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- Feb 16, 2009
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Triton results for my 120g reef tank
This is my third test in 6 months on my 120g reef tank. I have been losing SPS and zoas for 18 months now,mostly STN from the base up, some RTN. LPS and, nems, fish and shrooms all pretty good. I decided to do the first Triton test because I knew something was terribly wrong, just didn't know what. The Tin and Aluminum have not abated at all with all of my interventions since that first Triton test. No amount of dilution is helping. BTW, Freshly made salt water tests great in the "Heavy Metals" department, no tin, no aluminum. So now, 6 months later the tin is higher than ever, it was 42 in November, now up to 89. I have swapped out all equipment except my heater, its on the way. I have checked all of my wires to apex, temp, ph, etc. I have found nothing but the steel stand flaking off into my sump, I figure that was happening for quite a while. I covered the sump 5 months ago so that has been taken care of. Although it might still be contributing to my tin levels. No one can even hazard a guess as to where all the tin and aluminum is coming from. I used TLF MetalSorb just to see if it would help. It doesn't seem to have made much of a difference.
I use ESV salt so the high Li, B,Sr, and Br is attributed to that salt mix. The Li is now off the charts as well, building up with regular water changes, I'm sure. I believe it's the metals that have done in many of my SPS. A thriving SPS reef is now a lot of rock and and a couple of SPS tester frags to see what is happening. I just did a water change using the Triton salt, 50 liters of water is about 13g so I am not really sure what that will do for my 120g reef.
Where do I go from here? I would like to use the Triton method and cut down on my water changes. Alk is in line and has been stable for a long time, 8 months at least, ca is a bit low but coming in line. The only problem are these heavy metals. Do I just go ahead and start the method using Base Elementz or do I do some massive water changes in hopes of diluting the heavy metals? I was thinking two 60g water changes over a couple of days and send in a sample to Triton to see if it worked. I know that is a lot of water change action but it might be the only way to get the tin and aluminum in line to start the Base Elementz.
Any and all suggestions are welcome.
Below are the results of my Freshly made Saltwater using ESV 4-part salt- Not all is hunky dory with the results, I've definitely got some elevated components from the ESV Salt but those heavy metals are all 0. I cannot decide what salt to go with, just stick with ESV or try a different brand to dilute the heavy metals. So many decisions to make!!!!
This is my third test in 6 months on my 120g reef tank. I have been losing SPS and zoas for 18 months now,mostly STN from the base up, some RTN. LPS and, nems, fish and shrooms all pretty good. I decided to do the first Triton test because I knew something was terribly wrong, just didn't know what. The Tin and Aluminum have not abated at all with all of my interventions since that first Triton test. No amount of dilution is helping. BTW, Freshly made salt water tests great in the "Heavy Metals" department, no tin, no aluminum. So now, 6 months later the tin is higher than ever, it was 42 in November, now up to 89. I have swapped out all equipment except my heater, its on the way. I have checked all of my wires to apex, temp, ph, etc. I have found nothing but the steel stand flaking off into my sump, I figure that was happening for quite a while. I covered the sump 5 months ago so that has been taken care of. Although it might still be contributing to my tin levels. No one can even hazard a guess as to where all the tin and aluminum is coming from. I used TLF MetalSorb just to see if it would help. It doesn't seem to have made much of a difference.
I use ESV salt so the high Li, B,Sr, and Br is attributed to that salt mix. The Li is now off the charts as well, building up with regular water changes, I'm sure. I believe it's the metals that have done in many of my SPS. A thriving SPS reef is now a lot of rock and and a couple of SPS tester frags to see what is happening. I just did a water change using the Triton salt, 50 liters of water is about 13g so I am not really sure what that will do for my 120g reef.
Where do I go from here? I would like to use the Triton method and cut down on my water changes. Alk is in line and has been stable for a long time, 8 months at least, ca is a bit low but coming in line. The only problem are these heavy metals. Do I just go ahead and start the method using Base Elementz or do I do some massive water changes in hopes of diluting the heavy metals? I was thinking two 60g water changes over a couple of days and send in a sample to Triton to see if it worked. I know that is a lot of water change action but it might be the only way to get the tin and aluminum in line to start the Base Elementz.
Any and all suggestions are welcome.
Below are the results of my Freshly made Saltwater using ESV 4-part salt- Not all is hunky dory with the results, I've definitely got some elevated components from the ESV Salt but those heavy metals are all 0. I cannot decide what salt to go with, just stick with ESV or try a different brand to dilute the heavy metals. So many decisions to make!!!!