ICP analysis after 4 years, no water change

[Koty]

ICP analysis after 4 years, no water change. Balling 3-part is mixed with K & A elements, Elimi NP, and Amino-Organics.

The ICP PDF is attached.

 

[Koty]

The ICP claims the following issues:
CO2 is very high
pH is a bit low (7.59)
Sulfor is low
Potassium is high (A known issue, as too much was added based on the Salifert K kit)
Boron is a bit high.
Strotium too low
Fluoride very low
Iodine is very high, 0.189 mg/lit
Silicon is high (I thought it was low based on the Salifert kit)
Manganese is very high, one ug/ml

CO2, if it's true, may be too much carbon dosing?
What is the best way to add sulfor?
Iodine may be a result of feeding Nori?
Am I dosing too much A & K elements?
@Hans-Werner ?

 

[dvgyfresh]

The ICP claims the following issues:
CO2 is very high
pH is a bit low (7.59)
Sulfor is low
Potassium is high (A known issue, as too much was added based on the Salifert K kit)
Boron is a bit high.
Strotium too low
Fluoride very low
Iodine is very high, 0.189 mg/lit
Silicon is high (I thought it was low based on the Salifert kit)
Manganese is very high, one ug/ml

CO2, if it's true, may be too much carbon dosing?
What is the best way to add sulfor?
Iodine may be a result of feeding Nori?
Am I dosing too much A & K elements?
@Hans-Werner ?

CO2 being high :Too much carbon dosing yes, could also mean not enough flow/surface agitation. Do you run a skimmer ? Does the tank have a window in the room?

 

[RedReefer]

The ICP claims the following issues:
CO2 is very high
pH is a bit low (7.59)
Sulfor is low
Potassium is high (A known issue, as too much was added based on the Salifert K kit)
Boron is a bit high.
Strotium too low
Fluoride very low
Iodine is very high, 0.189 mg/lit
Silicon is high (I thought it was low based on the Salifert kit)
Manganese is very high, one ug/ml

CO2, if it's true, may be too much carbon dosing?
What is the best way to add sulfor?
Iodine may be a result of feeding Nori?
Am I dosing too much A & K elements?
@Hans-Werner ?

Do a large water change...

 

[Koty]

CO2 being high :Too much carbon dosing yes, could also mean not enough flow/surface agitation. Do you run a skimmer ? Does the tank have a window in the room?

The tank is in a low place (because heat is THE issue where I live), but the room volume is very large, and the entrance door is nearby. I have a skimmer that works full power 24/7. Pumps are two wave makers, Maxspect Gyre and Aquamedic Smartdrift 7.1, and a return pump outlet. In the sump, there is the chiller (big one) and UV (small) pumps. Bottom line: ample flow IMO, but maybe too much carbon is dosed 8ml/day/100g. Also Bioload is probably very high.

 

[Project1004]

The tank is in a low place (because heat is THE issue where I live), but the room volume is very large, and the entrance door is nearby. I have a skimmer that works full power 24/7. Pumps are two wave makers, Maxspect Gyre and Aquamedic Smartdrift 7.1, and a return pump outlet. In the sump, there is the chiller (big one) and UV (small) pumps. Bottom line: ample flow IMO, but maybe too much carbon is dosed 8ml/day/100g. Also Bioload is probably very high.

Okay :). Can we see your tank.

 

[mook1178]

Run your skimmer line outside to reduce CO2

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Looks pretty good for that long with no water change. The high potassium is my
main issue.

 

[Koty]

Okay :). Can we see your tank.

 

[Koty]

Run your skimmer line outside to reduce CO2

Not sure I trust the CO2 as well as the pH. Samples were not frozen so CO2 may have gone up due to “life activities”
I test pH with the calorimetric test from Tropic Marin and it always have shown 8.2. Randy should comment how much can we trust it.

 

[dvgyfresh]

Tank looks great , I would work on adding oxygen to the water via some window / air pump / refugium

 

[Koty]

Looks pretty good for that long with no water change. The high potassium is my
main issue.

We discussed my potassium some time ago. It turns out that Salifert underestimates the potassium causing me to overdose it.

 

[Project1004]

I don’t usually watch videos but I did for yours…. Said 100Gal?! Looks good. :)

Took a snap shot for those who might want to see what the tank looks like from the video.

You know there is product from KZ for mule removing. I see what the no water change did here…. Also some corals are dying and growing at the same time. Sheeese…. I guess it’s hands free approach? Or do you dose dailies? Edit: I see what you dose on the 1st comment :). Cool.

 

[dvgyfresh]

Damsel with pop eye in the video as well , get him some vitamins enriched food

 

[Koty]

I recall that bacteria can consume a lot of oxygen. I will cut down my carbon dosing by half. Also pushed one wave-maker closer to the surface

 

[Koty]

I don’t usually watch videos but I did for yours…. Said 100Gal?! Looks good. :)

Took a snap shot for those who might want to see what the tank looks like from the video.

You know there is product from KZ for mule removing. I see what the no water change did here…. Also some corals are dying and growing at the same time. Sheeese…. I guess it’s hands free approach? Or do you dose dailies? Edit: I see what you dose on the 1st comment :). Cool.

Corals are not dying but some are fighting for real estate.

Damsel with pop eye in the video as well , get him some vitamins enriched food

Got him from a friend he was very old and died already. Seemed more like some kind of tumor

 

[DanyL]

As someone who lives in the same country - I get it, it’s very hot in here (especially now), and we tend to keep the windows closed for long with the AC on.

Sure, carbon dosing is acidic, but it is nowhere near acidic enough to cause a PH as low as 7.6.

That, combined with closed windows and Sodium Bicarbonate however would most definitely cause it.

Using NaOH, if dosed enough would easily elevate it towards 8.3-8.4, Sodium Carbonate will likely elevate it to around 8.0 (combined with periodic 20m room ventilation a few times a day would make it 8.2-8.3).

If you want, I can send you the exact NaOH/Sodium Carbonate I get from Chen Shmuel Chemicals, which I have been using for long enough to deem them as safe for use. That said, I also do make weekly water changes - so if there was a tiny bit of something else in there I would likely never see it in tests, as it would never accumulate.

As for Iodine - yes, very likely if you feed heavy with Nori.

Low Flouride could be due to the usage of GFO. Not harmful, as many of us here have been observed.

 

[Koty]

As someone who lives in the same country - I get it, it’s very hot in here (especially now), and we tend to keep the windows closed for long with the AC on.

Sure, carbon dosing is acidic, but it is nowhere near acidic enough to cause a PH as low as 7.6.

That, combined with closed windows and Sodium Bicarbonate however would most definitely cause it.

Using NaOH, if dosed enough would easily elevate it towards 8.3-8.4, Sodium Carbonate will likely elevate it to around 8.0 (combined with periodic 20m room ventilation a few times a day would make it 8.2-8.3).

If you want, I can send you the exact NaOH/Sodium Carbonate I get from Chen Shmuel Chemicals, which I have been using for long enough to deem them as safe for use. That said, I also do make weekly water changes - so if there was a tiny bit of something else in there I would likely never see it in tests, as it would never accumulate.

As for Iodine - yes, very likely if you feed heavy with Nori.

Low Flouride could be due to the usage of GFO. Not harmful, as many of us here have been observed.

Thanks for the advice. Would have used NaOH but I have occasional grandchildren roaming around. I did consider a mix of NaOH with sodium carbonate but I need to know if I can add the TM A elements without precipitation.
My worry is that the CO2 accumulated in the closed sample tube and thus may not represent the actual CO2 in my system. I have a lot of energy devoted to mixing my water as I know CO2 is a very heavy gas

 

[DanyL]

Thanks for the advice. Would have used NaOH but I have occasional grandchildren roaming around. I did consider a mix of NaOH with sodium carbonate but I need to know if I can add the TM A elements without precipitation.

You can use Sodium Carbonate as a drop in replacement with no worries, many people use it with TM A with no issues. I also don’t think NaOH would make any difference, but I have no certain knowledge about its usage with it - Randy/Hans would probably be able to answer it.

As for your grandchildren, if the dosing containers are reachable to them - stick with Sodium Carbonate. Better be safe than sorry.

My worry is that the CO2 accumulated in the closed sample tube and thus may not represent the actual CO2 in my system.

It should be sealed, but it might very well be the case. That said - a PH this low is typical in your conditions.
You can answer it easily using a PH prob, or even ballpark it using a color changing test such as the one Salifert uses.

Either way - you will have to test it at home while elevating it.

I have a lot of energy devoted to mixing my water as I know CO2 is a very heavy gas

This would help to reach equilibrium between tank and room CO2, but if the room CO2 is high, it might as well elevate it in the tank. You can verify it with a PH probe and a small aerated sample at home.

 

[Miami Reef]

We discussed my potassium some time ago. It turns out that Salifert underestimates the potassium causing me to overdose it.

I always tell people not to rely on home kits because I’ve seen this issue too many times.

I even have it written in my K DIY:

I do not recommend home kits for testing potassium, as they may be inaccurate or give false negatives, leading to very high levels after dosing.

The most reliable testing method is ICP-MS, followed by ICP-OES. Either of these tests works for determining if potassium supplementation is necessary for your aquarium.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/diy-potassium-dosing-for-reef-tanks.1110524/