ATI ICP Test and now what???

[Reefin247]

Randy / Reefers,

Looking for input on my ICP test.

Reef Tank
RODI

Background: Performed ICP Tests because tank was not looking good.
- Battling GHA / Bryop / Dino since tank reboot of 12/2017
- rebooted w/mix of live rock and dry rock from billy hays
- treated tank with Fluconazole 3 x's (Feb'18 / July'18 / 11'18
- each time won the battle
- GHA is turning white due to current Fluconazole treatment but not completely dead
- ICP water test was sent with Fluconazole treatment, but doesn't seem to have affected any of the ICP test

- params were always on point and stable w/alk being tuned in the process
- params before sending to ICP:
- alk 9.6 salifert
- mag 1350 salifert
- potassium 370 salifert
- Nitrate 5 salifer, red sea, and api
- phosphate 0 salifter, api, and hanna phostphate
- Ammonia 0 api

In October I had some fish die due to illness and most bodies were recovered except for 1 x midas blenny and 1 1/2 lyretail anthia.
After fish died I have 1 CBB, 1 Blue regal, 2 lightning maroons remaining
This is about the time the 3rd GHA outbreak occurred.

I am doing monthly 30 gal water change in my 120 gal tank.
I'm running a Skimmer, Rowaphos in a rx, 1 big block of marine pure, 1 bag of sipporax
I dose 2 part esv bionic
I dose Phosphate RX (Lanthium Chloride) here and there
I dose aminos and red sea trace here and there

I keep a log of all my activities...and cant seem to figure out why I still battle GHA. Also...I wouldn't be going through all this if it was just a little....It everywhere and will smother the Acros and zoas if I don't manually pull.

My acros look ok and have minimal growth (by my standards)
Zoas haven't really grown much.

At wits end here...any feed back is appreciated.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

You need to get some phosphate in the tank. Stop removing it.

Get more clean up crew for the gha.

Stop dosing aminos and Coral food.

Get back to the basics IMO.

 

[Reefin247]

I have a small clean up crew...will look into getting more.

Yes...stopping the GFO but.....how is there still GHA?

Aminos and Coral food are sparingly like once a month or so...but yes will back off till tank is on track

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I have a small clean up crew...will look into getting more.

Yes...stopping the GFO but.....how is there still GHA?

Aminos and Coral food are sparingly like once a month or so...but yes will back off till tank is on track

Gha prefers no3 and will also process ammonia directly as a nitrogen source. It only needs a little Po4.
Waht we are seeing a lot Esp in the dino threads is the lack of Po4 doing damage to the biofilter and good bacteria. If the good bacteria isn’t processing other organisms will.
In essence , the dino , or in theory the gha is now processing the ammoina.

The coral as well of course needs po4 as well.

Many coral foods and Amino will feed coral as it’s absorbed by them through the cell wals. Same for dino and likely algaes.

 

[Reefin247]

What are you thoughts on my RODI water having high silicates but tank not having any?

Also my RODI has inline TDS meter and I also have a handheld TDS meter....both show 0...so where is the silicate coming from in my RODI water?

DI resin color: bottom half is brown, top half is still blue/ green.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Silicate is hard to pull out with rodi. And even at 0 tds some does slip through. DBD. Just feeds the sponges and other good stuff.

Most likely it’s being taken up by good organisms in the display.
And the gfo is likely pulling some out as well.
If your not having diatom blooms I wouldn’t sweat it.

 

[Reefin247]

so other than stopping GFO...you don't think I need to do anything else to course correct?

DI resin doesn't need to be changed?

 

[Reefin247]

@Randy Holmes-Farley forgot to link your name in my first post...

Your input is greatly valued and appreciated.

 

[2una]

I can't see your rodi icp but the rowa will pull the silicate out somewhat. The siporax can add it also.
I'd be more concerned with the salinity level than anything else i see in that icp

 

[reefn247]

Salinity has me confused too... I test with refractometer and calibrate with solution too

 

[2una]

Salinity has me confused too... I test with refractometer and calibrate with solution too

Maybe time to try a new bottle of referance solution for a check...... I use ati icp mostly & never had one tell me low like that ever

 

[James Robert]

Can someone explain a little more on" stop the gfo".
Reason I ask, If you allow for Po4 to increase, will that not feed the GHA.
Just want to understand.

 

[dbjonesjr]

As someone mentioned the GHA relies much more on nitrates. Also as mentioned dino thrives in ultra low phosphate enviroments. I have had the battle with dino and the only thing I can do to keep it away is slightly elevate phosphates.

 

[reefn247]

Can someone explain a little more on" stop the gfo".
Reason I ask, If you allow for Po4 to increase, will that not feed the GHA.
Just want to understand.

Agree....was told gha consumes the phos quicker than rowaphos

 

[James Robert]

Thanks, As I see. OP is having a problem mostly with GHA.
I always was told that GHA mostly required Po4.
That's why I'm confused.

 

[James Robert]

So, Are we wanting to feed the GHA, rather then try to feed the GFO.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

FWIW, the ICP link for the Ro/DI does not work.

I don't really see any substantial problems in the tank ICP, except low salinity, but there may be trace elements that might be useful (e.g., vanadium, manganese, etc.).

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Agree....was told gha consumes the phos quicker than rowaphos

Such a comparison is not useful. It's like saying that a Honda goes faster than a Toyota. It obviously depends on many factors, especially nutrient levels, how much of each is being used, how fresh teh GFO is, and the availability of other needed elements (e.g., iron) and factors (e.g., light).

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

FWIW, ICP does not measure phosphate alone and shouldn't necessarily be interpreted that way. It detects anything with a P in it that may or may not be useful to corals or algae.

Would more P or N help the corals? Maybe. Would it drive more algae? Maybe.

 

[Reefin247]

FWIW, the ICP link for the Ro/DI does not work.

I don't really see any substantial problems in the tank ICP, except low salinity, but there may be trace elements that might be useful (e.g., vanadium, manganese, etc.).

RODI water:
//lab.atiaquaristik.com/share/3295eebd49cf17e75357

What do you think I shold do about the phosphate? Should I stop the GFO?

Also...getting a digial salinity ready to validate my refractometer. It currently still reads correct...so Ima be ticked if its a faulty unit.

RODI water shows high silicates.....but as I mentioned in the OP, the tank doesn't have any silicates...I guess its being consumed.

Still trying to understand what I need to do about the GHA issue and where it is coming from.