ICP TEST
- Thread starter reeferdon
- Start date
- Tagged users None
Yazannreef
Valuable Member
ATI OR Oceamo
gbroadbridge
2500 Club Member
Whichever is cheapest on the day.
mrpontiac80
2500 Club Member
I use ATI
gbroadbridge
2500 Club Member
The accuracy of ICP is overstated.
They all have the same basic level of measurement uncertainty and far too much emphasis is placed on results which many reefers lack the training and knowledge to interpret.
I've lost count of the number of posts with people worrying needlessly over trace element levels which are simply not worthy of concern.
As a diagnostic tool in knowledgeable hands, they can be a useful additional source of information when trying to diagnose a particular problem.
Most reefers should simply rely on quality test kits for measurement of macro elements, many of which are available for reasonable cost.
JB Reefer
Community Member
Ati or Oceamo
Randy Holmes-Farley
Reef Chemist
Staff member
Super Moderator
Excellence Award
Expert Contributor
Article Contributor
R2R Research
My Tank Thread
Do they?
I wouldn't make that claim.
There are different procedures used by different companies, and fundamentally different types of machines.
Pod_01
Valuable Member
I use Fauna Marin ICP / Total ICP.
I think it is silly to expect hobbyists test kit to compare to lab grade test equipment. But they hobbits kits do measure something and can be repeatable. I use hobbyists kits for trends and ICP to see where these values might be.
Fauna Marin runs a coral farm so their ICP equipment is being daily evaluated by the success of the coral farm. In the end corals don’t grow if the water parameters are off.
I would think that Fauna Marin is calibrating and running their machine based on industry standards that are reliable and repeatable. Not basing their numbers on how their corals look.
Corals can adapt to a massive range when it comes to elements. I ran Reef Moonshiners for over 2 years. Constantly testing, dosing, observing, testing again, dosing more, observing, and so on. My own evaluation was I couldn't ever track down that a single trace element was responsible for a very certain outcome. Example, elevated potassium brought out more blues.
So long as everything is kept in a range, corals will adapt and thrive to those ranges
Pod_01
Valuable Member
I hope they are not calibrating per the coral farm. But I suspect if their ICP test suddenly tells them for example hey the Ca went up by 20% from last reading in the farm. I hope they go hmmmm…. Corals are ok, maybe the ICP needs recalibration etc…I would think that Fauna Marin is calibrating and running their machine based on industry standards that are reliable and repeatable. Not basing their numbers on how their corals look.
Corals can adapt to a massive range when it comes to elements. I ran Reef Moonshiners for over 2 years. Constantly testing, dosing, observing, testing again, dosing more, observing, and so on. My own evaluation was I couldn't ever track down that a single trace element was responsible for a very certain outcome. Example, elevated potassium brought out more blues.
So long as everything is kept in a range, corals will adapt and thrive to those ranges
Other outfits who do not have a reference will say hey the machine and computer gave me the numbers, and I followed industry standard so it must be good. You know push button operator mentality. Computers, procedures etc… can make people very complacent… Little sanity check is always good.
OP
OP
reeferdon
Active Member
I basically use ICP for comparison to my Hannah Checker.
I also like to see what or if any of my elements are depleted.
I realize that corals will look different in different tank. So I don't know what that coral will look like once it has settled in.
As long as my corals are growing, have color, and are healthy I'm going.
I also like to see what or if any of my elements are depleted.
I realize that corals will look different in different tank. So I don't know what that coral will look like once it has settled in.
As long as my corals are growing, have color, and are healthy I'm going.
KStatefan
2500 Club Member
I like the app that ICP-Analysis has but did not have faith in their numbers.
Reef Labs has given me fast results the last test was mailed from Kansas on Monday and had results Wednesday afternoon.
Oceamo from Reef Moonshiners I have tried one of the ICP-MS test. I like that there is a stabilized sample for nutrients so I can compare to my testing. I like that RODI is included. I do not like the shipping cost to get a test. If i was ordering other things it would not be to bad but $17 flat rate makes it to costly for ordering one test. I ordered 4 to spread that out over four test.
I am going to use both to test once per quarter this year (Feb, May, Aug, Nov) then pick one to stay with next year.
Reef Labs has given me fast results the last test was mailed from Kansas on Monday and had results Wednesday afternoon.
Oceamo from Reef Moonshiners I have tried one of the ICP-MS test. I like that there is a stabilized sample for nutrients so I can compare to my testing. I like that RODI is included. I do not like the shipping cost to get a test. If i was ordering other things it would not be to bad but $17 flat rate makes it to costly for ordering one test. I ordered 4 to spread that out over four test.
I am going to use both to test once per quarter this year (Feb, May, Aug, Nov) then pick one to stay with next year.
gbroadbridge
2500 Club Member
Point taken, I should not have stated my opinion in the way I did.
I still believe that *overall*, ICP test results are just confusing for the average hobbiest, who should simply be concentrating on stability of macro elements.
A very useful diagnostic tool for sure, for those who can understand their limitations.
