Icp test in. Question?

b breef · Sep 30, 2022

I just got back my Icp test back and my aluminum showed 99.6 ug/l.
The analysis says that’s high but I can find info stating HOW high that is. Can someone help me determine if I should run metasorb or aiming to lower it? Or if that’s necessary.
aluminum only pollutant that was high.
I’ll try to attach some of report.

I will say I have a couple toadstools that have closed up shop for over a few months but flesh is firm and they smell fine. One is laying flat. I have read some softies are good markers that aluminum may be an excessive problem.

tank- 20g WB cube
4 fish
Mixed reef mostly lps
Last home params-
1.025sg
9.1 dkh
8.2 ph
566 cal

no3 .7
Po4 .07
Nutrients low b/c I lowered to fight some gha recently.
Thanks for any advice regarding aluminum, or anything else!

reefbandit · Sep 30, 2022

Any ceramic media in the tank? Looks like it’s only 20 gallons just do 2-3 50% water changes a few days apart and move on. You can ICP test after if you want to confirm but that should eliminate the aluminum.

reefbandit · Sep 30, 2022

Also your calcium at 566 is way to high. It should be down in the 380-450 range. This could be causing a lot of stress

radfly · Sep 30, 2022

b breef said:
I just got back my Icp test back and my aluminum showed 99.6 ug/l.
The analysis says that’s high but I can find info stating HOW high that is. Can someone help me determine if I should run metasorb or aiming to lower it? Or if that’s necessary.
aluminum only pollutant that was high.
I’ll try to attach some of report.

I will say I have a couple toadstools that have closed up shop for over a few months but flesh is firm and they smell fine. One is laying flat. I have read some softies are good markers that aluminum may be an excessive problem.

tank- 20g WB cube
4 fish
Mixed reef mostly lps
Last home params-
1.025sg
9.1 dkh
8.2 ph
566 cal

no3 .7
Po4 .07
Nutrients low b/c I lowered to fight some gha recently.
Thanks for any advice regarding aluminum, or anything else!

I just got mine in as well, same high Al. I think their lab has an issue and am not worried about the reading.

LeftyReefer · Sep 30, 2022

566 CA ? that's pretty high too.

I do agree that your aluminum level is pretty high at 99. My last ICP test came back under 5 for aluminum.
No idea what a level of 99 aluminum will do though. I would look for any sources of aluminum and get rid of them.

b breef · Sep 30, 2022

No ceramics unless seachem Matrix is ceramic. Also I had been using phosguard to help me rid algae. It’s under control now but still have phosguard in filter.
I don’t dose anything and I can’t seem to lower calcium. What’s the best way to manage that?
What are some ways aluminum would get in my tank at a high level? I do WC’s religiously so I’m just concerned that even though I remove AL via WC it will just return.
thank you guys. I’m still new to this. My tank turns 1 year this month.

radfly · Sep 30, 2022

Do you use Fritz RPM salt, or dose ME brand kalc?

b breef · Sep 30, 2022

radfly said:
Do you use Fritz RPM salt, or dose ME brand kalc?

Nope been using reef crystals since the get go. This is the first Icp test I’ve ever done. Who knows if it’s always been high but I have struggled with health of some corals but i attribute that to immature tank/stability and my learning curve.

radfly · Sep 30, 2022

b breef said:
Nope been using reef crystals since the get go. This is the first Icp test I’ve ever done. Who knows if it’s always been high but I have struggled with health of some corals but i attribute that to immature tank/stability and my learning curve.

Ok, just trying to see if we have a common issue with Aluminum.

Perhaps others will share their ATI ICP results received in the last few days...

wtdenk · Nov 22, 2022

Just got a similar high aluminum result from my icp as well from ATI. Cause for alarm or nah?

Randy Holmes-Farley · Nov 23, 2022

While that aluminum level is likely not high enough to be a problem, I'd personally remove any white media you are using, if any.

radfly · Nov 23, 2022

I had Fluval ceramic bio media in mine, and removed after receiving my ATI high Al result. Will retest in a few months.

ShawnM24 · Jan 28, 2023

I also just got back a high reading in aluminum of around 60 from ATI

ELChingonsReef · Jan 28, 2023

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
While that aluminum level is likely not high enough to be a problem, I'd personally remove any white media you are using, if any.

Is siporax considered the same white media you are referring to? I have high aluminum too. I'm going crazy trying to find the source

b breef · Jan 28, 2023

I imagine any ceramic media( or even frag plugs for that matter) could contain trace amounts of alum. Ceramics are made from clays thus would naturally have some metallics in them. I’m running matrix and have tons of plugs so who knows.
I’ve given up looking for the source of my AL

TokenReefer · Jan 28, 2023

I wonder if some comes from the foil on those blister packs..

ELChingonsReef · Jan 28, 2023

b breef said:
I imagine any ceramic media( or even frag plugs for that matter) could contain trace amounts of alum. Ceramics are made from clays thus would naturally have some metallics in them. I’m running matrix and have tons of plugs so who knows.
I’ve given up looking for the source of my AL

I have some ceramic tiles I use when my sps incrust over the original frag plug. I'm not sure what they are made of but there's a lot of those tiles in my tank. Do you use those too?