Question about ICP test

[Brian Fay]

Haven’t posted often but I find the discussion here helpful. Just completed Triton ICP test and all levels were within range except for Iron, Chromium and Cobalt which were off the end of the scale in the red zone. I have been using Red Sea trace C for iron supplementation for chaeto. It contains these three plus four others which are indicated at normal levels on ICP. My questions are: 1-Is there any other likely source of Iron, chromium and Cobalt besides the Red Sea Trace, 2-Can high levels of these three cause slow declines and death in montipora over a month, and 3- How best to reduce these three elements to acceptable levels?
Thank you for any help.

 

[ichthyogeek]

1) Well...it depends. Are you dosing anything else? What's your salt mix? Do you have metal pipes? There's a lot about your tank that we don't know. So I can't exactly tell you "Hey! it's X factor."

2) Unsure. This seems to impply that you're having a montipora problem? Or are you asking because you have a monti dominated tank and are concerned?

3) Water changes. And maybe scale back the dosing of Red Sea Trace C, since you mentioned that you know that it contains the three problem metals.

 

[Brian Fay]

1) Well...it depends. Are you dosing anything else? What's your salt mix? Do you have metal pipes? There's a lot about your tank that we don't know. So I can't exactly tell you "Hey! it's X factor."

2) Unsure. This seems to impply that you're having a montipora problem? Or are you asking because you have a monti dominated tank and are concerned?

3) Water changes. And maybe scale back the dosing of Red Sea Trace C, since you mentioned that you know that it contains the three problem metals.

Thank you for your reply.
Salt is Red Sea blue bucket mixed with ro/di water. All plumbing is pvc and I have recently checked heaters , pumps and magnets. I have already discontinued the Red Sea trace C. Was using it to supply iron to chaeto in fuge. Have ordered sea lettuce (Ulva) to replace chaeto in refugium. Based on an article in Coral magazine the Ulva has a much lower iron requirement than chaeto.
This is a two year old tank and I am trying to establish some montipora. Have not had much luck so far and started looking for possible problems with ICP test.
Really just curious whether Chromium and Cobalt could be coming from other sources than the obvious Red Sea supplement.

 

[marke]

If your chaeto is doing well keep it. Some reefers have issues with ulva overpopulating too fast in places you didnt want it to grow. If you want iron dose iron alone instead of iron in a multi element trace. Maybe you need less iron than you think? Many people with macro algae do not add iron and are happy.

 

[ichthyogeek]

When you say you haven't had much luck with establishing montiporas, do they constantly die? Or are they just struggling to survive?

Chromium/Cobalt are present in trace amounts in fish foods and stuff, but not enough to the point where it should be problematic, unless you've just decided to not do water changes at all.

 

[Christoph]

Hello!

Cobalt an chromium at elevated concentrations are not very frequently seen in reef tanks. What levels were determined in your tank?

The cases od elevated Co/Cr we encountered so far were usually connected with reef ceramics or reef cement that was leaching the elements. Did you add any new ceramics or reef cement?

Concentration in feed is low, so it is highly unlikely as a source. Also the Red Sea product is unlikely to be the culprit if not overdosed.

Best regards,
Christoph

 

[Brian Fay]

Hello!

Cobalt an chromium at elevated concentrations are not very frequently seen in reef tanks. What levels were determined in your tank?

The cases od elevated Co/Cr we encountered so far were usually connected with reef ceramics or reef cement that was leaching the elements. Did you add any new ceramics or reef cement?

Concentration in feed is low, so it is highly unlikely as a source. Also the Red Sea product is unlikely to be the culprit if not overdosed.

Best regards,
Christoph

Chromium 5.3 micrograms
Cobalt 2.9 micrograms

 

[Brian Fay]

When you say you haven't had much luck with establishing montiporas, do they constantly die? Or are they just struggling to survive?

Chromium/Cobalt are present in trace amounts in fish foods and stuff, but not enough to the point where it should be problematic, unless you've just decided to not do water changes at all.

Montiporas typically does in two to four weeks after introduction.