ICP results - please help understand

[JRCooke]

I would really appreciate some help understanding an ICP analysis I just had done on freshly made Tropic Marin Pro Reef salt mix.

I mixed a 25ltr barrel and tested with my new tropic Marin hydrometer, made up to SG 1.0263 @ 25C I’m really pleased with this as it was the reason for getting the ICP in the first place, to check the hydrometer accuracy.

here are the highlights that are of concern
ND = not detectable

Vanadium - ND
Copper - ND
Chromium - ND
Cobalt - ND
Aluminium - 12% - 2.09ug/l
Nickel - 30% - 1.37ug/l
Molybdenum - 55% - 8.28ug/l
Zinc - 173% - 9.53ug/l
Iron - 1122% - 14.3ug/l
Manganese - 53886% - 94.3ug/l

ND and those under 100% I can dose if I want, so no worries there.

My main concerns are zinc, iron and manganese. What should I read into these and what can be done about it.

many thanks

 

[maleks.reef]

I would really appreciate some help understanding an ICP analysis I just had done on freshly made Tropic Marin Pro Reef salt mix.

I mixed a 25ltr barrel and tested with my new tropic Marin hydrometer, made up to SG 1.0263 @ 25C I’m really pleased with this as it was the reason for getting the ICP in the first place, to check the hydrometer accuracy.

here are the highlights that are of concern
ND = not detectable

Vanadium - ND
Copper - ND
Chromium - ND
Cobalt - ND
Aluminium - 12% - 2.09ug/l
Nickel - 30% - 1.37ug/l
Molybdenum - 55% - 8.28ug/l
Zinc - 173% - 9.53ug/l
Iron - 1122% - 14.3ug/l
Manganese - 53886% - 94.3ug/l

ND and those under 100% I can dose if I want, so no worries there.

My main concerns are zinc, iron and manganese. What should I read into these and what can be done about it.

many thanks

I've never used tropic marin salt, nor am i an expert on their product, however, if I had to guess I would say the pump you use to mix your new SW might be rusting. Another source would be your freshwater source. Do you use RODI or is it tap water?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I would really appreciate some help understanding an ICP analysis I just had done on freshly made Tropic Marin Pro Reef salt mix.

I mixed a 25ltr barrel and tested with my new tropic Marin hydrometer, made up to SG 1.0263 @ 25C I’m really pleased with this as it was the reason for getting the ICP in the first place, to check the hydrometer accuracy.

here are the highlights that are of concern
ND = not detectable

Vanadium - ND
Copper - ND
Chromium - ND
Cobalt - ND
Aluminium - 12% - 2.09ug/l
Nickel - 30% - 1.37ug/l
Molybdenum - 55% - 8.28ug/l
Zinc - 173% - 9.53ug/l
Iron - 1122% - 14.3ug/l
Manganese - 53886% - 94.3ug/l

ND and those under 100% I can dose if I want, so no worries there.

My main concerns are zinc, iron and manganese. What should I read into these and what can be done about it.

many thanks

I wouldn't do anything about the iron and zinc. Some folks recommend iron much higher than that (I do not, but it obviously is not a big tox concern).

Zinc is a tad high, but likely not a tox concern.

I do not know what the manganese level usually is in that mix, or if this test is accurate, but it is high. It depletes fast and I'm not sure it is an issue.

 

[JRCooke]

I've never used tropic marin salt, nor am i an expert on their product, however, if I had to guess I would say the pump you use to mix your new SW might be rusting. Another source would be your freshwater source. Do you use RODI or is it tap water?

I do not think it’s my RODI as other trace elements are ND. TDS IS 4 after RO and then 0 after first mixed bed and 0 after second
I’m doubtful it’s my pump, no moving parts are metal, they are either ceramic or plastic. There is one fitting on the pump outlet that is 316 stainless steel, it’s an adapter for hose tail. It might account for the zinc but as chromium and molybdenum are so low I don’t think it’s that.

 

[JRCooke]

I wouldn't do anything about the iron and zinc. Some folks recommend iron much higher than that (I do not, but it obviously is not a big tox concern).

Zinc is a tad high, but likely not a tox concern.

I do not know what the manganese level usually is in that mix, or if this test is accurate, but it is high. It depletes fast and I'm not sure it is an issue.

Thanks Randy, appreciate it.

Out of interest what would the toxic level of zinc be? Just so I can keep an eye on it.

understand about the manganese, I’m struggling to find examples or experiences of high levels of this.

 

[Duffer]

I use tmp for 3 years now and just did an icp test and nowhere did my test results come out like yours, so I do not believe it has to do with the salt…

 

[JRCooke]

I use tmp for 3 years now and just did an icp test and nowhere did my test results come out like yours, so I do not believe it has to do with the salt…

Could I ask who you used for your ICP?

Would you mind sharing?

It would be very interesting.

thanks

 

[Duffer]

Could I ask who you used for your ICP?

Would you mind sharing?

It would be very interesting.

thanks

icp analysis from coralvue…

 

[JRCooke]

icp analysis from coralvue…

Thanks, would you mind sharing your results? All of them would be great so I can cross check

 

[maleks.reef]

If it's not the pump or water, could it be that the salt its self is not properly mixed?
Apparently, if a salt mix is sat on a shelf for a prolonged period of time, certain elements within the salt mix will start to "precipitate" and form sort of layers. BRS does recommend that you mix your salt around in the bag when you buy it. Just a thought.

 

[JRCooke]

If it's not the pump or water, could it be that the salt its self is not properly mixed?
Apparently, if a salt mix is sat on a shelf for a prolonged period of time, certain elements within the salt mix will start to "precipitate" and form sort of layers. BRS does recommend that you mix your salt around in the bag when you buy it. Just a thought.

Agreed it could be this. I haven’t mixed it up, mainly because of BRS claim that from top to bottom of tub they were getting almost exactly 35ppt when Randy tested it using exact quantities of salt to water.
However I cannot remember if this involved tumbling the bag to mix the salt up a bit.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Thanks Randy, appreciate it.

Out of interest what would the toxic level of zinc be? Just so I can keep an eye on it.

understand about the manganese, I’m struggling to find examples or experiences of high levels of this.

I do not know the toxic levels of zinc for the organisms we keep, but many folks have somewhat elevated levels like yours without apparent issue. Papers I have seen looking for effects of zinc are usually adding much more than your level.

 

[LeftyReefer]

If it's not the pump or water, could it be that the salt its self is not properly mixed?
Apparently, if a salt mix is sat on a shelf for a prolonged period of time, certain elements within the salt mix will start to "precipitate" and form sort of layers. BRS does recommend that you mix your salt around in the bag when you buy it. Just a thought.

I don't think precipitate is the proper term. I think the salt just settles and can become unmixed after a while. if the salt mix is made using ingredients of different sizes/grains/consistencies, it can settle out and become unmixed over time. You can get layers of different grain sizes as the finer particles settled down/out of the mix. So its always a good idea to mix up your salt in your bag/box/bucket before mixing your SW. I usually roll my buckets around when I first get them and then will do it again before I open a new bucket. Saying that, I've never had any personal experience with my salt becoming unmixed.