How many of you are LAB TESTING your water parameters?

Are you LAB TESTING your water parameters?

  • YES I do or have

    Votes: 197 39.5%
  • NO

    Votes: 148 29.7%
  • No, But want to in the future.

    Votes: 149 29.9%
  • Other (please explain)

    Votes: 5 1.0%

  • Total voters
    499

Jamesmost

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ATI every couple/few months..
Just got 3rd back...
Havent made any changes yet..
But
Iodine undetectable (dose weekly)
Potassium a bit high (gonna lay off dose for a couple Weeks then cut regular dose)

Some metals detected, but not of concern...

Ill post my 3 results later
 

cperry7467

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I use ATI ICP-OES about once a quarter. According to their testing site I have submitted 28 tests over the years.

What I like is that it increases my confidence that my testing equipment is accurate and calibrated properly for the big stuff. Once my tank was having issues so I submitted an ICP test and discovered my salinity at 33 where my conductivity probe was 35. Other times I've discovered my hanna alkalinity reagent had an issue and was giving me bad numbers. On the trace and metals side of things, it has helped me discover a screw that fell in my tank and when other smaller elements like strontium or iodine are getting low. I don't do water changes unless I have to so the ICP is my confidence builder that things are good. Oh also the RODI testing. That helped me fix my diatom problem where silicates were coming through my RODI despite the media not being exhausted.

What I don't like ATI's lab site is kind of wonky. Actually it appears to be down right now which is ironic. It always defaults to German which is annoying. In terms of the testing itself, the only thing that comes to mind is the length of time it takes to get your results which is usually 2 weeks after I drop it in the mail.
 

ReefPig

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At least once a month I do a Triton ICP, sometimes more often.
I buy in bulk and get a reasonable discount.

I follow the advice exactly to the letter, even supplemental Nickel dosing.
Is it working? Not entirely sure, but my colours are starting to look good and my growth is really kicking off, who knows if that’s because of testing and adjusting.

I am following Triton method also though, and haven’t done a water change since early December. I definitely thinks Triton helps a lot with stability.
 

Peanut

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Never

I am not sure anyone has tested if they send 2 identical samples - how much variation there is in the results. In any case - the only solution to a 'high' level' is water changes - or some adsorbing material. Water changes are cheaper. I think the triton method is a great shaver/blade model - but - makes no common sense (to me). Never would use it - don't trust the results - and don't trust the significance of the results. I know they are a sponsor - but - just no not for me

You're just guessing, and while that might be good enough to keep a reef, its not great.

My last ICP test revealed I had Aluminum in my water. How would you ever know that? How would you ever know to look for a source of Aluminum in your tank? How would you know how much water you had to change to get the Aluminum to an acceptable level? You wouldn't.

Other than the elements that shouldn't be there at all, 95% of the time 'low level' is the problem not 'high level', and doing water changes just because I need to add a specific amount of I, Mo, K, Br, B, Mn, Ni, Zn, V, etc etc...is what makes no sense to me. changing water on a small tank might work, but is not economically feasible with large volumes of water just for some trace elements.

Have you ever had your salt tested? How do you know for example, the salt you use has the proper amount of Iodine, Potassium, etc. in it. If its short, no amount of water changes will ever get you to the value you need. how's that cheaper?

As to the significance of the results, I can personally say that the polyp extension and color of my corals has never been better than when I am paying attention to trace element levels. None of which have ever been at a 'high level'

Do some homework on what exactly an ICP-OES test is, what kind of equipment it takes to run a test like that. Maybe research which companies use which equipment if its that important to you. When you say you "don't trust the results" are you suggesting the testing companies are changing the values, or are you saying you think the machines testing companies purchase are incapable of producing the results their manufacturers claim?
 

Emerson

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Yes, I do test with ICP. I buy a few on Black Friday when they're on sale and try to test every 6 mos or so. Good to know information, but I haven't made any adjustments because of them. Mostly, it eliminates the worry of having really bad stuff in your water, like heavy metals.
 

Jgerm

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I test monthly right now with ATI to get my parameters for my daily supplements and monthly corrections on Reef Moonshiners Method. This will change once the tank is older and established to testing every 3 months. I have never done a water change since setting up the tank. And will only do one if needed most likely due to human error. I perform regular testing at home but it does not account for the elements that are depleted monthly like cobalt, chromium, etc. This is my setup for SpS system.
 
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threebuoys

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I have not used Lab Testing.

I hope I never have to use Lab Testing.

This "hobby" is very expensive already. At some point, you have to be able to rely on the tools available to do your own analysis. I recognize the challenge and risks in taking that approach. I have a 125 gallon tank. If I had 1000's of gallons of water to manage, I might feel differently, not to mention that if I could afford 1000's of gallons of water the Lab Test cost would get lost in the rounding.

If I suspect a problem with my water, I need to be able to take immediate action and not have to wait for the test to get back to me. Hence, I need to be proficient in using the tests that are available, understand their shortcomings and do my best with it.
 

S.Pepper

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I haven't had any lab testing of my water since starting my aquarium about1.5 years ago, but ironically I am having a Triton ICP-OES testing kit delivered today. Plan to have it sent out by tomorrow. I'm not really having any issues, but my growth in my zoas and palys could be better--truthfully, they're just lacking in growth. My torch, hammers, and florida ricordea are all doing well. My fish are healthy and growing like crazy.

It'll be nice to see what's really going on... and go from there.
 

Randy Holmes-Farley

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2. What do you like and dislike about lab testing?

Recommendations based on the tests which are presented without justification.

A common example is the suggestion to boost ions that have no known biological role, or to reduce ions which, when elevated to the degree measured, are equally lacking in any known toxicity.
 

j0359m

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I do an ATI-ICP every 4-6 weeks & follow Reef Moonshiner method with greater success then I’ve had with anything else
 

Randy Holmes-Farley

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One more thing, I hope, I will like. There is a LFS in Tampa (Somewhere) that is going to start doing ICP testing. I am hoping it will be close enough for me to drive there and get INSTANT gratification.

Seriously? They intend to have an ICP in house?

Color me skeptical that an LFS has the money to buy one or the expertise to properly run one.
 

zachtos

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My 300G reef going on 2+ years no water change using only ICP tests 4-6 times per year. I manually correct all the elements with DIY chemistry calculations and a variety of chloride compounds.
 

MattW33

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I'd tentatively say regular ICP testing helped me diagnose a year long issue with my tank. I think it's a valuable tool, but manufacturers are all too keen to use it to sell seemingly unnessecary metal additives (or rather they aren't needed at levels detectable by ICP-OES).
 

vetteguy53081

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1. How many of you are LAB TESTING your water parameters?

I do . . . . 2-3X per year

2. What do you like and dislike about lab testing?

The delays more than anything. Triton one time lost my sample Twice and last ATI was over 2 weeks after receipt. I still question after 2 weeks the accuracy of testing.

Like: The extensive testing and results of the many elements we dont have kits for.
 

NigelRichardson

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Have not done it - yet - but will do - at least a couple of times in the near future.

I want to know where I'm sitting relative to my home test kits. The colour change test kits are the thing I dislike most about the hobby (Saving money to go for the Hanna checkers ASAP), so I think a reconciliation between where I "think" my parameters are, and where they actually are would be really useful.

The whole "Add drops until the solution changes colour" thing - I think it gives more of an indication rather than a precise result.

A definitive set of numbers will tell me not only where my tank is, but where my ability to interpret test results it !
 

design.maddie

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I'm a firm no. I don't get the reason for this, other than knowing why your tank crashed possibly. I do water changes so often so by the time I would get my results in I probably would have changed ~50% of my water. I suppose if I started having things die off RTN style I would be curious and might send off to see what happened, but that just seems like a peace of mind thing after the fact rather than a preventative measure I would be willing to spend cash on.
 

MartinWaite

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Seriously? They intend to have an ICP in house?

Color me skeptical that an LFS has the money to buy one or the expertise to properly run one.

Yes best admit I'd be sceptical about it to especially when you consider the cost of these machines and the relevant training needed for them. I believe that they cost over $250,000 new depended upon what you want from it.


For my point I've had a few ICP tests done and they started when I knew something was wrong with my tank yet all home tests came back everything except nitrate was spot on the nitrate was zero so I feed extra switched the skimmer to hour on hour off and refugium light to opposite the display lights and still zero so took some tank water for a second opinion at lfs nitrate zero rest spot on. So continued the routine and ordered some ATI ICP tests sets cheaper to buy 3 at a time and results within a week and all spot on except nitrate was off the scale 200+! When I checked my kit it had expired a year or so earlier so bought a new one.

But I intend to purchase the new Mastertronic and have my tests done automatically and I will know exactly where I am down to either 2 or 3 decimal points as its the one thing I totally hate about the hobby is doing the testing esp when some have that big +/- to them. I will be able to see where my test results are trending and if I need to action them or stay sat watching everything growing.
 
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Klaas

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Compared to the study of seawater in environmental science, the science of aquarium water chemistry was largely unexplored and poorly understood.

Due to the lack of publications, money and technical opportunities this was considered an unattractive field of scientific research but for the reef keeper this level of understanding was, and continues to be, of vital importance.

The necessity of the reef keeper for more knowledge led us to take advantage of this opportunity. We created our laboratory and were the first to conduct scientific research in the field of aquarium water chemistry to an unprecedented level. - Triton Lab


1. How many of you are LAB TESTING your water parameters?

2. What do you like and dislike about lab testing?

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Lab.png
I did the Aqua Forest twice in the past 6 months. Happy with the test and the outcomes. Just a pity they don’t test for Nitrates
 

sjohnson2152

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I've only run an ICP test once when my tank was experiencing inexplicable coral die off and after I had tested for everything else. Ended up wishing I had done it sooner because it identified high levels of heavy metals. My report gave a list of suspects that led me to the culprit- a cracked magnet case on a gyre. Lost a bunch of corals before I figured it out. I now keep a test on hand and will use it if I ever see signs of an issue when basic parameters are spot on (and no magnet cases are cracked).
 
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