ZINC - BUFFER IN ROCK

[Katomino]

I'm devastated...

I've been struggling with my zinc levels for a year...

I had a big problem because my heater melted, and then my wallpaper cutter...

Unfortunately, the concentration was so high that it saturated all my media - I have a lot of Siporax and beads...

I used kilograms of different absorbers...

CUPRISORB - DOES NOT REMOVE ZINC (ONLY COPPER)

GHFO - DOES NOT REMOVE ZINC UNLESS IN A VERY LOW CONCENTRATION...

MY SYSTEM IS 3000 LITERS

WHAT KILLS THE LEVEL, IT COMES BACK, THE ROCK GIVES IT UP, IT GIVES IT ALL BACK. I DON'T KNOW IF I WILL HAVE TO RESTART, BUT THAT WOULD BE AN EXTREMELY DIFFICULT UNDERTAKING.

DOES ANYONE KNOW? HAVE YOU FOUND A PRODUCT THAT WORKS ONLY WITH ZINC? WILL IT REMOVE IT FROM THE WATER?

I'VE SPENT HOURS SEARCHING...

I'VE CURRENTLY ORDERED METASORB, BUT I'M AFRAID IT'S JUST MARKETING..

I KNOW THAT THE SOURCE OF ZINC IS NO LONGER THERE BECAUSE I CHECKED IT ALL...

THE FACT THAT THE MEDIA IS RELEASING ZINC INTO THE WATER IS PROVIDED BY THE FACT THAT I GAVE MY FRIEND A COUPLE OF KILOS OF SIPORAX FROM HIS SYSTEM AND IMMEDIATELY HIS NEW SYSTEM SHOWS THE PRESENCE OF ZINC, JUST LIKE MINE...

THE BUFFER IS CRAVEL!

MANY CORALS LIKE EUPHYLLIA GLABRENCSES HAVE HUGE DIVISIONS DUE TO SUCH ZINC LEVELS THE CORALS VEGETARIAN AND DO NOT WANT TO GROW AS BEFORE...

 

[Rocks reef]

They isn't any real definitive information regarding Zinc levels. Are you going regular larger than normal water changes? What do you mean by the euphyllia have huge divisions? Any other corals in your tank showing signs of stress?

@Randy Holmes-Farley

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I’m not sure on some of your statements such as cuprisorb not binding zinc (where did that info come from?)

Like most metals, zinc can bind to calcium carbonate surfaces such as rock and sand.

When you say the source is no longer there, did you actually remove a source?

 

[Katomino]

They isn't any real definitive information regarding Zinc levels. Are you going regular larger than normal water changes? What do you mean by the euphyllia have huge divisions? Any other corals in your tank showing signs of stress?

@Randy Holmes-Farley

I've included a graphic;
it contains ICP studies from the last six months. I could write a dissertation on the effects of zinc on corals...
Some corals can handle it, and others, unfortunately, zinc kills them slowly, especially impairing their ability to divide. Euphyllia begin dividing and have trouble producing tissue, which leads to their death.
Many of the corals I have simply vegetate—the higher the zinc level, the lower the KH uptake (I have a computer that measures KH).

I see that delicate corals can't even handle the upper limit of zinc—they divide poorly and their growth is limited.

I’m not sure on some of your statements such as cuprisorb not binding zinc (where did that info come from?)

Like most metals, zinc can bind to calcium carbonate surfaces such as rock and sand.

When you say the source is no longer there, did you actually remove a source?

Randy - I had Cuprisorb in my system all the time, a few kilograms at that. I regenerated it constantly, gave it a fast and slow flow. Cuprisorb extracted copper perfectly, but unfortunately, it didn't affect the zinc...

Regarding the fact that I removed the zinc source - yes, I did. I spent hours on it. I even replaced all the circulation pumps that had screws with plastic cable ties. I'm overly sensitive to this element and will probably dream about it at night...

Regarding it being in the rock and everything else in my system... I have about 100 kilograms of Siporax. A friend recently set up a new tank, and I gave him 20 kilograms from my existing aquarium, and zinc immediately showed up on the ICP... at the same concentration as mine, which is 0.0060...

That's why I believe all the surfaces were saturated with it...

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

What levels do you observe by icp? 0.006 in what units?

You have 100 kg of siporax? Why? What sort of tank is this?

 

[Katomino]

Randy, I had 60kg, but I wanted to see if adding another 40kg would affect nitrification :)

Conclusions - it won't.

I like experimenting.

The system is connected tanks, total net water capacity is 3000 liters.

Lots of corals, lots of feeding...

Regarding zinc - I've attached a graphic from the ICP tests, not sure if you can see it?

mg/l
0.0060 milligrams per liter - I've currently managed to reach this level, and no matter what I do (water changes, absorbers), the level keeps coming back - I've been battling this for almost a year!

What levels do you observe by icp? 0.006 in what units?

You have 100 kg of siporax? Why? What sort of tank is this?

 

[Katomino]

What levels do you observe by icp? 0.006 in what units?

You have 100 kg of siporax? Why? What sort of tank is this?

Randy, I'm attaching all the ICPs with zinc for 3 years and two mishaps with the heater and the cutter, you can see how the zinc value increased and unfortunately, the rock was probably saturated with it...

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

6 ug/L zinc is not a problematic level, IMO.

Have you tested your new water to see if zinc may be coming in that way?

 

[Rocks reef]

6 ug/L zinc is not a problematic level, IMO.

Have you tested your new water to see if zinc may be coming in that way?

I agree on the level of zinc and that is why I said there may be another underlaying cause that isn't being addressed.

Are you making your own RO/DI water or purchasing it from your LFS? Not that the RO/DI will remove zinc, I am wondering about your source water.
If are making your own RO/DI, what salt brand are you using?

 

[Katomino]

6 ug/L zinc is not a problematic level, IMO.

Have you tested your new water to see if zinc may be coming in that way?

The zinc got into the metals, which I've had two major mishaps with – once it was melted by a heater, and again by a utility knife.

This was visible on the ICP because a lot of copper appeared along with the zinc.

I removed the copper very easily and quickly, but the zinc became saturated in rocks and ceramics.

I'm looking for something that can buffer it from the water.

I agree on the level of zinc and that is why I said there may be another underlaying cause that isn't being addressed.

Are you making your own RO/DI water or purchasing it from your LFS? Not that the RO/DI will remove zinc, I am wondering about your source water.
If are making your own RO/DI, what salt brand are you using?

I've used various salts, Aquaforest, etc.
However, I don't do many water changes.
I mainly use Balling Maxy, which contains everything, and I monitor each element individually.

I tested the water with RODI, and there was no problem.

The zinc in my media and rocks is evidenced by the fact that when I gave my media to a friend, his zinc levels immediately matched mine...
I gave him about 30-40 kg, and in 1000 liters, the zinc level on the ICTP immediately matched mine.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

FWIW, some of your word choices are very confusing, such as "buffer it from the water". I presume you mean remove it from the water?

I'd personally remove the siporax and not replace it and see what happens before doing anything else. Maybe it is the main place it is being held, and such media may do more harm than good in most tanks, IMO (assuming you have live rock and/or sand).

 

[Katomino]

FWIW, some of your word choices are very confusing, such as "buffer it from the water". I presume you mean remove it from the water?

I'd personally remove the siporax and not replace it and see what happens before doing anything else. Maybe it is the main place it is being held, and such media may do more harm than good in most tanks, IMO (assuming you have live rock and/or sand).

Randy, I want to extract zinc from the water. I have a feeling that all those absorbents like Cuprisorb and GFO don't work on it. I'm afraid there's no such absorber on the market...

Technically, I'd just replace the water, but 3000 liters, even changing 1000 liters and then buffering the media, will release it back. So I was looking for a solution that would continuously extract zinc from the water to get the levels down.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Yes, I understand the desire to want to continuously bind it. I’ll just reiterate the buffer is not the right word. Buffer means to resist something. pH buffers resist a oh change.

A zinc buffer would resist a change in the zinc concentration. That is not what you want.

That said, I’m not convinced from your results that these materials are not binding it. There certainly are zinc binding molecules, but I’m not aware of any that are specific to zinc and which are attached to resins for easy use in reef water removal.