Icp test results, looking for input and explanation.

[ctylermast]

Recently got my icp test back and seeking some input and explanation and course of action.
And I also posted my most up to date testing I did as of yesterday. Tank is about 6mo old and this is my first icp

Things that are dosed on any occasion when needed

Brightwell aquatics reef code a and b
Britewell Neo nitro and neophos
Carbonit-p(bi weekly replacement)
Extrax phos (when needed)
Microbacter 7 dosed weekly

 

[slingfox]

Your #1 long term priority is to find a way to measure salinity reliably.

What salt are you using and do you dose anything?

 

[Channas]

Neo phos is what probably made you get that high aluminium, the salinity needs to be adjusted to higher levels, i suggest you do it slowly not to tip the balance

 

[ctylermast]

Your #1 long term priority is to find a way to measure salinity reliably.

What salt are you using and do you dose anything?

Waiting on reply from shop but I think Red Sea blue bucket. And I updated listing with all items that are dosed

 

[ctylermast]

Neo phos is what probably made you get that high aluminium, the salinity needs to be adjusted to higher levels, i suggest you do it slowly not to tip the balance

The salinity is wild to me. I check salinity about once a week and every time I used calibration liquid on my refractometer and my salinity is usually dead on at 1.026

 

[Channas]

The salinity is wild to me. I check salinity about once a week and every time I used calibration liquid on my refractometer and my salinity is usually dead on at 1.026

Well i would never trust a refractometer, Hanna salinity tester is what i use and have used for many years, that one is accurate as long as you calibrate it once a month or so

 

[ctylermast]

Well i would never trust a refractometer, Hanna salinity tester is what i use and have used for many years, that one is accurate as long as you calibrate it once a month or so

I calibrate before each test. If found temp fluctuations in household will throw that off quickly

 

[Zuluuz]

I calibrate before each test. If found temp fluctuations in household will throw that off quickly

Don’t trust calibration solution. I tried 3 different brands online and they’re all different. Get a tropic Marin hydrometer and ditch the refractometer

 

[BryanM]

The salinity is wild to me. I check salinity about once a week and every time I used calibration liquid on my refractometer and my salinity is usually dead on at 1.026

I had this issue with a milkwakee digital and old school refractometers.

The first time my salinity matched an ICP test is when I switched to a tropic marin hydrometer.

 

[slingfox]

I calibrate before each test. If found temp fluctuations in household will throw that off quickly

You cannot trust off the shelf calibration solution. Use this instead:

https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/reef-aquarium-salinity-diy-calibration-standards.956/

 

[rtparty]

Never trust pre made calibration solution from any of them. You need to be making your own solution. Randy has recipes on here. It is very simple and cheap.

Do you have any ceramic media in your system? Like bio bricks or bio balls? I have never once heard of aluminum from NeoPhos and I used to dose a lot of that stuff on my own tanks that I was ICP testing.

Once salinity is corrected, a lot of the low values will be corrected with it

 

[ctylermast]

Never trust pre made calibration solution from any of them. You need to be making your own solution. Randy has recipes on here. It is very simple and cheap.

Do you have any ceramic media in your system? Like bio bricks or bio balls? I have never once heard of aluminum from NeoPhos and I used to dose a lot of that stuff on my own tanks that I was ICP testing.

Once salinity is corrected, a lot of the low values will be corrected with it

YES. I have like little ceramic bioballs I put in bottom of filter media cup.

 

[rtparty]

YES. I have like little ceramic bioballs I put in bottom of filter media cup.

Very high chance that is where the aluminum is coming from

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Neo phos is what probably made you get that high aluminium, the salinity needs to be adjusted to higher levels, i suggest you do it slowly not to tip the balance

Is Neophos really the product you mean? The phosphate additive from Brightwell?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Recently got my icp test back and seeking some input and explanation and course of action.
And I also posted my most up to date testing I did as of yesterday. Tank is about 6mo old and this is my first icp

Things that are dosed on any occasion when needed

Brightwell aquatics reef code a and b
Britewell Neo nitro and neophos
Carbonit-p(bi weekly replacement)
Extrax phos (when needed)
Microbacter 7 dosed weekly

What is the icp calcium? I cannot see it in the picture.

 

[ctylermast]

What is the icp calcium? I cannot see it in the picture.

419

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Ok, that’s fine. The reason they say above normal is that it will rise as you boost the salinity, to about 460 at 35 ppt, but that value is still perfectly fine.

 

[Channas]

Is Neophos really the product you mean? The phosphate additive from Brightwell?

No i got confused with phosphate remover