High-ish strontium

[rishma]

Recent ATI ICP-OES showed critically high strontium 11.17 mg/l. I am a not actually worried about it but I am curious.

Other slightly high (so-called above normal) are sulfur, calcium(as usual), bromine, and zinc. Below normal in vanadium and manganese (as usual).

So overall I am good with the results but the high strontium is interesting. My trace elements would come from water changes and AFR.

I recently starting using a bucket of reef crystals for water changes. It’s not my normal salt (Tropic Marin) but I ran out of salt and I got the reef crystals for free. I am trying to decide if I should buy some new salt or just keep using the RC. I dont have (or want to buy) a strontium test kit so its a bit of guess work.

At what point is strontium a concern? I have probably only done 3x 20% water changes with RC and would easily use the RC for another year+ so if that’s the problem it will keep going up. I don’t think it rapidly depletes.

I realize this is a difficult question to get a definitive answer, but thoughts and opinions are welcome. Thanks!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I don’t know what level is a concern, but in my opinion, it’s well above where you are.

Strontium substitutes into calcium carbonate in place of calcium, and the more there is, the more substitutes. I don’t know at what point that becomes a problem.

 

[Yasmar01]

I just got my first ICP back and it's similar to yours. I also use Tropic Marin Pro Salt and All for Reef.

 

[rishma]

I just got my first ICP back and it's similar to yours. I also use Tropic Marin Pro Salt and All for Reef.

I changed from reef crystals to NYOS pure salt and strontium trended down to normal levels. I think it was most likely the reef crystals