Dialing in a few elements after ICP result.

ryshark

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I've been dosing 1x per week Potassium Iodide, a little less than 50% of the manufacturers suggested amount for awhile now. I figured, I should probably test for it somehow to make sure I'm in the ballpark. So I sent in an ICP test to Triton and my results came back WAY too high in Iodine at 534 ug/l. My plan is to STOP dosing it and up my 15% every other week water change to 20% every other week. If my math is correct, this will take me about 8-water changes to get back down to an acceptable Iodine amount. So far my corals look good overall. The LPS has full Polyp Extension and look good. Most of the acros have good polyp extension, however, I've been feeling like the colors could be a little better.

After beating Dinos, partially by dosing high amounts of Si, I decided to keep dosing Si but at much, much lower amounts of Si to keep Dino's and algaes that are worse than Diatoms, in check. Also because I remember reading somewhere (awhile ago) about Randy talking about dosing Si as a healthy thing to do. My ICP showed Si at 263, just a little elevated. Triton suggest Si to be 0-200. @Randy Holmes-Farley what do you suggest for Si ug/l, and your thoughts on my Iodine? Also thoughts on my plan to elevate Ca which I'm about to type below, would be appreciated too.

According to the ICP my calcium is only 387 and I'd like to be at least 400 if not more. According to an increase CAL calculator I found, it says 80ml of ESV 2-part will get me to 400. My plan is to increase the CAL in my 2-part doser by 10-minutes per day at 1.1ml per minute, for 7-days to play it safe. Sound good?

Here are my ICP results below. I took the water sample on Monday morning, dropped the sample off at the post office Monday afternoon and Triton had the results for me by Wednesday. Less than 48-hour turnaround from my location.

https://www.triton-lab.de/en/showroom/icp-oes/133566
 
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taricha

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I've seen a few others say the same about Iodine. It is depleted if not dosed (my tank is ~zero I if not dosed) but some people find that at the recommended dosing rates, it can accumulate.

According to the ICP my calcium is only 387 and I'd like to be at least 400 if not more.

An ICP test probably can't reliably differentiate between 387 and 400ppm Ca. (3% difference). If you send them another sample the next day, it might say it was 400ppm. That said, it wouldn't harm anything to up the Ca by 20ppm either way. Ok to spread it out over a week if you want. But there's no harm in raising Ca 20 ppm faster.
 
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ryshark

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I've seen a few others say the same about Iodine. It is depleted if not dosed (my tank is ~zero I if not dosed) but some people find that at the recommended dosing rates, it can accumulate.



An ICP test probably can't reliably differentiate between 387 and 400ppm Ca. (3% difference). If you send them another sample the next day, it might say it was 400ppm. That said, it wouldn't harm anything to up the Ca by 20ppm either way. Ok to spread it out over a week if you want. But there's no harm in raising Ca 20 ppm faster.
I knew that Iodine depleted, which is why I thought I was playing it safe by dosing less than 50% of what the bottle said to dose. Not knowing exactly how fast it depletes and also not testing, I should have been more careful.

Good info on the CAL, thanks.
 
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