I started a triton style system in July which I’ve thought was doing well until I started adding corals from my frag tank. One by one the corals died in random ways, from base up, tips down, and random stn. I few of my acros were doing ok but not great. I finally did an Icp which revealed my Aluminum was 206! Not sure why aluminum in the tank. No metal in the water. I was using marine pure blocks which I have since removed. Triton recommended Rowaphos to bind Al. Also have done about 25% water change. It has been a few weeks and corals were looking too bad so I moved them back to frag tank. Awaiting new Icp results from coralvue. Has anyone noticed Al killinging corals?
Aluminum leach?
- Thread starter Cflow
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Retro Reefer
Slow and steady wins the race!
I don’t have experience with high aluminum but had a tank crash because of a rusting magnet so it certainly possible your corals are suffering from the high aluminum.. Rowaphos should help bring the levels down.
Saltyreef
I'm not your dad...
Common issues from metals in the tank ive seen,
Tds from RODI isnt 0.
Coin or small hard to see piece of metal dropped into the tank.
Magnets rusting as stated above from fragracks or internal pump rotors exploding.
Pump shafts rusting.
Not sure where it could be coming from but you can test your raw tap and RODI after the resins to rule out source water.
Good luck! Get some polyfilter or cuprisorb STAT!
Tds from RODI isnt 0.
Coin or small hard to see piece of metal dropped into the tank.
Magnets rusting as stated above from fragracks or internal pump rotors exploding.
Pump shafts rusting.
Not sure where it could be coming from but you can test your raw tap and RODI after the resins to rule out source water.
Good luck! Get some polyfilter or cuprisorb STAT!
rkpetersen
walked the sand with the crustaceans
It's almost certainly from the Marine Pure blocks; they are well known to leach aluminum.
Another common source is aluminum-based phosphate removers like PhosGuard.
Aluminum isn't particularly toxic. Many thriving aquariums have low levels of aluminum. Not sure about 206, though.
RowaPhos (or any GFO) is good at removing many metals. Not sure if it actually binds aluminum.
Rusting metal parts won't leach aluminum. They will leach iron (which typically vanishes from the water quickly and won't be detected on ICPOES), as well as a variety of other metals like chromium, nickel, tin, zinc, etc, depending on the specific steel.
Another common source is aluminum-based phosphate removers like PhosGuard.
Aluminum isn't particularly toxic. Many thriving aquariums have low levels of aluminum. Not sure about 206, though.
RowaPhos (or any GFO) is good at removing many metals. Not sure if it actually binds aluminum.
Rusting metal parts won't leach aluminum. They will leach iron (which typically vanishes from the water quickly and won't be detected on ICPOES), as well as a variety of other metals like chromium, nickel, tin, zinc, etc, depending on the specific steel.
UCF Alum
Stick addict
The leftover aluminum from the marine pure block can take some time to remove. It did for me after I pulled mine. I also agree with the Cuprisorb or Polyfilter suggestion. Dig hard to find another source of the leach though.
Hmmm. I am up to 6 of the large Marine Pure blocks now and my sticks have been fine for 3 years.
And yes, I have read the same threads that pointed to the blocks leaching. In my readings, it was never really conclusive as some people with blocks would ICP test zero Al and others showing measurable. Some suggested there were some cheaper knockoff blocks popular on Ebay that leached.
I dunno.
I bought some ICP test kits at MACNA this year. Maybe I should go ahead and send off a sample to see if it shows up.
And yes, I have read the same threads that pointed to the blocks leaching. In my readings, it was never really conclusive as some people with blocks would ICP test zero Al and others showing measurable. Some suggested there were some cheaper knockoff blocks popular on Ebay that leached.
I dunno.
I bought some ICP test kits at MACNA this year. Maybe I should go ahead and send off a sample to see if it shows up.
Cflow
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My marine pure blocks were from algae barn. Not sure if they were many brand. They came with a refugium kit. I also have about 60lbs (dry) of Marco rock. I don’t know if this could be contributing as well.
Algaebarn website shows trademarked MarinePure in the kit and they are reputable so safe to say it is not knockoff stuff IMO.
Cflow
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Finally got Icp results back from Colorado. Al is 0.087ppm. Not sure what this translates to compared to Triton which uses micrograms per liter, but it says Fiji has 0.05ppm. I can’t say for sure that it was because of the marine pure blocks, but I can conclude that Rowaphos does remove Al. Other parameters are rock solid with exception of iodine which is a bit low. Easy fix. Going to introduce corals again.
Cool...I have high alum and started running ROWPhos a week ago. It's really the only thing left in my ICP that concerns me...Last test 131. I just sent in ICP today. I like that the ROWAPhos has also really helped keep my PO4 at the level I want it at and allowed me feed more while doing so.
I just sent my ICPs(2) off today given all the Marine Pure block I run. I do run Rowa 4hrs a day in my display, but my frag system I can't do that as I have to dose 20ml of trisodium phosphate every day to keep .05.
It is more of an intellectual curiosity exercise than anything else, the only thing that has died (beyond carpet surfing fish) is a goniopora that passed on the 181st day in my care. Just like every other goni. This will be the third time I have said "never again a goni".
A buddy at a nearby LFS calls gonis "rent-a-coral" because you don't get to keep them -- and he sells them because people love them. Each one I've had is great for 6 months then dead within 2 days. Acros are comparatively easy IME.
Now that you mention it, I once had blastos and acan lords. I just figured I wasn't hand feeding them often enough.
Anyway, thanks for being the catalyst for me sending off the ICP to see if my cubic acre of block is leaching. Glad you are back in shape with your tank.
Now that you mention it, I once had blastos and acan lords. I just figured I wasn't hand feeding them often enough.
Anyway, thanks for being the catalyst for me sending off the ICP to see if my cubic acre of block is leaching. Glad you are back in shape with your tank.
jwshiver
Active Member
Did you get your ICP results back yet?
I'm curious to know if the rowaphose reduced the aluminum.
OK I got my ICP back and Aluminum is present but in line. (Higher than Fiji, but same as Florida.)
Curiously, Al is higher in my display (.09ppm) where I run Rowa (very lightly), and lower (.07ppm) in my Frag where I do not.
So in my case, I cannot make a conclusive statement about the MP blocks and aluminum. MAYBE they DID have some once upon a time but it got exported. Maybe they never did. (This was my first ever ICP.)
Cflow
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Bad luck for me. I guess after using Rowaphos for a few weeks my nutrients just have gotten too low so I started getting dinoflagellates. I had to pull the Rowaphos and a huge chunk of my sea lettuce hoping to bring up NO3 and PO4. Also dosed some KNO3 and added a tiny uv sterilizer.
Ugh. Been there. In fact I am currently crawling out from under that rock right now.
To protect your corals, I would dose PO4 first. Nitrates will knock down PO4 to nothing and if you have SPS they will hate you for it. Pour your skimmate back into the sump.
Is this your first dino rodeo?
jwshiver
Active Member
Thanks!
