ICP test consistently shows low sodium

[CMO]

Is sodium directly related to salinity? If so, why am I getting a low NA reading two months in a row when my tank is at 1.025/6 checked by two different sources? The Triton help/dose section of the ICP results don't say how to correct this so not quite sure what to do here.


Thanks

 

[Mortie31]

I’d ask this in the chemistry section, salt water is made up of lots of different elements Na being only one, it’s quite likely that the other elements average out to give you a correct sg

 

[293482398]

Salinty is made up of all of them, some like Mg contribute more to salinity than Ca.

That is likely a function of your salt mix. On some mixes with highly elevated Mg and Ca at normal salinty, this implies other things like Na or K will be lower

 

[CMO]

I see. My Mg and CA are within normal ranges. What do you mean by all of them - is salinity comprised of just NA, CA and MG or are you referencing additional elements as well? So if salinity is normal does a low NA reading really matter? Thanks

 

[Mortie31]

If I remember correctly in triton ICP the first section is the main constituents of salt water... think there’s about 10 in the section including potassium, sulphate, strontium, but I would ask in the chemistry section where it will be seen

 

[Mortie31]

It’s the macro elements section, here’s mine

 

[tastyfish]

I also have consistently low sodium levels on ICP's. When I've asked previously, there hasn't been any required mitigation issues, but I'm curious as to how this might affect reef organisms and if there's a point where action is required and what that action might be.

@Tim2@Triton - Any comments/advice welcome

 

[CMO]

Turns out my salinity was in fact low at about 1.023/4. Found my digital refractometor to be over reading. Also confirmed via ATI ICP test which measures salinity. They had me at 31.98 ppt with the same water that generated these results.