ICP test analysis action recommendations

[lakereef]

I have had a few issues with my 3 year old reef. I'd say 90% of the coral are fine but I've seen some RTN of random coral starting this summer. I initially thought it could be low Nitrate levels, but I'm not convinced that's all so I ordered a ICP test. I'm using Kent salt and have since the tank was started. I was doing 50g (of 700 total water volume) of water change weekly until I started to seemly have more issues after the water change. Now I do maybe half that.

I noticed Boron is low, but it was in a Triton test I did a year back so I don't think this is an issue.

The one I'm worried about is Molybdenum being zero as it had some level with a previous Triton test. Could this be completely depleted by my large coral load? The tank is absolutely packed with coral and macro algae in an attached fuge. Is this something I can dose safely despite not being able to test on my own?

Anything else I should be concerned about with these ICP results?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I don’t have high confidence in his company, but it is possible you could benefit from some trace elements. I’d get a mix of of them if you want to try that.

Potassium seems high.

 

[lakereef]

I don’t have high confidence in his company, but it is possible you could benefit from some trace elements. I’d get a mix of of them if you want to try that.

Potassium seems high.

Ok thanks for the reply. I haven’t dosed any potassium so that would be from the salt mix.

I have some Fauna Marin trace elements laying around and their blue/purple complex has B and Mo. I was tempted to try that since they both seemed lacking. It also has a couple others I can’t think of off the top of my head and was a bit worried those would get too high. Something to worry about or no?

 

[SirensReef]

Actually, I really Love ICP-Analysis! I’ve had great luck dosing my trace elements using their testing!!! I use the results to enter my levels into the ReefGrow dose builder and tells me exactly how much of their trace elements to dose, which are amazing btw, and BAM incredible coral growth!!!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Actually, I really Love ICP-Analysis! I’ve had great luck dosing my trace elements using their testing!!! I use the results to enter my levels into the ReefGrow dose builder and tells me exactly how much of their trace elements to dose, which are amazing btw, and BAM incredible coral growth!!!

Well, I'd just caution to read these threads before accepting all the values, since you have no independent way to know if they are accurate:

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/did-i-pick-the-wrong-icp-testing-company.339369

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/icp-testing.293632/page-4#post-4267686

 

[lakereef]

Okay I get the sense you don't have much faith this company. That's fine but my Triton test that I did a year ago at least looks similar. Molybdenum was low in that previous test, but not zero like this one. I think I'd like to try dosing that one at least a little bit if I can find a way to add it without impacting others. After looking closer at the Fauna Marin bottle it has elements in it I don't want to impact.

Do you have a recommended way to increase Molybdenum?

 

[Shigshwa]

I visit the very store where they do the testing here in Colorado, and the owner of the store seems to be a knowledgeable guy. I hope that it's not an issue with their testing procedures or their machine, because I do notice that they always read my calcium low, among other important elements.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Okay I get the sense you don't have much faith this company. That's fine but my Triton test that I did a year ago at least looks similar. Molybdenum was low in that previous test, but not zero like this one. I think I'd like to try dosing that one at least a little bit if I can find a way to add it without impacting others. After looking closer at the Fauna Marin bottle it has elements in it I don't want to impact.

Do you have a recommended way to increase Molybdenum?

Molybdenum was not the only zero trace element (manganese and zinc and iron (although iron should typically be undetectable but also may be too low), for example), which is why I suggested a mix, but it is certainly fine to experiment one at a time and more easily see what is a benefit.

Triton likely has a supplement for molybdenum only, and the last couple of posts in this thread give DIY molybdenum and manganese recipes:

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/post-your-diy-additives-here.344149/

 

[lakereef]

Thanks for the help.

I have tried dosing iron in the past as I know you do. I think I overdosed eventually as I had some issues but it did help the macro algae substantially.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

You're welcome.

If you dose, let us know what you observe.

 

[coralseas]

You're welcome.

If you dose, let us know what you observe.

Randy. I would love your input on a thread I started the other day. I’ll be posting more info on it in a few minutes

 

[Ashish Patel]

I just got my ICP results from the same place. I noticed your SR is high compared to mine and your Iodine is low. I dose potassium iodine but waited until these results to start dosing SR. Are you dosing SR and Potassium? I started of with instant ocean but over the past 3 month i've turned over 80% of the water with fritz.
Also, my Al is on the high side and I believe it could be the marinepure block. Few of the things that shocked me was the reading on the MG. I tested it at 1520 day before sending the sample.
What was your Mg levels in comparison to the test results?

Im not going to take any drastic actions since my tank is doing very good but glad I know that i have to reduce iodine dosing, slowly replace the marinepure with other bio media, and dose enough SR to get me around 8-10. I still have to review my test results carefully but hope this helps.

 

[Ashish Patel]

Way to bump up this thread! completely forgot about this post and ICP results.
I became a great reefer using ICP analysis and was able to reduce waterchanges to about 2-3 months or as needed. Prefer larger waterchanges to flush out the system of any build up organics that can't be tested.

I believe weekly or continuous waterchange is ineffective and total waste of money! Doesnt make sense to me at all! Everything in this hobby is a risk and anytime I do a water change when things are already thriving doesnt make sense. salt doesnt change, nutrients go up and down naturally once dialed in, trace elements can be added, detrius can be removed, what are waterchanges really used for besides removing something bad or just as a security

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I believe weekly or continuous waterchange is ineffective and total waste of money! Doesnt make sense to me at all! Everything in this hobby is a risk and anytime I do a water change when things are already thriving doesnt make sense. salt doesnt change, nutrients go up and down naturally once dialed in, trace elements can be added, detrius can be removed, what are waterchanges really used for besides removing something bad or just as a security

Wouldn't that depend on what you were expecting it to accomplish?

here's why I did them and recommend them:

Water Changes in Reef Aquaria by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com


Conclusion
Water changes are a good way to help control certain processes that serve to drive reef aquarium water away from its starting purity. Some things build up in certain situations (organics, certain metals, sodium, chloride, nitrate, phosphate, sulfate, etc.), and some things become depleted (calcium, magnesium, alkalinity, strontium, silica, etc.). Water changes can serve to help correct these imbalances, and in some cases may be the best way to deal with them. Water changes of 15-30% per month (whether carried out once a month, daily or continuously) have been shown in the graphs above to be useful in moderating the drift of these different seawater components from starting levels. For most reef aquaria, I recommend such changes as good aquarium husbandry. In general, the more the better, if carried out appropriately, and if the new salt water is of appropriate quality.

Calcium and alkalinity, being rapidly depleted in most reef aquaria, are not well controlled, or even significantly impacted by such small water changes. In order to maintain them with no other supplements, changes on the order of 30-50% PER DAY would be required. Nevertheless, that option may still be a good choice for very small aquaria, especially if the changes are slow and automatic.