Chromium in Triton test results

[Jeff_H]

I don’t think it has to do with the age of the gfo, mine is fresh (unless it’s been sitting in the warehouse) I don’t know how many lbs/tons BRS buys at a time. Yea it would be very hard to pinpoint if you were doing wc’s and had a lot of time between tests but I think your on to something bro!! Iv reaches out to Ryan the owner of BRS to hear his thoughts... I don’t really even know if the high chromium readings are a bad thing... it could be inert or something like Aluminum in the Marine pure ceramic blocks.... hundreds of colonies of SPS are doing great, nice colors healthy and good growth so it might not even be a big deal at all. From my understanding there isn’t much research on the affects of high chromium on marine life. I’m not going to stress too much on it but I want to get this figured out so others that have this problem aren’t chasing heavy metals in their system stressing out like us lol. My thing is that if chromium dissipates so quickly like iron (I’m assuming since they’re in the same FE group) then there would have to be a source directly in the water column or a VERY obvious source outside of the Aquarium, if it was that high due to a foreign metal source then I would think we would see a lot of bad things happening with the animals. Also chromium is in a lot of combinations of metals... why would chromium be the only one to show up?(unless it dissipates slower). Yea bro I think we’re on to something here and heck yea when you break down that system please report back your findings. I’ll keep you guys updated on my future tests. Happy reefing man I’m glad I was directed to this thread makes me feel a little better. It Has to be the HC GFO

FWIW: I can't prove this but in the past few months I've lost all but two crabs (hermit and emerald) and all my shrimp (Fire, Scarlet, Peppermint, Pistol) which I think was related. I have one SPS colony that would start to bleach until I did the prescribed water change. After the water change, it would start to recover for a few months but would start to bleach again. Both times it bleached, it appeared to be during the high levels, but who knows with SPS.

 

[ChadmRoman]

I went ahead and purchased a hanna chromium checker and now looking at the RODI. started a new thread in chemistry in regards to what I'm seeing coming from the RODI holding tanks.

Chromium in RODI?

Chasing high chromium for the last three ICP Triton Tests. Just purchased and received a hanna chromium LR checker to test all water sources. Found the RODI water using aquatic life 4 stage shows steady readings at 12 ppb. Tested a freshly mixed salt and read 12 ppb. Tested the RODI with a...

www.reef2reef.com

Hanna Checker

Low Range Chromium VI Colorimeter Checker® HC

The Hexavalent Chromium HI749 Checker/Tester provides a simple, accurate and cost effective way to test chromium 6 in drinking water.

www.hannainst.com

Day one tests
Tank - 18 ppb, triton test 16.9 ppb
RODI holding - 12 ppb (done multiple times)
RODI direct into glass - 12 ppb (done multiple times)
Tested fresh batch of TM - 12 ppb

Day two got weird with testing
Source water - 3 ppb (matches city water numbers)
Test After Carbon - 5 ppb
Test After RO Membrane only - 0 ppb
Test After Carbon RO Membrane (all four stages) - 6 ppb

Currently have Life Aquatics looking into if the DI filter leaches chromium or I got a bad filter. I will keep this post updated as well and certainly looking to hear more about GFO.

 

[Jeff_H]

I went ahead and purchased a hanna chromium checker and now looking at the RODI. started a new thread in chemistry in regards to what I'm seeing coming from the RODI holding tanks.

Chromium in RODI?

Chasing high chromium for the last three ICP Triton Tests. Just purchased and received a hanna chromium LR checker to test all water sources. Found the RODI water using aquatic life 4 stage shows steady readings at 12 ppb. Tested a freshly mixed salt and read 12 ppb. Tested the RODI with a...

www.reef2reef.com

Hanna Checker

Low Range Chromium VI Colorimeter Checker® HC

The Hexavalent Chromium HI749 Checker/Tester provides a simple, accurate and cost effective way to test chromium 6 in drinking water.

www.hannainst.com

Day one tests
Tank - 18 ppb, triton test 16.9 ppb
RODI holding - 12 ppb (done multiple times)
RODI direct into glass - 12 ppb (done multiple times)
Tested fresh batch of TM - 12 ppb

Day two got weird with testing
Source water - 3 ppb (matches city water numbers)
Test After Carbon - 5 ppb
Test After RO Membrane only - 0 ppb
Test After Carbon RO Membrane (all four stages) - 6 ppb

Currently have Life Aquatics looking into if the DI filter leaches chromium or I got a bad filter. I will keep this post updated as well and certainly looking to hear more about GFO.

Interesting... I always assumed my DI was getting everything since it reads 0 TDS before going in the holding tank. Thanks for sharing the thread!

 

[ChadmRoman]

Interesting... I always assumed my DI was getting everything since it reads 0 TDS before going in the holding tank. Thanks for sharing the thread!

It’s the RO that removes chromium, DI is possibly adding chromium back

 

[Jeff_H]

It’s the RO that removes chromium, DI is possibly adding chromium back

Yes - I see that now after reading the other thread... I'm starting to wonder if it's better to just do water changes and not do ICP testing... Maybe ignorance is truly bliss!

 

[ChadmRoman]

Y I'm starting to wonder if it's better to just do water changes and not do ICP testing... Maybe ignorance is truly bliss!

but isn't that the primary reason to do the Triton Method, to eliminate water changes? I'm doing more water changes than before. So If I can't eliminate water changes, I'm moving on from the Triton method.

 

[Jeff_H]

but isn't that the primary reason to do the Triton Method, to eliminate water changes? I'm doing more water changes than before. So If I can't eliminate water changes, I'm moving on from the Triton method.

I think I was able to go a year + without having to do a WC at one point. If you have a large enough and/or delicate livestock, I believe it makes sense to chase the numbers. For me, I'm breaking down my 170-gallon display and taking a break for a while due to other priorities I want to focus on for awhile. When I'm ready, I'm going to build a clown and anemone only tank that will be managed with manual or automatic water changes. I don't even plan to dose, but if I need to, I'm sure calk will get the job done. simple, easy and low maintenance will be the goal! I say it will be a while, but I'm already catching myself planning the build.

 

[ChadmRoman]

I'm going to build a clown and anemone only tank

I've thought long and hard on this one, can't wait to see the build thread if you start one.

Just to provide an update. Started reviewing the setup of the RODI system and booster pump. Ran different test with different pressure and found if the pressure's above 65 PSI, there's chromium showing up in the storage tanks. With the pressure set to 65 or less, the results show zero chromium. Continuing to test, but I think I figured it out.

 

[Jeff_H]

I've thought long and hard on this one, can't wait to see the build thread if you start one.

Just to provide an update. Started reviewing the setup of the RODI system and booster pump. Ran different test with different pressure and found if the pressure's above 65 PSI, there's chromium showing up in the storage tanks. With the pressure set to 65 or less, the results show zero chromium. Continuing to test, but I think I figured it out.

Wow! That's great news... I guess it's related to contact time due to the water pressure? I've broken down and cleaned every pump and powerhead I had in the tank and didn't find anything yet. I'll report back if I find something, but there isn't much left that could have rusted. Maybe I'll test my RODI water too for future reference if/when I build the new system.

Thanks for the update!

 

[Julian@Triton Verified Sponsor]

I am constantly amazed at the variety of ways some of these types of contaminants are introduced into our systems. The peace of mind provided by regular ICP testing is something that most of us only dreamed about 20 years ago. Kind of scary to think how close I personally could have come to failing and potentially giving up on this amazing hobby through no fault of my own. Back when I started keeping marine tanks in the 1990's a rusting part or contaminated product determined success or failure for many. The evolution in water chemistry since the introduction of ICP testing and subsequent improved chance of success for the modern reef keeper makes me appreciate how far we have come in such a short time.

 

[Jeff_H]

I am constantly amazed at the variety of ways some of these types of contaminants are introduced into our systems. The peace of mind provided by regular ICP testing is something that most of us only dreamed about 20 years ago. Kind of scary to think how close I personally could have come to failing and potentially giving up on this amazing hobby through no fault of my own. Back when I started keeping marine tanks in the 1990's a rusting part or contaminated product determined success or failure for many. The evolution in water chemistry since the introduction of ICP testing and subsequent improved chance of success for the modern reef keeper makes me appreciate how far we have come in such a short time.

Julian, thanks for chiming in!

I agree with everything you said and believe ICP testing will be a valuable tool going forward for us hobbyists. That said - I hope Triton takes the information ChadmRoman discovered in the other thread and adds it to the list of possible causes on the Triton Website where you diagnose issues.

Even better, I would like to see Triton produce a feedback database for each possible cause that hobbyists can report back as the actual cause for their high/low readings. This way Trion could weigh the possible causes from most likely to least likely to help put you on the path to finding the issue quicker. For example, a rusty component might be 93% and house water pressure through RODI filter might be .05%. Over time and feedback, I would think this would be a competitive advantage and help hobbyists get the issue fixed quicker. Triton might also want to put together a recommendation to test your RODI water sources to help find these odd-ball issues if the normal searching fails to produce results. I didn't even know Triton would test RODI water. Just my .02 cents!

 

[ChadmRoman]

I’m like 99.9% sure I dont have anything leaching... it 100% had to be the GFO! I pulled it off line so I’m curios if the next test picks it up. I’ll keep you guys up dated and I’m also going to reach out to BRS.

Hi, by chance did your chromium levels come down? Curious to know if taking GFO offline made any impacted test results.

 

[FraghouseCorals]

Hi, by chance did your chromium levels come down? Curious to know if taking GFO offline made any impacted test results.

Yep, forgot to update my findings on here. Within 3 weeks after pulling BRS High Cap GFO Chromium levels dropped all the way back to 0 and have not shown back up since. I never saw any bad things happen from the elevated levels over the 45 or so days Chromium was elevated. Personally I don't want Chromium in my tanks but I would recommend to others not to worry about high Chromium if its GFO related.

 

[ChadmRoman]

Yep, forgot to update my findings on here. Within 3 weeks after pulling BRS High Cap GFO Chromium levels dropped all the way back to 0 and have not shown back up since.

Wow, very interesting, and something I'm going to check as well. Taking GFO offline today, going to run some Metasorb for the next few days and see if I see a decline. Will update soon.

Personally I don't want Chromium in my tanks but I would recommend to others not to worry about high Chromium if its GFO related.

I tend to agree with this as well, my acros and other sps are growing like crazy with elevated levels of chromium. I'm thinking from all the research, the issue isn't with chromium, but the other heavy metals like tin, iron, copper that really jack things up.