ICP test came in, what should I do next

[ReefBeta]

So I got my first ICP test results.

The 42G is a bit over a year old, full or corals. But couple weeks ago quite a bit of sps frags died. It was during the time when the wildfire smoke came and I closed windows for over a week and indoor CO2 got pretty high, and I missed a water change. Can't tell which is the cause, or maybe all of above. Dosing only Tropic Marin Carbo-Calcium for both alk and ca. Manually add magnesium occasionally. And its result:

The 180G is 2 months old. Have several LPS on the sand bed, and couple SPS frag went in couple days ago. It's mainly still in the fish stocking phrase. Still waiting for the tangs to get ready to go in. It currently has quite some hair algae on rock, CUC is not enough I think. I just brush it off every couple day and let the filter floss pick it up. There is an algae reactor, but chaeto hasn't grow much yet. Dosing only kalkwaser with dosing pump. Its result:

It's surprised to me that the 2 months old 180G tank also low in trace elements. Both tanks get weekly water change (well, sometimes 2 weeks ...). Should I be dosing trace for both now? I don't really want to dose a dozen of bottles. What trace element supplement strategy should I use? Also aluminium and sulfur is a bit high, should I be worried about those?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

If accurate, the aluminum levels are extraordinarily high. Maybe highest I have ever seen. Certainly in the danger potential, IMO, depending on the source and form of the aluminum.. 500 ug/L caused soft coral problems in my experiments with aluminum

Are you using any white media?

Do you have any leather corals?

 

[ReefBeta]

If accurate, the aluminum levels are extraordinarily high. Maybe highest I have ever seen. Certainly in the danger potential, IMO, depending on the source and form of the aluminum.. 500 ug/L caused soft coral problems in my experiments with aluminum

Are you using any white media?

Do you have any leather corals?

I don't have any white media. I only run ROX 0.8 carbon. I do have the brightwell bio block in both tank, and marinepure block in 180G. Are those included?

There is no leather in the 42G. There is a small green leather in the 180G, for only couple weeks. It's doing normal as far as I can tell, extending polyps.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I don't have any white media. I only run ROX 0.8 carbon. I do have the brightwell bio block in both tank, and marinepure block in 180G. Are those included?

There is no leather in the 42G. There is a small green leather in the 180G, for only couple weeks. It's doing normal as far as I can tell, extending polyps.

Yes, those are white media and are aluminum based.

If you have any indication that soft corals are not doing well, I'd try removing them.

Chemistry And The Aquarium: Aluminum In The Reef Aquarium

In this article I will give some details of aluminum in natural seawater, and will discuss the sparse literature on the toxicity of aluminum ions to marine organisms.

reefs.com

Figure 4. The leather coral in the test aquarium after addition of aluminum. After the addition, it cycled between the look in this photograph, and that shown in Figure 3.

 

[ReefBeta]

Yes, those are white media and are aluminum based.

If you have any indication that soft corals are not doing well, I'd try removing them.

Chemistry And The Aquarium: Aluminum In The Reef Aquarium

In this article I will give some details of aluminum in natural seawater, and will discuss the sparse literature on the toxicity of aluminum ions to marine organisms.

reefs.com

Figure 4. The leather coral in the test aquarium after addition of aluminum. After the addition, it cycled between the look in this photograph, and that shown in Figure 3.

Oh, it does from time to time close up to that look, sometimes last for couple days. I think I will remove those media then.

What will you suggest as alternative? My display is scaped with negative space and don't have lots of rock, that's why I want to beef up the bio filtration with those blocks.

Also, is there anyway to remove aluminum from water besides water change?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Oh, it does from time to time close up to that look, sometimes last for couple days. I think I will remove those media then.

What will you suggest as alternative? My display is scaped with negative space and don't have lots of rock, that's why I want to beef up the bio filtration with those blocks.

Also, is there anyway to remove aluminum from water besides water change?

I think water change is the best way. Do you have a picture of the tank?

 

[ReefBeta]

I think water change is the best way. Do you have a picture of the tank?

Yep, here's the pictures.

The 180G

The 42G

 

[ReefBeta]

@Randy Holmes-Farley is ceramic ring aluminum based? Are they safe to replace the marine pure blocks?

 

[Backreefing]

The sand/gravel bed gives a lot realestate for bacteria to live on . Your probably ok

 

[Hallowhead]

Yes, those are white media and are aluminum based.

If you have any indication that soft corals are not doing well, I'd try removing them.

Chemistry And The Aquarium: Aluminum In The Reef Aquarium

In this article I will give some details of aluminum in natural seawater, and will discuss the sparse literature on the toxicity of aluminum ions to marine organisms.

reefs.com

Figure 4. The leather coral in the test aquarium after addition of aluminum. After the addition, it cycled between the look in this photograph, and that shown in Figure 3.

Randy,

I keep seeing you mention white media and high aluminum... I just sent my first ICP test out in hopes to find some solutions to issues. I have marine pure in both of my tanks.. so if my aluminum is high - that's my first action to remove the white media.

Zs what test did you use? Did you get one that tests R/O water as well?

 

[ReefBeta]

Randy,

I keep seeing you mention white media and high aluminum... I just sent my first ICP test out in hopes to find some solutions to issues. I have marine pure in both of my tanks.. so if my aluminum is high - that's my first action to remove the white media.

Zs what test did you use? Did you get one that tests R/O water as well?

I use ICP1999. I haven't test freshly made saltwater or freshwater yet. I use tropic marin pro salt.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Yep, here's the pictures.

The 180G

The 42G

I would just slowly remove the blocks.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Randy,

I keep seeing you mention white media and high aluminum... I just sent my first ICP test out in hopes to find some solutions to issues. I have marine pure in both of my tanks.. so if my aluminum is high - that's my first action to remove the white media.

Zs what test did you use? Did you get one that tests R/O water as well?

I would, yes, but only if it is very high. many folks have "elevated" aluminum but not apparently high enough to cause visible toxicity.