ATI ICP Results...did I find the culprit??

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

The impeller is from a Waveline DC pump. Doubtful it’s anything top shelf in materials.

Also, the correct pronoun is “she” or if you’re not sure “they”. Assumptions are cool though.

Sorry. It's pretty irritating that English requires a pronoun choice to be made when, in fact, one often isn't sure (like here) and can be outright problematic to guess.

I was at a Valvoline Instant Oil Change a few days ago, and my guy said my car had no transmission fluid check stick to do a transmission flush. The person of uncertain gender in the next bay came over and set him straight, and I wanted to say something, but what I wanted to say required a pronoun and I didn't know which one to pick. So I said nothing.

 

[Livinlocal]

The impeller is from a Waveline DC pump. Doubtful it’s anything top shelf in materials.

Also, the correct pronoun is “she” or if you’re not sure “they”. Assumptions are cool though.

Well it clearly has elevated tungsten, and if it is not coming from a magnet of some sort, it must be coming from salt. IMO A magnet would be the only logical explanation.

 

[Livinlocal]

Tungsten carbide is also very expensive. That sure would be an expensive part to replace if that magnet was in fact made of tungsten carbide, which I highly doubt it is.

See the post above, I meant to quote you in that as well

 

[Livinlocal]

And it makes even more sense being that that aluminum is also elevated because aluminum is a binder to tungsten. Also, not all tungsten is created equally, which in turn means that there is also a price difference. You can get tungsten from China for cheap

 

[tiggs]

The impeller is from a Waveline DC pump. Doubtful it’s anything top shelf in materials.

Also, the correct pronoun is “she” or if you’re not sure “they”. Assumptions are cool though.

This is what I love about the current state of society. We ask someone who's very busy and donating his time and expertise to the forum/community for help, only to turn around and make a snippy comment when he makes a very innocent incorrect assumption. I get your point and agree that we all need to be more mindful of it, but there's a much nicer way to correct someone, especially when it's blatantly obvious that it was unintentional and you're asking them for assistance.

 

[Livinlocal]

This is what I love about the current state of society. We ask someone who's very busy and donating his time and expertise to the forum/community for help, only to turn around and make a snippy comment when he makes a very innocent incorrect assumption. I get your point and agree that we all need to be more mindful of it, but there's a much nicer way to correct someone, especially when it's blatantly obvious that it was unintentional and you're asking them for assistance.

Exactly. It looks like he doesn’t need my help nor Randy’s.

I wish you the best in finding out what it may be leaching from.

 

[KJoFan]

So, was I supposed to just leave it alone and let you all incorrectly refer to me as him? How then, do we make folks aware that it’s happening? I would imagine you all are male and/or have never been faced with being referred to incorrectly, thus I can understand why you find it annoying I spoke up about it.

Sure, I suppose I could have been more polite but you got my point didn’t you? Plus, written word lacks inflection. Seems to me like Randy understood where I was coming from just fine. It’s the fact that the English language lacks an appropriate non-gender specific pronoun we can use universally.

Anyway, if you’re offended by my correcting your pronoun use when referring to me personally, you can probably just move along.

(This escalated quickly and unfortunately so.)

That all said, I will probably pursue some binding media (or more as the case may be). I am using Aquaforest Reef Salt which I have not heard of having metal issues but anything is possible I suppose. I would have to ICP test my fresh mixed water to rule it out fully but I’m skeptical. I’ll keep searching for a cause besides the impeller magnet. As for the impeller I will probably look into replacing the pump (haven’t sourced just an impeller so far) sooner rather than later.

I wish I could find something that very obviously points to being the source but consensus here so far is maybe it is/maybe it isn’t.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Here’s another thread with a tungsten discussion. Finding tungsten is rather unusual:

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/using-clemiclean-with-cuprisorb.294618/

 

[KJoFan]

Here’s another thread with a tungsten discussion. Finding tungsten is rather unusual:

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/using-clemiclean-with-cuprisorb.294618/

Interesting. Maybe I should rule out a Jebao DC pump for a replacement. But, based on that thread, I suppose it's possible the skimmer is the source. I am guessing those Waveline pumps are a Chinese product. Is there any pump though that wouldn't have this same issue/source?

Gosh, why can't things just be easy?

 

[KJoFan]

My return pump is an RO Varios 8 but it's new so doubtful that's causing an issue. My powerheads are all Tunze. I guess I don't know what their impellers are made of. The only other real source could be my frag racks, which I don't see any obvious rust issues but you never know.

 

[BoomCorals]

Have you tested freshly mixed saltwater?

 

[KJoFan]

Have you tested freshly mixed saltwater?

I have not. I would have to in order to fully rule that out for sure. I'm torn about whether that impeller is the cause or not. I need more test kits.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Check this post and links for tungsten related to pump:

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/tungsten-at-2-88-µg-l.407657/#post-4835648

 

[KJoFan]

So maybe I won’t worry about the Tungsten or even the aluminum but that Tin reading...I just don’t know. It’s quite high.

 

[Stigigemla]

Typical ceramic magnet: https://www.adamsmagnetic.com/ceramic/what-are-ceramic-magnets-and-how-are-they-made
I do not believe that Tungsten addition can add something positive to the magnetic material.
But if You have small iron or iron oxide particles in the water (Phosphate reactor) they will attach to magnets. That might be an explanation of the junk on the impeller magnet.

 

[KJoFan]

Typical ceramic magnet: https://www.adamsmagnetic.com/ceramic/what-are-ceramic-magnets-and-how-are-they-made
I do not believe that Tungsten addition can add something positive to the magnetic material.
But if You have small iron or iron oxide particles in the water (Phosphate reactor) they will attach to magnets. That might be an explanation of the junk on the impeller magnet.

I don't and never have used gfo or anything of the like in this tank, so that shouldn't be the source of whatever is on the impeller. However, I am the second owner of the pump so maybe the previous owner did? The impeller does feel rough to the touch, like it's just plain getting worn, which it could be, it's not a new pump anymore.
But, what you're saying is the impeller itself shouldn't be rusting...?

 

[Cory]

Im not sire if thats the source but I wouldnt use that impeller with a tank full of corals. If it was fish only it would be fine.

 

[KJoFan]

Im not sire if thats the source but I wouldnt use that impeller with a tank full of corals. If it was fish only it would be fine.

A new pump is on it's way.

 

[OnPointCorals]

Hey Karen. You ever identify or pinpoint the source of the metals?

 

[KJoFan]

Hey Karen. You ever identify or pinpoint the source of the metals?

Hey, not really. But, I did just have another ICP test done a couple weeks ago and Tin levels were down from 39.54 at the time this thread was created, to 10.08 now. Aluminum is down from 23.75 to 0.29 so I would say things have trended in the right direction.

I did replace the skimmer pump and have since switched powerheads, but I don't think those were the cause of the issue to begin with.

That said, my tank is still not supportive of sps unfortunately. I believe I've had some unstable nutrient levels and have been having a GHA and dino outbreak. I'm currently working on resolving those two things and then we'll see how she goes.

This all means that while some things (ICP test) are improving, my tank is void of sps.