High levels of heavy metals

[awashburn82]

So my tank hasnt been looking its best lately so i sent off a water test to ATI and I found extremely high levels of heavy metals in my tank water. Copper, alum, etc what should be the best way to remove. I checked the sump/ equimpment for anything rusty and didnt find anything. My RODI water came up clean.

 

[blaxsun]

You tested your RODI water as well, was that correct? How often do you perform water changes?

 

[awashburn82]

yes RODI is fine, water changes every week to 10days.

 

[jguerin88]

possible a screw or some piece of metal fell into sump or dt?

 

[mrlavalamp]

No such thing as too much heavy metal!

now that I got that out of my system.

Aluminum looks fine (green checkmark) and generally it takes quite a bit of aluminum to upset things.

What I notice is that your total phosphate is about 2ppm (if I am reading this correctly) while nitrates are at 12 ppm, this would beof concern to me. I believe the Redfield Ratio (16:1 Nitrate to Phosphate) is the best way to balance the two.

If your RODI is good, then water changes to start.

Cuprisorb will absorb the copper best, but Chemipure Elite is another removal media that will help with all of the metals and phosphate too (but less effective at copper than cuprisorb)

Be careful not to chase numbers though, and I would start with water changes first and keeping an eye on your nitrate and phosphate.

Do you test yourself as well? what kits, are you getting similar readings to the ICP test?

 

[awashburn82]

No such thing as too much heavy metal!

now that I got that out of my system.

Aluminum looks fine (green checkmark) and generally it takes quite a bit of aluminum to upset things.

What I notice is that your total phosphate is about 2ppm (if I am reading this correctly) while nitrates are at 12 ppm, this would beof concern to me. I believe the Redfield Ratio (16:1 Nitrate to Phosphate) is the best way to balance the two.

If your RODI is good, then water changes to start.

Cuprisorb will absorb the copper best, but Chemipure Elite is another removal media that will help with all of the metals and phosphate too (but less effective at copper than cuprisorb)

Be careful not to chase numbers though, and I would start with water changes first and keeping an eye on your nitrate and phosphate.

Do you test yourself as well? what kits, are you getting similar readings to the ICP test?

So wha

No such thing as too much heavy metal!

now that I got that out of my system.

Aluminum looks fine (green checkmark) and generally it takes quite a bit of aluminum to upset things.

What I notice is that your total phosphate is about 2ppm (if I am reading this correctly) while nitrates are at 12 ppm, this would beof concern to me. I believe the Redfield Ratio (16:1 Nitrate to Phosphate) is the best way to balance the two.

If your RODI is good, then water changes to start.

Cuprisorb will absorb the copper best, but Chemipure Elite is another removal media that will help with all of the metals and phosphate too (but less effective at copper than cuprisorb)

Be careful not to chase numbers though, and I would start with water changes first and keeping an eye on your nitrate and phosphate.

Do you test yourself as well? what kits, are you getting similar readings to the ICP test?

So I broke everything down in the tank and found two small pieces of foil from frozen fish food and a magnet from one of my frag racks. The magnet didnt appear to be corroding however so im not sure if that would be what was causign the spikes.

 

[Hermie]

water changes are the solution IMO

what symptoms in your tank?

could use some chem filtration media there are multiple products

 

[AquaOps1223]

Did you check you all your pumps? UV?

I think I have a similar issue and seeing that frozen food and bio media can spike those numbers as well. I would try a poly filter to see if it changes color but just monitor your nutrients just incase.