Need Help with ATI ICP Water Testing Results

[brick-brothers]

I finally sent my water samples to ati to check my parameters. I got the results and need help understanding it. Also need to know what parameter I need to take action for and which one I can leave alone.

 

[blaxsun]

Calcium, magnesium and iodine are low. Nitrates are fine (possibly a little low) and phosphates are a little elevated (but still fine). I'm not sure how often you're performing water changes (or what %), nor if you're dosing any kind of trace element - so without any details on your tank (size, etc.) I couldn't really tell you what and how much of certain products to add.

Supplements from companies like Aquaforest, Nyos, Red Sea (etc.) will have calculations on the bottles that will allow you to determine how much to add to achieve the desired levels.

 

[brick-brothers]

Calcium, magnesium and iodine are low. Nitrates are fine (possibly a little low) and phosphates are a little elevated (but still fine). I'm not sure how often you're performing water changes (or what %), nor if you're dosing any kind of trace element - so without any details on your tank (size, etc.) I couldn't really tell you what and how much of certain products to add.

Supplements from companies like Aquaforest, Nyos, Red Sea (etc.) will have calculations on the bottles that will allow you to determine how much to add to achieve the desired levels.

I have 400g total vol. I only dose amino beside the regular cal, alk, and Mag. So I was confuse with the arrows next to each parameter. I thought it was saying that my iodine was high

 

[Hydrored]

Iodine is too high, what corals do you keep in that tank and is algae under control? High iodine can really take its toll, specifically on SPS. Something is adding iodine or the test is wrong. What amino are you using?

I run monthly ICP and dose iodine daily, I can pretty much tell if my iodine is low/high based on yellows and greens on SPS

 

[blaxsun]

Iodine is too high, what corals do you keep in that tank and is algae under control? High iodine can really take its toll, specifically on SPS. Something is adding iodine or the test is wrong. What amino are you using?

I run monthly ICP and dose iodine daily, I can pretty much tell if my iodine is low/high based on yellows and greens on SPS

Maybe I misread that - I thought the "Value" was the default values they were comparing it to.

 

[brick-brothers]

Iodine is too high, what corals do you keep in that tank and is algae under control? High iodine can really take its toll, specifically on SPS. Something is adding iodine or the test is wrong. What amino are you using?

I run monthly ICP and dose iodine daily, I can pretty much tell if my iodine is low/high based on yellows and greens on SPS

I did dose iodine weeks ago. It's hard to tell using color chart test kit. Which kit do you use to test iodine? I do weekly water changes.

 

[Big E]

What salt are you using? I doubt it has those high trace levels when mixed.

You must have been dosing many trace elements at one time to get those high of levels in Strontium, Bromine, Iodine, Barium and probably others that may be below ICP detection and reading zero but still too high.

If your fresh mixed saltwater is near natural seawater levels, just do water changes to get back to baseline.

Your Lanthanum shoud be zero. Are you dosing that for P04 reduction? Stop using it or work towards getting a better handle on keeping it out of the system.


DON'T dose any trace elements. Hold off on the carbon as you have a lot of water changing ahead of you.

Use this calculator--

Effective Water Change Calculator

Aquarium calculator; Estimate the effective water change amount of several combined smaller water changes.

www.hamzasreef.com

 

[brick-brothers]

What salt are you using? I doubt it has those high trace levels when mixed.

You must have been dosing many trace elements at one time to get those high of levels in Strontium, Bromine, Iodine, Barium and probably others that may be below ICP detection and reading zero but still too high.

If your fresh mixed saltwater is near natural seawater levels, just do water changes to get back to baseline.

Your Lanthanum shoud be zero. Are you dosing that for P04 reduction? Stop using it or work towards getting a better handle on keeping it out of the system.


DON'T dose any trace elements. Hold off on the carbon as you have a lot of water changing ahead of you.

Use this calculator--

Effective Water Change Calculator

Aquarium calculator; Estimate the effective water change amount of several combined smaller water changes.

www.hamzasreef.com

I am carbon dosing using Nopox. Would that be the issue?

 

[Big E]

No, if anything having bacteria get a boost would possibly lower some trace elements. In other words, the bacterial flock could be feeding the corals and the corals are growing and depleting some elements. Or some bacteria may consume some traces.

There are no trace elements in NOPOX. It's basically vinegar/vodka

 

[brick-brothers]

No, if anything having bacteria get a boost would possibly lower some trace elements. In other words, the bacterial flock could be feeding the corals and the corals are growing and depleting some elements. Or some bacteria may consume some traces.

There are no trace elements in NOPOX. It's basically vinegar/vodka

The only thing I can think of is Acropower. These are the onlt 2 I dose ( Nopox and Acropower)

 

[Big E]

No, that's just amino acid.

Like I said.......your test indicates dosing of trace elements or the salt you use has many elevated levels that's giving you those readings.

How was the ICP on your RO water? That could be the cause of those high levels.

 

[brick-brothers]

No, that's just amino acid.

Like I said.......your test indicates dosing of trace elements or the salt you use has many elevated levels that's giving you those readings.

Hmmm I only use instant ocean. Same salt I've been using for years

 

[Big E]

What was the ATI ICP test on your RO water? That could be a source

 

[brick-brothers]

What was the ATI ICP test on your RO water? That could be a source

 

[Big E]

That's not the whole test........you need to look at the levels that are high in your tank tests. In fact, your RO test should be all zeros on everything.

IO is not the cause. You could have dosed elements a long time ago and they are still high from that.

The only other thought is that whole test is bad, which is unlikely.

 

[brick-brothers]

That's not the whole test........you need to look at the levels that are high in your tank tests. In fact, your RO test should be all zeros on everything.

IO is not the cause. You could have dosed elements a long time ago and they are still high from that.

The only other thought is that whole test is bad, which is unlikely.

I'll keep up with my weekly water changes and hopefully things should work it's way back down

 

[Big E]

Use the calculator.........it will help you with how long it will take to get to a level that has reduced those elements. How fast you want to do it is up to you.

If your corals are ok I'd probably spread it out over a few months. For example a 20% change weekly would have you with 83% newer water.

Or if you are more bold you can do 10% daily. A lot depends on the health of your fish and corals as of today.

You're going to have to fix that lanth issue too if you plan to continue to dose that.

 

[Big E]

I would probably get and ICP test done on your IO water. Mix it for 24 hours and send a test in ............compare it to your tank parameters.

This gives you a baseline.

Honestly, the only thing I would be concerned with is Iodine.

 

[brick-brothers]

I would probably get and ICP test done on your IO water. Mix it for 24 hours and send a test in ............compare it to your tank parameters.

This gives you a baseline.

Honestly, the only thing I would be concerned with is Iodine.

Thanks

 

[JayFish4004]

I finally sent my water samples to ati to check my parameters. I got the results and need help understanding it. Also need to know what parameter I need to take action for and which one I can leave alone.

I would get that Iodine level down asap and figure out what is adding it - that will crash your tank really fast. Do not let that get over 60.

I would also put a polyfilter in your chamber where you keep your carbon (start using carbon asap if you dont already and replace it every 2 weeks) to strip out the Lanthanum. Replace the polyfilter whenever it starts to brown.