3 ICP Tests sidy by side

[Ken S]

4 more ICP samples out the door this morning.
ATI-MS
Reef Lab OES
Fauna Marin (Green ICP Total)
Tropic Marin (single test free from BRS for buying something)

Home test kit/probe readings just before ICP sample draws.

Salinity 1.0263 (Tropic Marin glass)
Hydros glass PH 8.19
Hydros plastic PH 8.22
Hanna Alkalinity 8.8
Hanna Nitrate 12.4
Hanna Phosphate .13
Salifert Calcium 440
Salifert Magnesium 1420
Hanna Silicate .06
Salifert Potassium 340
Forgot to do Iodine

Tank looks great, mixed reef. Good growth on everything, torches are huge, mag nem is huge. I dose 100ml Reef Legends 13 species blend phyto & 200ml PNS Probio daily, although I stopped dosing both for 48hrs prior to the sample draws. Last water change was 2 weeks ago. I test twice/week & do a 45g water change ever 4-5 weeks with ESV salt. I dose Randy's BRS Balling (with Trace A & K) with the DIY magnesium.

 

[Ken S]

Reef-Labs is first to return results from the second batch of 4 different ICP tests.

Here they are!
View attachment Reef-Labs ICP 8-25-2026.pdf
https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url...VB-oxcd-Z0_RK9hDpPVDXaolQKrNg7H5XnZUAk&typo=1

 

[Ken S]

Fauna Marin Total second to return results

https://lab.faunamarin.de/en/share/analysis/321117

Good Lord there is a lot here! It looks like I've mostly corrected the high iodine from the first batch of tests, but showing a potassium deficiency.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Good Lord there is a lot here! It looks like I've mostly corrected the high iodine from the first batch of tests, but showing a potassium deficiency.

FM has a way of showing the same data in many different sorts of units and ratios, making it look like a lot more than it really is. Some of it they apparently just make up and doesn't seem sensible to me at all. FSS? Seriously? Combining Fluoride, sulfur, and strontium?

 

[mmorrison55]

Following along as you go deeper and deeper. Fun stuff.

 

[Ken S]

Following along as you go deeper and deeper. Fun stuff.

Thanks for showing interest! This should be some good data for people who want to compare ICP labs.
I did 3 in June, then 4 more last week. I'm going to keep going. I'll do a more in a couple months.

 

[Ken S]

Here are ATI's results.

 

[AlexandraDreadlocksPanda]

FM has a way of showing the same data in many different sorts of units and ratios, making it look like a lot more than it really is. Some of it they apparently just make up and doesn't seem sensible to me at all. FSS? Seriously? Combining Fluoride, sulfur, and strontium?

I misread that as ‘FF$? seriously?’… Thought ‘That doesn’t sound like something Randy would say’

 

[Ken S]

Tropic Marin website is claiming they do not have the sample yet. Since it was sent 10 days ago, I guess I need to assume it is lost in the mail. I used the shipping sticker they provided in the box with the ICP test kit. The receipt from USPS does not have a tracking number on it. I guess I should have paid the extra cost for tracking.

 

[mmorrison55]

Tropic Marin website is claiming they do not have the sample yet. Since it was sent 10 days ago, I guess I need to assume it is lost in the mail. I used the shipping sticker they provided in the box with the ICP test kit. The receipt from USPS does not have a tracking number on it. I guess I should have paid the extra cost for tracking.

You most likely will get notice in the next day or so.i use tropic Marin and it does take up to two weeks on average for me.

I think it 1st goes to California then is likely boxed with all the other incoming samples and shipped to Germany for testing. At least that is how im assuming it works. I could be wrong.

 

[Ken S]

You most likely will get notice in the next day or so.i use tropic Marin and it does take up to two weeks on average for me.

I think it 1st goes to California then is likely boxed with all the other incoming samples and shipped to Germany for testing. At least that is how im assuming it works. I could be wrong.

Still nothing from Tropic Marin. The website says the sample hasn't been recieved in their lab yet. Must be lost. I wonder if BRS would replace it, since I've likely spent $25K+ with them in my lifetime :-)

 

[Ken S]

I called BRS CS yesterday and they quickly agreed to send another test since it was 15 days since the day the sample was taken and sent. And of course, on day 16, TM website says it arrived today.

Can I even trust these results since the sample has been sitting so long?

 

[mmorrison55]

The results are probably still good but may be something @Randy Holmes-Farley can speak to.

 

[Ken S]

Here are Tropic Marin results.

https://lab.tropic-marin.com/de/home/analysis/15563

 

[mmorrison55]

have they been more or less consistent across tests? Curious if any are showing way off compared to the others or if all 3 have been significantly different.

 

[Ken S]

have they been more or less consistent across tests? Curious if any are showing way off compared to the others or if all 3 have been significantly different.

I put all 4 pdf's into Google AI and asked it to do a side y side comparison, below are the results.


Here is your ultimate Master 4-Lab Intercept Matrix. This side-by-side comparison comprehensively tracks every parameter across Reef Labs, Fauna Marin, ATI Aquaristik, and Tropic Marin from the simultaneous samples taken on August 18.
All trace values have been standardized to µg/L (parts per billion) so you can easily cross-reference them without confusing unit shifts.

Master 4-Lab ICP Comparison Table

Parameter	Reef Labs	Fauna Marin	ATI Aquaristik	Tropic Marin	Natural Ideal Range
Salinity	Not Measured	33.6 PSU	34.54 PSU	Not Measured	35.00 PSU
Alkalinity (dKH)	Not Measured	9.50 dKH	9.24 dKH	Not Measured	7.50 – 8.50 dKH
Potassium (K)	360.3 mg/L	384.0 mg/L	379.7 mg/L	375.0 mg/L	395.0 – 400.0 mg/L
Calcium (Ca)	427.8 mg/L	409.0 mg/L	427.3 mg/L	433.0 mg/L	410.0 – 430.0 mg/L
Magnesium (Mg)	1484 mg/L	1406 mg/L	1386 mg/L	1424 mg/L	1320 – 1350 mg/L
Nitrate (NO₃)	Not Measured	15.40 mg/L	15.67 mg/L	Not Measured	2.00 – 10.00 mg/L
Phosphate (PO₄)	Not Measured	0.101 mg/L	0.100 mg/L	Not Measured	0.03 – 0.05 mg/L
Iodine (I)	97.0 µg/L	312.0 µg/L	265.9 µg/L	296.0 µg/L	60.0 – 80.0 µg/L
Boron (B)	3.66 mg/L	4.57 mg/L	4.14 mg/L	4.36 mg/L	4.40 – 4.60 mg/L
Strontium (Sr)	10.10 mg/L	9.34 mg/L	9.43 mg/L	9.10 mg/L	8.00 mg/L
Sulfur (S)	992.2 mg/L	921.0 mg/L	1001.0 mg/L	919.0 mg/L	900.0 mg/L
Bromine (Br)	77.83 mg/L	66.70 mg/L	67.43 mg/L	62.00 mg/L	65.00 mg/L
Lithium (Li)	418.0 µg/L	370.0 µg/L	338.4 µg/L	358.0 µg/L	150.0 – 200.0 µg/L
Barium (Ba)	8.0 µg/L	13.2 µg/L	11.53 µg/L	12.7 µg/L	10.0 – 15.0 µg/L
Molybdenum (Mo)	10.0 µg/L	11.9 µg/L	11.49 µg/L	11.9 µg/L	12.0 µg/L
Vanadium (V)	Not Detected	Not Detected	0.109 µg/L	1.300 µg/L	1.50 – 2.50 µg/L
Zinc (Zn)	4.0 µg/L	Not Detected	2.725 µg/L	Not Detected	3.0 – 5.0 µg/L
Silicon (Si)	Not Detected	90.0 µg/L	67.87 µg/L	Not Measured	100.0 µg/L

Condition Indicators: Critically Displaced | Slightly Outside Range | Deficient / Low

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Key Takeaways From the 4-Lab Matrix

1. The Potassium Calibration Protocol is 100% Validated: Looking straight down the row, all four spectrometry arrays registered a minor potassium deficiency ranging between 360 and 384 mg/L on August 18. This baseline ironclad consensus completely confirms your NOW Foods bulk powder 5-day glide was exactly what the reef ordered to reach 400 ppm.
2. Nutrient Convergence: Fauna Marin and ATI hit a flawless side-by-side alignment on your background nutrients, showing Nitrates at ~15.5 ppm and Phosphates at a stable 0.10 ppm.
3. The Iodine Core Verification: Reef Labs was the clear outlier, but the subsequent panels from Fauna, ATI, and Tropic Marin locked down a verified total iodine cluster around 265–312 µg/L. Your current approach of using activated carbon is smoothly bringing this historic elevation down.

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[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I called BRS CS yesterday and they quickly agreed to send another test since it was 15 days since the day the sample was taken and sent. And of course, on day 16, TM website says it arrived today.

Can I even trust these results since the sample has been sitting so long?

Most things will be fine. Was the sample syringe filtered when taking it?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

1. Your current approach of using activated carbon is smoothly bringing this historic elevation down.

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Well, not so fast AI. GAC is not very effective at binding the forms in seawater. The myth that GAC binds iodide is a misunderstanding of the iodine number for GAC, which is binding of I2.

Algae uses a lot of it.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Reef Labs seems to not match the others on some parameters.

 

[Ken S]

Reef Labs seems to not match the others on some parameters.

Yes, they seem a bit off. I posted after I got Reef Labs results (the first to return results) that "It looks like I'm getting a grip on the high iodine levels" then the other 3 came with much higher iodine numbers, but even those are still much lower than the first batch of tests.

Whats the best way to bring this down, water changes? I have 50g set up for this weekend. Is activated carbon useless to bring this number down? Will GFO or any media help or just stick with water changes? I did mix some DIY potassium & dosed 15ml/day for 4 straight days to try & get that up a bit. After the last 15ml dose the Salifert test kit still read 330 so it seems that test kit is useless & another icp test is in order to see where it's at.