Baby's First ICP test!

sevenx7

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SO I finally got an ICP test after fighting the battle with my Montipora eating NB, I think they're on the run but that's a war story for another day.
I'm really confused with my results and apparently my tanks loaded with Carbon dioxide and I plan on getting a co2 Scrubber from BRS today, along with what seems to be a need for some Iodine. My aluminum is high but I think that may have been the Phosguard I had in there which is now out. My Poor 13.5Gallon Evo seems to be plagued with Carbon Dioxide!

Anything else scream out to anyone? I'm thinking of maybe getting my dosing setup to some kind of system and what is better? I was thinking of leaning towards Zeovit or those line of products. Have a little cyan on the sanded but my MP10 is running around 40% I have 2 fish and a bunch of ups and zoanthis and Micromusa frags.

Most of the SPS was fine but Im noticing 2 starting to lose some flesh at the base so I'd like to get in front of it before were looking at a meltdown!

I dose All for reef 4 times a day around .25-.50ml and am pretty steady around 7.9-8.1 throughout the day, PH at 7.8-8 (night- Day)

Still battling a little bubble algae but the fight continues!

My RO/DI tested well!

have a Peek!
 

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nereefpat

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ICP cannot detect CO2, or pH, or carbonate hardness (alk/ dKH). So I would ignore those values.

Most of the results look fine to me. People do report higher than 'normal' amounts of tin and aluminum in many ICP reports. I don't know if it matters or not.
 
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sevenx7

sevenx7

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Well in that case I think I might start looking at something like the Korallen-Zucht stuff to fix some of the trace elements getting run down, especially the iodine, I did do this test on waterchange day (before the actual 1 gallons change) Maybe I was just getting ahead of myself then!

 

forestsofkelp

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If it were me I would increase surface agitation to get rid of the C02. Not sure what a C02 scrubber is. A water change will fix those trace elements. I am hesitant to dose and play chemistry set since each additive is a variable. In addition, the testing is only as good as the test. ICP tests have limits. Many people report high Al and Tn in their ICP test. In some people (like me) cases, they have high metals, but no source.
and the tank continues to do well. I did lose a few corals recently, but my nitrates and phosphates were high then (thats now been corrected). So was it the metals, or the basic chem? Where is the metal coming from? Is it real, or am I chasing a fake number? Its really hard to say. These ICP tests have users over a barrel because how you are going to prove them wrong?

I have been battling "high aluminum and tin" in my tank as well. If you have one heavy metal, it is likely a contaminant (tubing, tank, additive), especially if it is decreasing. If you have multiple, you likely have rust and should check all your pumps/magnets/hinges for corrosion or metal contact.

I would say if your tank looks good, dont worry too much about the ICP test. Its a guide. I use it to make sure my Ca and other major tests are more or less accurate. For the trace elements/heavy metals I take it with a grain of salt. People did reef tanks for many years without them.

It does majorly bug me that I get these abnormal numbers. I am in the process of doing a 150% water change to flush out any contaminants/metals, and then retesting the fresh mix and the tank each with two ICP tests from my current company and one from a third. I want to see how accurate my current company is within itself and compare it.

If all the results match, I know I can trust the ICP tests. If the the tests disagree, I am going to go with whoever was closest to my testing that day for Ca, Mg, and Phos.

If one or both are picking up metals in the fresh salt, then I think the metals are meaningless unless sky high...not only am I switching salt mixes (meaning that the metal was in my tank AND the new fresh mix from a different manufacturer), the salt is from my LFS who tracks batch numbers, religiously tests, has no tank issues, and has a network of local reefers he is in touch with regularly. If none of them are having problems, and I have no metal source in my tank, the problem isnt metals, its one of my additives or my basic chemistry.
 

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