ICP - Analysis Results - See Any Issues?

[sharkdiver]

So I just got my ICP-Analysis done on my tank. My corals have not been healthy for a long time even though I have added a doser (about a year ago) and an auto top off (2 years ago) to keep my Alk, Calcium, Magnesium level. I have Radion Gen 2's (non pro) and have long suspected the lights are the issue sine my parameters have been great. This was my last attempt to figure it out before buying new lights. I never had any issues with MH or T5's in other tanks and I have tried all sorts of intensities based on others suggestions with the Radions (letting 2 - 4 months between intensity changes).

Please take a look at my results and see if you see anything that would cause corals to have stunted growth and lousy color. From how I read this, my in depth analysis looks good.

 

[Bouncingsoul39]

Per the test Potassium and Strontium are low. Seachem has them both available in concentrated form that is a better value than the competitors and lower price as well. Other than that, what is the specific gravity of your water? I'm not totally versed on the Radion's but I understand they have a spectrum setting that is popular called "AB+". You might Google it and try to set yours to that too. If you can borrow a Par meter from someone or a local reef club, you can check your Par numbers around the tank and make sure they are where they should be for growth. How deep is your tank, and how far are the lights off the water surface and spaced apart from each other?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

What does a not healthy coral mean? What types? What symptoms?

The salinity looks low, and I agree potassium (if accurate) is a substantial concern. Raising salinity to 35 ppt will boost the potassium, but not enough and you'll want to dose for it.

I don't consider strontium to be important, but raising it is certainly not a problem.

 

[sharkdiver]

Specific gravity in the tank has been 1.025 for over 2years consistently. And that measurement is through a refractometer.

As far as Radion AB+ setting, yes I have read the article and tried the settings. They did not work for me and I did not see improvement after 2 month. I am very close to those settings still. Problem with those settings for me is my lights are Gen 2 (non-pro) and the coresponding white paper mentions the reef farm those settings came from were using the Gen 3 (Pro) version so there are LED's in that cluster like UV that I do not have in my version.

Also borrowed a PAR meter from my local club and most corals were in the growth zone from the specific species but are muted and very little color.

As far as coral health. Corals are muted in color, extremely slow growth rate, some have slowly withered away. Most of the corals are LPS with a couple SPS and Softies in there. Torches, hammers, and frogspawn for instance are muted and tenticles are smaller than when I got the frags. Favites have slowly died and zoas that were almost pests because of their growth rate in other tanks under T5 and under MH barely multiply.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Specific gravity in the tank has been 1.025 for over 2years consistently. And that measurement is through a refractometer.

If the icp values are correct, it is lower than that. More like sg = 1.022 - 1.023

 

[sharkdiver]

Hmmm. Well I guess I will have to see if I borrow someone's refractometer and see if theirs has the same reading. Surprised at the potassium readings but will get a test kit for that. Generally speaking most people don't dose that correct? They get it from salt mixes? I use reef crystals.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Hmmm. Well I guess I will have to see if I borrow someone's refractometer and see if theirs has the same reading. Surprised at the potassium readings but will get a test kit for that. Generally speaking most people don't dose that correct? They get it from salt mixes? I use reef crystals.

Some people dose it, but I never had the need. It depends on the relative inputs from foods vs exports, and then is altered potentially by water changes.

Try recalibrating the refractometer with a 35 ppt seawater standard.

 

[rkpetersen]

Is your Mg somewhat low? Yours is at (the low end of) nsw levels, it's true, but I'm keeping mine around 1350 or a bit higher, for the alleged benefits of enhanced coral growth and inhibition of nuisance algae growth. I have yet to decide for myself if these benefits are actually real, though.

 

[sharkdiver]

Some people dose it, but I never had the need. It depends on the relative inputs from foods vs exports, and then is altered potentially by water changes.

Try recalibrating the refractometer with a 35 ppt seawater standard.

I don't live by the ocean so need a better option. Tonight I used distilled water to calibrate it. I am guessing it is like RO/DI water and is not recommended for calibration. Anyways my readings tonight for my specific gravity was 1.026. I have not done a water change or anything since my results came back as I was out of town.

 

[Jamie7907]

I have seen refractometers be off by as much as 3 points when calibrating with rodi or distilled water, not saying yours is but it could be. I use a 35ppt standard I got from brs for around $10 a few years ago I think and I check calibration every time I use my refractometer. Might be worth looking at.

 

[Jamie7907]

This is similar to what I use.

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/aqua-craft-refractometer-calibration-fluid.html

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I don't live by the ocean so need a better option. Tonight I used distilled water to calibrate it. I am guessing it is like RO/DI water and is not recommended for calibration. Anyways my readings tonight for my specific gravity was 1.026. I have not done a water change or anything since my results came back as I was out of town.

Actually, I'd never calibrate a refractometer with collected ocean water as it is not, most likely, particularly close to 35 ppt. You can make or buy a 35 ppt standard.

 

[sharkdiver]

Per the test Potassium and Strontium are low. Seachem has them both available in concentrated form that is a better value than the competitors and lower price as well. Other than that, what is the specific gravity of your water? I'm not totally versed on the Radion's but I understand they have a spectrum setting that is popular called "AB+". You might Google it and try to set yours to that too. If you can borrow a Par meter from someone or a local reef club, you can check your Par numbers around the tank and make sure they are where they should be for growth. How deep is your tank, and how far are the lights off the water surface and spaced apart from each other?

Is this the Potassium you were referring to from Seachem? Asking because this is market toward fresh water plants.

https://www.marinedepot.com/Seachem...uid_Supplements-Seachem-SC5193-FWPCLF-vi.html

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Is this the Potassium you were referring to from Seachem? Asking because this is market toward fresh water plants.

https://www.marinedepot.com/Seachem...uid_Supplements-Seachem-SC5193-FWPCLF-vi.html

That's an OK product to use, but so are simple food grade potassium chloride:

https://www.iherb.com/pr/Now-Foods-Potassium-Chloride-Powder-8-oz-227-g/777

 

[sharkdiver]

I have seen refractometers be off by as much as 3 points when calibrating with rodi or distilled water, not saying yours is but it could be. I use a 35ppt standard I got from brs for around $10 a few years ago I think and I check calibration every time I use my refractometer. Might be worth looking at.

Cool, just ordered some of that from BRS. It was between $6-7 so made it a no brainer. Just shipped out yesterday so will be interested to see if my refractometer was off using distilled water (and I have also used RO/DI in the past) for calibration.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Cool, just ordered some of that from BRS. It was between $6-7 so made it a no brainer. Just shipped out yesterday so will be interested to see if my refractometer was off using distilled water (and I have also used RO/DI in the past) for calibration.

If it is made perfectly, and is not a true seawater refractometer (most aren't unless they say so), it will necessarily be off. They are not made for use in seawater, despite being sold that way.

The thing they are made for (sodium chloride solutions) have a slightly different relationship between refractive index and salinity or specific gravity, than does seawater.

 

[sharkdiver]

If it is made perfectly, and is not a true seawater refractometer (most aren't unless they say so), it will necessarily be off. They are not made for use in seawater, despite being sold that way.

The thing they are made for (sodium chloride solutions) have a slightly different relationship between refractive index and salinity or specific gravity, than does seawater.

Okay, so are there any refractometers you recommend then for seawater that doesn't break the bank?

 

[Brian W]

I recently got my ICP test back and my Potassium was low as well. I picked up Brightwell Aquatics Potassion. Been dosing for a few times now. So far so good.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Okay, so are there any refractometers you recommend then for seawater that doesn't break the bank?

I prefer to measure salinity by conductivity, but most refractometers are suitable if calibrated with a 35 ppt standard.

 

[sharkdiver]

That's an OK product to use, but so are simple food grade potassium chloride:

https://www.iherb.com/pr/Now-Foods-Potassium-Chloride-Powder-8-oz-227-g/777

So gonna try the product you recommend. Do you have a calculator you use to decide on dosages? Salifert test kit said 290 so potassium is in fact low as analysis stated.