Triton ICP results show high levels but I can't fix the issues even with 200% water change

[radicaltour]

I started this tank in January and at 8 months in I placed a few variety of SPSs into the tank.
They all melt (tissue/flesh completely disintegrated) within 12 hours of being in the tank.
The Triton test came back with some detection of aluminum and lead, with high levels of nickel, zinc and vanadium.

I then took the following remedial actions over a month's time:

• did 8x water changes of 25% (so that's a total of 200% WC)
• replaced black (magnetized) sand with caribSea special grade aragonite
• ran Triton Detox + poly filter + cuprasorb + ROX gac + diatom xl filter for a couple of weeks
• removed a couple of pumps. Checked for any leakage from remaining pumps (or any metal contacts)

Even after all that, the latest Triton test results that came in today still show the same elevated levels for aluminum, lead, nickel, zinc and vanadium:
https://www.triton-lab.de/en/showroom/aquarium/auswertung-b/icp-oes/44335/

Here's all my tank info:
Tank Dimension: 48"x30"x20" (125 gal)
Lighting: 3 Kessil A360we + 4 ATI T5 bulbs
Salt: Tropic Marin Pro
RO/DI: BRS 6-stage (0 TDS coming out)
Doser: ARKA VIDA-GT
Dosing: Triton Core 7 (stabilized Alk at 8.0 dKh)
Sump: 30gal with large refugium full of chaeto and copepods
Skimmer: zeovit brand
Filter: roller mat + block of marinepure ceramic
UV sterilizer: TurboTwist 36w
Heaters: eHeim Jager 150w + Finnex 150w
Pumps:

• 1 Jebao DCT 1200 return pump
• 1 IceCap Gyre
• 1 Ecotech Mp40-QD
• 2 Jebao PP8 wavemakers

Water parameters:

• 1.025 sg
• 440 ca
• 1370 mg
• 8.0 dKh (stable alk)
• 0.04 ppm PO4
• 10 ppm NO3

I have 10 fishes that I feed twice a day with a variety of frozen mysis + rod's food + krill + polychaete
Please help me troubleshoot this issue.
Calling the expert @Randy Holmes-Farley

Thanks everyone.
-Dave

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Sorry to hear about the issues. I don't mean to minimize the problem, but I don't think this is the sort of thing that is decided by poll lol

The levels did not change at all after the water changes compared to before?

The aluminum is not causing the issues.

Metal parts in or near the water can be the source of nickel, zinc and maybe vanadium. So can overdosing of additives.

The sand could have been the source.

 

[andrew james]

I had a similar problem and i couldnt figure it out. So what i did was setup a reactor which i run gac and cuprisorb in it about 1/3 cup of cuprisorb. Ive been doing this now fr about a year and my icp test com back perfectly and my tank is thriving. If youre sceptical it will at most cost you $20 to try it.

 

[radicaltour]

Thanks for the tip, Andrew. I'll have to try that.
At the same time, I would really like to find the culprit and remove it for good.

 

[radicaltour]

The levels did not change at all after the water changes compared to before?

Thanks Randy.
I've compared the results and the latest test shows lower levels of lead, nickel and vanadium than the one done two months ago.
So the major water changes did help a little.

Would any of the pumps leak lead+nickel+vanadium? Or do they usually only leak copper?

 

[Larry L]

I see elevated nickel, zinc and vanadium on that test report you linked to, but aluminum and lead look fine to me. I'd suspect something rusting/corroding, maybe a pump shaft like the Triton folks found in their tank.

Also, FWIW 8 25% water changes is not the same as a 200% (or even 100%) water change. Each 25% water change leaves 75% of whatever it is behind. So if your starting level of a contaminant was 100 ppm, after one 25% water change you'd be at 75 ppm, after two you'd be at 56, like so:

1. 100 -> 75
2. 75 -> 56
3. 56 -> 42
4. 42 -> 32
5. 32 -> 24
6. 24 -> 18
7. 18 -> 13
8. 13 -> 10

So after 8 25% water changes you still have 10% of whatever it is remaining in the tank (assuming no new stuff leached into the tank water in the mean time, and the new water doesn't contain whatever it is you are trying to get rid of).