ICP Test Results

[Max93]

My ICP results came back. This is the water coming out of my RODI filters. Meaning this is the water that says zero TDS that goes into my reservoirs.

I’m shocked really, when I test phosphates in my display tank using a Hannah checker it’s anywhere from .01 - .04 so I’m not sure how they got 32 ppb.

looks bad, chlorine?? What should I do?

• Ca
  Calcium
  
  0 ppm
  
  
• Mg
  Magnesium
  
  0.088 ppm
  
  
• K
  Potassium
  
  0 ppm
  
  
• Cl
  Chlorine
  
  1215.032 ppm
  
  
• Na
  Sodium
  
  11.937 ppm
  
  
• S
  Sulfur
  
  0 ppm
  
  
• Sr
  Strontium
  
  0 ppm
  
  
• B
  Boron
  
  0.668 ppm
  
  
• Br
  Bromine
  
  0.008 ppm
  
  
• Co
  Cobalt
  
  0 ppb
  
  
• Cr
  Chromium
  
  0 ppb
  
  
• Fe
  Iron
  
  0 ppb
  
  
• I
  Iodine
  
  2.706 ppb
  
  
• Li
  Lithium
  
  0 ppb
  
  
• Mn
  Manganese
  
  0 ppb
  
  
• Mo
  Molybdenum
  
  0.081 ppb
  
  
• P
  Phosphorus
  
  10.526 ppb
  
  
• Ni
  Nickel
  
  0 ppb
  
  
• V
  Vanadium
  
  0.362 ppb
  
  
• Zn
  Zinc
  
  0.195 ppb
  
  
• Ag
  Silver
  
  0.022 ppb
  
  
• Al
  Aluminum
  
  0 ppb
  
  
• As
  Arsenic
  
  0.06 ppb
  
  
• Au
  Gold
  
  0 ppb
  
  
• Ba
  Barium
  
  0.001 ppb
  
  
• Be
  Beryllium
  
  0.007 ppb
  
  
• Cd
  Cadmium
  
  0.006 ppb
  
  
• Ce
  Cerium
  
  0.326 ppb
  
  
• Cs
  Caesium
  
  0.003 ppb
  
  
• Cu
  Copper
  
  0 ppb
  
  
• Dy
  Dysprosium
  
  0.041 ppb
  
  
• Er
  Erbium
  
  0.006 ppb
  
  
• Eu
  Europium
  
  0.008 ppb
  
  
• Ga
  Gallium
  
  0 ppb
  
  
• Ho
  Holmium
  
  0.009 ppb
  
  
• In
  Indium
  
  0 ppb
  
  
• Ir
  Iridium
  
  0 ppb
  
  
• La
  Lanthanum
  
  0 ppb
  
  
• Nb
  Niobium
  
  0.029 ppb
  
  
• Nd
  Neodymium
  
  0 ppb
  
  
• Os
  Osmium
  
  0 ppb
  
  
• PO4
  Phosphates
  
  32.2727 ppb
  
  
• Pb
  Lead
  
  0.051 ppb
  
  
• Pd
  Palladium
  
  0 ppb
  
  
• Pr
  Praseodium
  
  0 ppb
  
  
• Pt
  Platinum
  
  0.003 ppb
  
  
• Rb
  Rubidium
  
  0.02 ppb
  
  
• Re
  Rhenium
  
  0.006 ppb
  
  
• Ru
  Ruthenium
  
  0.005 ppb
  
  
• Sb
  Antimony
  
  0 ppb
  
  
• Se
  Selenium
  
  0 ppb
  
  
• Si
  Silicon
  
  78.073 ppb
  
  
• Sm
  Samarium
  
  0 ppb
  
  
• Sn
  Tin
  
  0.133 ppb
  
  
• Ta
  Tantalum
  
  0.013 ppb
  
  
• Te
  Tellurium
  
  0.092 ppb
  
  
• Th
  Thorium
  
  0.12 ppb
  
  
• Ti
  Titanium
  
  0 ppb
  
  
• U
  Uranium
  
  0 ppb
  
  
• W
  Tungsten
  
  0.004 ppb
  
  

 

[lazlodawg]

Those are very odd measurements. Contaminated sample, perhaps? What company did you use?

 

[HuduVudu]

My ICP results came back. This is the water coming out of my RODI filters. Meaning this is the water that says zero TDS that goes into my reservoirs.

I’m shocked really, when I test phosphates in my display tank using a Hannah checker it’s anywhere from .01 - .04 so I’m not sure how they got 32 ppb.

looks bad, chlorine?? What should I do?

• Ca
  Calcium
  
  0 ppm
  
  
• Mg
  Magnesium
  
  0.088 ppm
  
  
• K
  Potassium
  
  0 ppm
  
  
• Cl
  Chlorine
  
  1215.032 ppm
  
  
• Na
  Sodium
  
  11.937 ppm
  
  
• S
  Sulfur
  
  0 ppm
  
  
• Sr
  Strontium
  
  0 ppm
  
  
• B
  Boron
  
  0.668 ppm
  
  
• Br
  Bromine
  
  0.008 ppm
  
  
• Co
  Cobalt
  
  0 ppb
  
  
• Cr
  Chromium
  
  0 ppb
  
  
• Fe
  Iron
  
  0 ppb
  
  
• I
  Iodine
  
  2.706 ppb
  
  
• Li
  Lithium
  
  0 ppb
  
  
• Mn
  Manganese
  
  0 ppb
  
  
• Mo
  Molybdenum
  
  0.081 ppb
  
  
• P
  Phosphorus
  
  10.526 ppb
  
  
• Ni
  Nickel
  
  0 ppb
  
  
• V
  Vanadium
  
  0.362 ppb
  
  
• Zn
  Zinc
  
  0.195 ppb
  
  
• Ag
  Silver
  
  0.022 ppb
  
  
• Al
  Aluminum
  
  0 ppb
  
  
• As
  Arsenic
  
  0.06 ppb
  
  
• Au
  Gold
  
  0 ppb
  
  
• Ba
  Barium
  
  0.001 ppb
  
  
• Be
  Beryllium
  
  0.007 ppb
  
  
• Cd
  Cadmium
  
  0.006 ppb
  
  
• Ce
  Cerium
  
  0.326 ppb
  
  
• Cs
  Caesium
  
  0.003 ppb
  
  
• Cu
  Copper
  
  0 ppb
  
  
• Dy
  Dysprosium
  
  0.041 ppb
  
  
• Er
  Erbium
  
  0.006 ppb
  
  
• Eu
  Europium
  
  0.008 ppb
  
  
• Ga
  Gallium
  
  0 ppb
  
  
• Ho
  Holmium
  
  0.009 ppb
  
  
• In
  Indium
  
  0 ppb
  
  
• Ir
  Iridium
  
  0 ppb
  
  
• La
  Lanthanum
  
  0 ppb
  
  
• Nb
  Niobium
  
  0.029 ppb
  
  
• Nd
  Neodymium
  
  0 ppb
  
  
• Os
  Osmium
  
  0 ppb
  
  
• PO4
  Phosphates
  
  32.2727 ppb
  
  
• Pb
  Lead
  
  0.051 ppb
  
  
• Pd
  Palladium
  
  0 ppb
  
  
• Pr
  Praseodium
  
  0 ppb
  
  
• Pt
  Platinum
  
  0.003 ppb
  
  
• Rb
  Rubidium
  
  0.02 ppb
  
  
• Re
  Rhenium
  
  0.006 ppb
  
  
• Ru
  Ruthenium
  
  0.005 ppb
  
  
• Sb
  Antimony
  
  0 ppb
  
  
• Se
  Selenium
  
  0 ppb
  
  
• Si
  Silicon
  
  78.073 ppb
  
  
• Sm
  Samarium
  
  0 ppb
  
  
• Sn
  Tin
  
  0.133 ppb
  
  
• Ta
  Tantalum
  
  0.013 ppb
  
  
• Te
  Tellurium
  
  0.092 ppb
  
  
• Th
  Thorium
  
  0.12 ppb
  
  
• Ti
  Titanium
  
  0 ppb
  
  
• U
  Uranium
  
  0 ppb
  
  
• W
  Tungsten
  
  0.004 ppb
  
  

32 ppb = 0.032 ppm

Also if there is that much chlorine coming out of your membranes they are done. You probably have chlormines in your feed and you will need to deal with that.

Very likely your TDS meter is fouled or broken I would check against a known good to ensure that it is reading correctly.

 

[HuduVudu]

Repost.

 

[Max93]

Those are very odd measurements. Contaminated sample, perhaps? What company did you use?

I used ICP-analysis.com

I also just bought new filters for my rodi unit as well, even though TDS shows zero. Also bought a new membrane as I have never changed it before. I have changed the carbon and resin before though, just this year and it still reads 0 TDS

 

[Max93]

32 ppb = 0.032 ppm

Also if there is that much chlorine coming out of your membranes they are done. You probably have chlormines in your feed and you will need to deal with that.

Very likely your TDS meter is fouled or broken I would check against a known good to ensure that it is reading correctly.

The TDS meter I use is the one connected on the BRS 5 stage unit. I do have a handheld tds meter that I could use to double check.

 

[HuduVudu]

The TDS meter I use is the one connected on the BRS 5 stage unit. I do have a handheld tds meter that I could use to double check.

I would very much double check because the ICP seems to tell a different tale and you need to figure out which one is telling the truth.

 

[Max93]

I would very much double check because the ICP seems to tell a different tale and you need to figure out which one is telling the truth.

Just turned my RODI back on, noticed the meter is going 0 1 0 1 and so forth so definitely needs changing.

the handheld says 2.

in my reservoir it says 15 with the handheld ?! There’s nothing in the reservoir not even a heater, it’s just the plastic ace roto mold NSF Container that I bought brand new.

 

[HuduVudu]

Just turned my RODI back on, noticed the meter is going 0 1 0 1 and so forth so definitely needs changing.

the handheld says 2.

in my reservoir it says 15 with the handheld ?! There’s nothing in the reservoir not even a heater, it’s just the plastic ace roto mold NSF Container that I bought brand new.

My eductated guess as before is that your membranes are bad.

If you have chlormines in your water you need special carbon pre-filters to ensure that the chlorine is removed before it hits the membranes. It is very likely your membranes are done.

 

[Max93]

My eductated guess as before is that your membranes are bad.

If you have chlormines in your water you need special carbon pre-filters to ensure that the chlorine is removed before it hits the membranes. It is very likely your membranes are done.

I agree.

I found a 11 stage rodi unit a local reefer is selling and it comes with a chloramine monster part, do you think this would be good?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Let's back up and not rush to judgement about the RO/DI.

ICP analysis has an issue with accuracy. I do not accept the data as useful.

Those results are not sensible, but the phosphate is very low and not ANY concern.

The Cl is certainly CHLORIDE (if not simply test error), not chlorine or chloramine and not any concern. There is 19,000 ppm chloride in seawater. A little in top off is not any issue. No water samples you'd get from an RO/DI can have a thousand ppm chlorine (Cl2) or chloramine.

The reason the whole analysis is not sensible is that in any water sample, the total negative charge must match the total positive charge.

That result claims to have way, way more negative charge (from the 1,215 ppm chloride) than the tiny amount of positive charge (from the 12 ppm sodium).

I'd personally chalk this up to a busted test, and look for another ICP vendor.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

As to the phosphate levels , here's why they are not a concern, even if real:

Aquarium Chemistry: Phosphate And Math: Yes You Need To Understand Both

Foods are by far the most important source of phosphate in most aquariums. In considering whether sources of phosphate other than foods are important, one must carefully look to the actual amounts involved to determine whether other sources are even worth trying to minimize.

reefs.com

Comparison of Food Sources of Phosphate to Other Sources​

What about other sources of phosphate, like the “crappy” RO/DI water containing 0.05 ppm phosphate? A similar analysis will show it equally unimportant relative to foods.

Let’s assume that the aquarist in question adds 1% of the total tank volume each day with RO/DI to replace evaporation. Simple math shows that the 0.05 ppm in the RO/DI becomes 0.0005 ppm added each day to the phosphate concentration in the aquarium. That dilution step is critical, taking a scary number like 0.05 ppm down to an almost meaningless 0.0005 ppm daily addition. Since that 0.0005 ppm is 40-600 times lower than the amount added each day in foods (Table 4), it does not seem worthy of the angst many aquarists put on such measurements. That said, tap water could have as much as 5 ppm phosphate, and that value could then become a dominating source of phosphate and would be quite problematic. Purifying tap water is important for this and many other reasons.

 

[taricha]

What vendor is this?
Chloride is a difficult-to-measure element for ICP-OES. at seawater levels it's so large, the difficulty can be overcome. In RODI, that's probably not the case.

 

[Max93]

Wow thanks for the knowledge. I’m definitely replacing the membrane though, it’s about two years old so I think it’s time I change it anyways it won’t hurt.

I’m not going to go and spend money upgrading my RODI right now, the tank is looking phenomenal ever since I started dosing kalkwasser.

I’ll keep on reefing calmly.

Attached is who I used.