Chromium Level showing high

[ajl]

I've googled this a fair amount and there are a number of threads where peoples' ICP tests show high levels of Chromium, but none of them have a solid answer. I'd like to aggregate what I learned and get feedback as to whether my conclusions are solid or whether I am missing something.

1. There is little evidence of high chromium causing issues with reef aquariums. I saw a reference to a study on (if I remember correctly) fish organs being affected. But that was it except for the ICP tests warning that it was higher than usual. I believe this thread discussed that people used to dose it in the hopes of getting better color, but now I can't find it.
2. Triton ICP tests apparently will indicate that high Phosphates may throw this off. I didn't have a Triton test or see the original information, but it wasn't clear how high would throw it off. Mine is fairly low, so not too concerned. But I list it here for reference.
3. @Randy Holmes-Farley posted a very interesting link in one of the threads that measured the Chromium concentration in a number of commercial salts. All of them look like they were high enough for the Triton test to scold you over it! If this is still accurate (the article is older) then the high levels make a lot of sense. (http://web.archive.org/web/20001215...om/fish2/aqfm/1999/mar/features/1/default.asp)
4. A number of the posters searched madly (occasionally blaming OCD) for a piece of metal that was causing the high levels. Some found something, but removing it only sometimes seemed to solve it. It seems clear that Chromium could enter the water this way, but I was not encouraged by the success rate.

My takeaways are:

• My own level of 0.01ppm seems not too bad, but I'll see if it keeps going up (or disappears) in a couple months.
• The next time I do an ICP, instead of having my RO tested too I am going to test freshly mixed salt. Unless I totally forget I'll paste it here sometime after the new year.

Am I missing anything? Endangering my little ecosystem? Thanks!

FWIW -- I am dosing using the Triton Method. That's the only thing that changed since my first water test. It would be ironic if that's where the Chromium came from!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Rarely do we have much info on exactly what trace element levels are problematic (either high or low). One big reason is we have no idea of the chemical form(s) present.

FWIW -- I am dosing using the Triton Method. That's the only thing that changed since my first water test. It would be ironic if that's where the Chromium came from!

When you say you started the Triton method, what does that mean to you? Did you stop water changes? Did you dose anything except calcium and alkalinity?

 

[ajl]

Hi Randy,

FWIW -- I am dosing using the Triton Method. That's the only thing that changed since my first water test. It would be ironic if that's where the Chromium came from!

When you say you started the Triton method, what does that mean to you? Did you stop water changes? Did you dose anything except calcium and alkalinity?

I mean I started dosing the Base Elements. I have done a some water changing in order to vacuum the sand and whittle away at the higher Boron levels from a KH buffer I'd used (enough to drop them by from 16ppm to 11ppm over the last 7 weeks).

The only other change that I can think of is that I've been running my skimmer and light less in order to keep nitrates and phosphates a bit higher and my chaeto alive.

Also, to be clear, I don't think that Triton Base Elements *caused* the Chromium to go up. It's just a funny coincidence.

Rarely do we have much info on exactly what trace element levels are problematic (either high or low). One big reason is we have no idea of the chemical form(s) present.

Really good point. The coral and fish seem healthy, though. I'll keep an eye on it.

 

[ajl]

Update on this old thread. 2.5 months after the previous tests I remeasured and found some interesting data:

1. My Cr is still 0.01. It hasn't gone up or down.
2. Fresh Red Sea salt mixed with RODI gives me 0.01ppm Cr as well.
3. My ICP test no longer complains about 0.01 Cr and now calls it a suggested amount and points out that parts of the ocean are at 0.01 ppm and other at 0.02ppm.

Long story short -- there was never anything to see here. These Chromium levels are pretty normal.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Update on this old thread. 2.5 months after the previous tests I remeasured and found some interesting data:

1. My Cr is still 0.01. It hasn't gone up or down.
2. Fresh Red Sea salt mixed with RODI gives me 0.01ppm Cr as well.
3. My ICP test no longer complains about 0.01 Cr and now calls it a suggested amount and points out that parts of the ocean are at 0.01 ppm and other at 0.02ppm.

Long story short -- there was never anything to see here. These Chromium levels are pretty normal.

Thanks for the update.

FWIW, not all ICP test results are equal, and not all ICP test companies recommendations for every ion are worth following.

 

[lafarrow]

I really like when folks follow up with what happened. It makes following a thread so much more rewarding. Thank you for remembering and posting a "negative" finding. Sometimes a non result is just as important as a result! I suspected Chromium levels being so widely reported on tests and then not having a lot of blame for troubles is telling as well. If you measure something you are gonna find something.