First ICP results

BryanM · Feb 19, 2025

So I got my first test results back, mostly did this due to dinos and wanting to make sure something else wasn't drastically off in my water chemistry.

220 gallon system.. Tropic Marin Pro Reef salt, and during dinos fight I did quite a few 5-10 gallon water changes, but otherwise I just dose AFR.

I also still have filter socks in place, but they likely will be removed soon, which would leave the ATS as the only filtration in the system.

Iodine, Manganese, vanadium, and Zinc are the items I have questions on.

The test also says phosphorous/phosphate are critically high but I'm not worried about this.

Results: https://lab.atiaquaristik.com/share/50efb4808cb0dbfa02dc

Gumbies R Us · Feb 20, 2025

@Randy Holmes-Farley

Lavey29 · Feb 20, 2025

Almost everyone has ups or downs with trace elements. Lot of these just show up as non detectable due to the test. Has little or no effect on the tank overall but they do make trace dosing supplements. Weekly water changes typically replenish trace adequately

CHSUB · Feb 20, 2025

Interesting….. .26 ppm po4 and 44 ppm no3, imo this is “drastically off in my water chemistry”.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Feb 20, 2025

BryanM said:
So I got my first test results back, mostly did this due to dinos and wanting to make sure something else wasn't drastically off in my water chemistry.

220 gallon system.. Tropic Marin Pro Reef salt, and during dinos fight I did quite a few 5-10 gallon water changes, but otherwise I just dose AFR.

I also still have filter socks in place, but they likely will be removed soon, which would leave the ATS as the only filtration in the system.

Iodine, Manganese, vanadium, and Zinc are the items I have questions on.

The test also says phosphorous/phosphate are critically high but I'm not worried about this.

Results: https://lab.atiaquaristik.com/share/50efb4808cb0dbfa02dc

Looks pretty good to me.

You might or might not benefit from a trace element supplement such as Tropic Marin A and K.

Not much else I'd try to "fix" if it were me.

rtparty · Feb 20, 2025

I second Randy’s recommendation. If you wanted to dose A and K from TM it shouldn’t hurt anything. Water changes will not replenish trace elements. Basic math tells us this

Your nutrients are fine and should be left alone IMO.

BryanM · Feb 20, 2025

CHSUB said:
Interesting….. .26 ppm po4 and 44 ppm no3, imo this is “drastically off in my water chemistry”.

Yeah ... So gorgeous tanks with drastically different nutrient numbers has me in the belief that we still don't really know what works and/or why for N and P.

Also, now that I did an ICP test, its pretty clear where people get the idea that they need to chase .05 phosphates... since my test result has an alarm bell going off for that :)

I have a cynarina - its as inflated and puffed up as its ever been.

I just bought a wilsoni, it was hard as a rock when I put it in the tank, its now inflated and flapping around like it has no care in the world.

I have 3 plates, and I did not know they would or could inflate, but now they do.

So, i choose not to stress about this and try and do what quite a few people try and do, and that is let the tank tell you if something is amiss. If my phos gets near .6 or so, I'll start worrying a bit... and nitrates ... I probably won't worry until they near 100.

But I also won't try and get anyone to do this, especially folks that try and keep phos down to .06 or less, and nitrates in the 5 range.... Which, when I started, is what I was attempting to do, as it is quite common.

BryanM · Feb 20, 2025

Thanks all... I was just hoping to get another set of eyes or two with more experience than myself.

Mike Sydney · Mar 31, 2025

BryanM said:
So I got my first test results back, mostly did this due to dinos and wanting to make sure something else wasn't drastically off in my water chemistry.

220 gallon system.. Tropic Marin Pro Reef salt, and during dinos fight I did quite a few 5-10 gallon water changes, but otherwise I just dose AFR.

I also still have filter socks in place, but they likely will be removed soon, which would leave the ATS as the only filtration in the system.

Iodine, Manganese, vanadium, and Zinc are the items I have questions on.

The test also says phosphorous/phosphate are critically high but I'm not worried about this.

Results: https://lab.atiaquaristik.com/share/50efb4808cb0dbfa02dc

know TCIP well as a scientist.
The problem with TCIP is that Aluminum Oxide or Bauxite will be reported as Aluminium, in this form it does not present a problem it is abundant in the environment. The reason is people who are not degree chemists are running amok with this equipment, and when computer says , computer must be right!
Marine pure for example has an amount of bauxite in its composition, and this can cause this false reading, along with other common items such as pump wear rotors and some substrates.
Just about any metal oxides can be falsely detected as metal ions in TCIP, because the sample is turned to plasma