Flouride low on ICP test

[pgroth1]

So my ICP test is showing low on fluoride. Corals are mostly good, but thought maybe..... ??? Thought I would try this.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Sodium-Flu...p2349624.m46890.l6249&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0

But wanted to make sure I was dosing safely. Any suggestions?

 

[DrZoidburg]

How low? Some things do need it but it might not be low enough to worry about. Some brand salts even exclude this, and bromine.

 

[pgroth1]

.22mg/l

 

[DrZoidburg]

.22mg/l

That does seem low. What I wonder though have you compared this test to others in the past? Do you know if anything in your system is using it?

 

[pgroth1]

That's a good question, I get an ICP once a year and looks like it has always been low at about the same for the last 3 years anyway. Just thought it might help with color/growth if I got to seawater levels, and wanted to do make sure I did it safely.

 

[DrZoidburg]

I have read somethings that suggest it may be a way to color things up. Maybe safely could start adding it in small increments to NSW levels. Do they offer smaller sizes that 4 oz would last you a life time.

 

[pgroth1]

It's only $10, thought I would use the below calculations. Probably do about 1/2 that to be safe.

 

[minus9]

You should check out Reef moonshiners.

 

[DrZoidburg]

It's only $10, thought I would use the below calculations. Probably do about 1/2 that to be safe.

Thinking it would be much less. To go up in increments of .25mg/gallon I get 2.09Mg not grams. Only 501Mg for 240 gallons.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I wouldn't be sure it does anything important to a normal reef, but there's no reason to not add some.

Be very careful with fluoride solids and solutions. It can be quite toxic and skin irritating:

https://nj.gov/health/eoh/rtkweb/documents/fs/1699.pdf

 

[MikeTheNewbie]

I wouldn't be sure it does anything important to a normal reef, but there's no reason to not add some.

Be very careful with fluoride solids and solutions. It can be quite toxic and skin irritating:

https://nj.gov/health/eoh/rtkweb/documents/fs/1699.pdf

Hi Randy, do you know of any reasonably priced compound that can be used to make DIY Fluor additives for our reef?
I have been successful with Sodium Bromide, Borax, Sodium Nitrate, and others. I started using some of them after reading some of your responses to @mitch91175 mad scientist post.
It seems that Fluor is one of the most hazardous materials we dose to our reefs so I wonder if there is any compound that is not as toxic or one that is sold in lower concentrations but is still more affordable to DIY than using commercial reef products.
Thanks for sharing the wisdom!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

It's the concentrated fluoride itself that is toxic, and that 's the form you want in seawater (if, indeed, any is useful), and thus no fluoride salt will be more or less toxic than others, just more dilute.

 

[SCReef'n]

@Randy Holmes-Farley I understand it’s difficult to directly measure halogens via icp-oes. When companies list flouride is this using some indirect correlation? What’s the typical work around for these elements?

 

[Christoph]

Hello!

concerning the halogens we are measuring fluoride with ion chromatography (not possible with ICP), bromide also with ion chromatography and iodine with ICP-OES (or ICP-MS).

All the best, Christoph

 

[SPS2020]

...and it helps with cavities!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Hello!

concerning the halogens we are measuring fluoride with ion chromatography (not possible with ICP), bromide also with ion chromatography and iodine with ICP-OES (or ICP-MS).

All the best, Christoph

Thanks, Christoph.