from metal loss.

So I am writing this becasue as I said I have been hyper hyper vigilante with any metals or even the prospect of metal near my tank and for over the last year I have been seeding it with a Chinese made 4" long metal zipper which I guarantee you is made of copper, tin and aluminum.

I have not had any deaths but three of my 30 corals are unhappy and I would have expected some better growth overall. I really really do expect this zipper to be my arch-nemesis!

Thinking back I do not remember where I bought this zipper but can only assume it was s stray visit to Petco or Petsmart assuming any sold media bag would be OK for an aquarium. But in this case I was sorely sorely wrong, as they are OK perhaps in freshwater but not marine.

Don't be as naive as I was, check everything you put in your tank, as I cannot believe I did this to myself! This metal zipper never even crossed my mind, and its not like it was hidden, I handled it every time I rinsed the bags out!

Very interesting. If you could, please update in a couple months if everything is doing better and/or you decide to do another ICP test to see if you have reductions in those metals.

I also agree with Bertoni on the testing subject as I know from experience how inaccurate the testing can be. ICP is actually very easy to use, its also very easy to mess up. I have a sequential ICP-OES in my lab.

[bertoni]

That kind of metal can cause a lot of problems. I'm glad it's out of the system.

[Yellow_donkey]

Originally Posted by Lance M.

Very interesting. If you could, please update in a couple months if everything is doing better and/or you decide to do another ICP test to see if you have reductions in those metals.

I also agree with Bertoni on the testing subject as I know from experience how inaccurate the testing can be. ICP is actually very easy to use, its also very easy to mess up. I have a sequential ICP-OES in my lab.

I sure will. I plan on doing another 50% water change here this weekend and then letting it settle down for a week and will send in my ICP-OES then.

I also ordered Triton "Detox" as well but will read about it more before I try that. I maybe better off using just weekly 50% water changes a few more rounds before I go back to monthly.

I really do suspect this will make a difference. Half of my corals have thrived (although I bet they could have done better) and the other half are stunted. I just hope I don't have a ton of heavy metal now leached into and out of the LR. I will keep updating this so everyone can see if a removed/found metal source truly does show decline.

[Yellow_donkey]

Originally Posted by bertoni

That kind of metal can cause a lot of problems. I'm glad it's out of the system.

Do you think I should replace my 4 bags of ceramic media in the sump. I am worried about heavy metal build up in rocks (this media) now, how much is there to leach out? Should I replace all of this ceramic, 1 bag at a time with a week or two in between each bag or would you think that rock uptake would be negligible and the primary source was the metal only and water content. With metal removed and water being replaced, is good enough?

[Yellow_donkey]

Here is the offending article!

Damn you damn you to hell!

If you look close you can see the pitting:

[Keith@ ATI NA]

I am obviously biased but an ICP test is only as good as the calibration and person running it. Generic ICP for regular folks and water is not going to give you accurate results for seawater. The ICP machine ATI uses was specially modified to better handle saltwater and is run by a PHD.

Plus, its three for 1 because you get your tank water, RODI water and shipping included.

[mcgyvr]

Originally Posted by Yellow_donkey

Here is the offending article!

Damn you damn you to hell!

If you look close you can see the pitting:

IMO.. not your offender..
Thats likely just painted diecast zinc on that zipper

[bertoni]

I agree that the zipper might not be the issue. That's chips in the paint. I'd probably remove it anyway, although I'm the cautious sort.

[Yellow_donkey]

I run my nail acrosd it and it certainly pitted. Maybe its not but I am going to keep testing and see what happens. What are the thoughts on Triton detox. Should I run it or just water change?

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

[bertoni]

I'd just do some water changes, personally.