Elevated antimony - why should I care?

[Just John]

I am considering buying a Green Killing Machine because I have a 13 gal AIO and it would be a good option for the small sump area. I have seen posts saying that it causes elevated levels of antimony. Should I care for my softies and LPS tank if I do weekly water changes?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I do not know how high antimony needs to get before it causes problems, nor am I sure that you can keep it adequately low with normal sorts of water changes.

 

[elorablue]

What the heck is antimony?

 

[Just John]

I do not know how high antimony needs to get before it causes problems, nor am I sure that you can keep it adequately low with normal sorts of water changes.

Do you know what the main concerns with my corals should be? The posts mentioned issues with SPS, but I didn't see any about LPS or softies.

 

[Just John]

What the heck is antimony?

Google Search

 

[elorablue]

Google Search

ok thanks. I’m going to go with you shouldn’t care about it.

 

[brandon429]

Those units have been used successfully ten thousand times, abandon the concern. Can use without problems. Ive seen those used in my own invasion challenges for years and they score well, they work well not badly.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

ok thanks. I’m going to go with you shouldn’t care about it.

lol

Why?

 

[elorablue]

lol

Why?

Why? I would suggest that there are plenty of things for reefers to be concerned about without looking for random new ones. Lol

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Why? I would suggest that there are plenty of things for reefers to be concerned about without looking for random new ones. Lol

A discussion of toxic effect levels on marine organisms might be more useful than dismissing it because you are unfamiliar with the concern.

 

[elorablue]

A discussion of toxic effect levels on marine organisms might be more useful than dismissing it because you are unfamiliar with the concern.

Point taken. However I’m going to choose to pass on any deep-dive into the pros and cons of antimony. Have fun though!

 

[DrZoidburg]

Well it could make a alarm. If you actually had it tested and it was there. Would consider testing source water especially if you are drinking, or bathing in it. Can cause some serious nerve damage, and cell damage depending on what form it is. Usually found hand in hand with lead. Which could be another issue.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Well it could make a alarm. If you actually had it tested and it was there. Would consider testing source water especially if you are drinking, or bathing in it. Can cause some serious nerve damage, and cell damage depending on what form it is. Usually found hand in hand with lead. Which could be another issue.

Reefers do not typically find it coming from source water and is easily removed by RO/DI. It is more often associated with certain mechanical devices, such as the Green Killing Machine.

 

[Aqua Man]

I am considering buying a Green Killing Machine because I have a 13 gal AIO and it would be a good option for the small sump area. I have seen posts saying that it causes elevated levels of antimony. Should I care for my softies and LPS tank if I do weekly water changes?

Been using one since December 2020.

If it leaches anything? Don’t know. Better than having Dinos!! Coral look ok.

 

[brandon429]

I cannot count the number of times a green killing machine has worked flawlessly for years in our invasion threads with follow ups

let’s see the Reddit thread + ICP test who started this claim of contamination from the device

 

[DrZoidburg]

Reefers do not typically find it coming from source water and is easily removed by RO/DI. It is more often associated with certain mechanical devices, such as the Green Killing Machine.

A point to disagree on this. As many cities in the united states still have lead pipes. Some of these compounds are actually not well removed by ro/di depending on form it is in. On the other hand where else would it be coming from? The salt mix? Some of the parts included in these machines? UV making it a different form more easily read by analysis?

 

[Aqua Man]

High Antimony found on Triton ICP

A fast response from the CS rep: "Thank you for your input – this is very valuable. We don’t want to compromise anyone’s aquarium, even for a small pin. I am going to recommend the switch to a higher chromium stainless on this pin asap. The cost difference should only be pennies. Please...

www.reef2reef.com

Interesting. Guess I’ll go take a look at my UV and see if it’s rusted yet!

 

[DrZoidburg]

I do see a trend in that thread. Some chinese plastics have antimony/lead. I wonder if anyone has busted one of these open to see how degraded the plastic was inside near bulb.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

A point to disagree on this. As many cities in the united states still have lead pipes. Some of these compounds are actually not well removed by ro/di depending on form it is in. On the other hand where else would it be coming from? The salt mix? Some of the parts included in these machines? UV making it a different form more easily read by analysis?

I've seen lots of ICP reports on people's RO/DI and have not seen elevated antimony on any of them.

 

[DrZoidburg]

I've seen lots of ICP reports on people's RO/DI and have not seen elevated antimony on any of them.

Yes but how many of them can verify pipes have that, or not. I think the majority because of water quality standards becoming big issues, also changing infrastructure wouldn't have this problem. However reading this other thread sheds light on that the plastic/metal parts could have this also.