Reducing elevated Barium

rrueger · Mar 4, 2017

Hello. I've received my first Triton test results back today and I'm pretty shocked to see my Barium level over 300. I've searched a couple forum posts of people discussing their levels in the 100s, but there hasn't been much discussion on success in reducing. Please let me know how I can reduce.

Additional info:
65 gallon display, 40 gallon sump. Zeovit tank, I only use the stones and dose zeobac, Zeostart, and Zeofood. I did recently dose and bottle of pohls extra special and have seen improved colors.

I change 10-15 gallons of water weekly and use red sea salt (blue bucket) and ro/di via a brs 5 stage

I don't use carbon or gfo. No refugium. Just a skimmer and zeo.

Thanks in advance for any help

Randy Holmes-Farley · Mar 5, 2017

There's no good way I know of to reduce barium aside from water changes with a low barium mix, and I don't consider your levels any concern. SO don't worry about it.

rrueger · Mar 5, 2017

My biggest concern (and why I originally purchased the test) is due to slow to non existent coral growth. I've had monti caps for 2 years that haven't grown at all. Do you think it could be something like barium, or could it be to low phosphates?

Randy Holmes-Farley · Mar 5, 2017

I seriously doubt barium causes problems at levels reefers encounter. Lack of adequate nutrition such as phosphate might.

jwshiver · Mar 5, 2017

I also show high barium on my Triton labs.
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/selenium-barium-in-triton-test-results.287445/#post-3541963
I run a Zeovit system as well. I was wondering if it was leaching from the zeolite stones. Randy told me not worry about it, so I don't. If you figure it out please let me know.
Jack your water flow up, way up, and see if you get better results on growth. Watch your alk carefully afterward to see if there is an increase in uptake.

Joe Batt · Aug 23, 2017

I like many others have just received an elevated Barium result (199). They suggest using AL99 PO4 remover to reduce it. Will that just reduce the Barium or will it reduce other things also and cause me more trouble than its worth?

Randy Holmes-Farley · Aug 23, 2017

It will certainly reduce phosphate and organics. Whether that is a concern or not will depend on the system.

Joe Batt · Aug 23, 2017

My PO4 is already reading slightly low according to Triton, in the yellow. How exactly does low Po4 effect the system? My NO3 is at 5

Randy Holmes-Farley · Aug 23, 2017

Joe Batt said:
My PO4 is already reading slightly low according to Triton, in the yellow. How exactly does low Po4 effect the system? My NO3 is at 5

Too low and you can starve corals, and might want to dose, if you think you really need to drop barium (which I'm not convinced is generally needed; how high is yours?).

Randy Holmes-Farley · Aug 23, 2017

Here's a review of barium toxicity. In marine systems, there's not a lot of data, but it seems not very toxic.

http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/42398/1/9241530332.pdf

Barium sulfate is the principal constituent of drilling muds used in oil drilling operations. These muds also contain metals other than barium. No deaths occurred in a number of unspecified marine fish, crustaceans, and molluscs exposed to various levels (as high as 7500 mg/kg) of drilling mud for an unspecified period of time (Daugherty, 1951). Other studies reported reduced populations of molluscs and/or annelids exposed to barite in estuarine water, but it could not be determined whether the results were due to larval avoidance of barite or to barite toxicity (Tagatz & Tobia, 1978; Cantelmo et al., 1979).

dbq5anlxj · Nov 12, 2021

rrueger said:
Hello. I've received my first Triton test results back today and I'm pretty shocked to see my Barium level over 300. I've searched a couple forum posts of people discussing their levels in the 100s, but there hasn't been much discussion on success in reducing. Please let me know how I can reduce.

Additional info:
65 gallon display, 40 gallon sump. Zeovit tank, I only use the stones and dose zeobac, Zeostart, and Zeofood. I did recently dose and bottle of pohls extra special and have seen improved colors.

I change 10-15 gallons of water weekly and use red sea salt (blue bucket) and ro/di via a brs 5 stage

I don't use carbon or gfo. No refugium. Just a skimmer and zeo.

Thanks in advance for any help

I know this is a old thread but did you manage to lower the level? Any idea what may be the cause of the high level? Thanks

Randy Holmes-Farley · Nov 12, 2021

dbq5anlxj said:
I know this is a old thread but did you manage to lower the level? Any idea what may be the cause of the high level? Thanks

It wasn't my tank, but I'd just reiterate that elevated barium is not likely any concern.

Superlightman · Apr 17, 2023

hello guys I just moved on the zeovit method and I have the same problem, never had barium issue before. I suspect the zeolit as the oceamos tests has showed it is possible.
how did you get it down?

dbq5anlxj · Apr 17, 2023

Superlightman said:
hello guys I just moved on the zeovit method and I have the same problem, never had barium issue before. I suspect the zeolit as the oceamos tests has showed it is possible.
how did you get it down?

I no longer using zeovit anymore. Initially, I get it down by doing multiple large water change. Then I just let it ride along. It come down eventually but slowly. good luck

Randy Holmes-Farley · Apr 18, 2023

Superlightman said:
hello guys I just moved on the zeovit method and I have the same problem, never had barium issue before. I suspect the zeolit as the oceamos tests has showed it is possible.
how did you get it down?

How high? I likely wouldn’t do anything about it, but water changes with a lower level or barium or removing any source are the only ways likely to work.

Superlightman · Apr 25, 2023

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
How high? I likely wouldn’t do anything about it, but water changes with a lower level or barium or removing any source are the only ways likely to work.

111 for now, it isn't probably a concern for now but if it continues to raise +111 every 6 weeks when I change the zeolite it may become one in the long run.
I will need a lot of water changes in 1400L to bring it down..

Randy Holmes-Farley · Apr 25, 2023

I don't think that level is likely a concern. Only one paper seems to show low level tox,a nd it is at levels above yours:

Developmental effects of barium exposure in a marine bivalve (Mytilus californianus)

Previous reports indicated that barium (Ba) and/or strontium (Sr) were primarily responsible for the toxicity of a southern California produced water to developing marine embryos. To further investig...

setac.onlinelibrary.wiley.com

"Adverse effects occurred between 200 and 900 μg/L (ppb); higher concentrations were associated with decreased toxicity and apparent precipitation of Ba salts from seawater"

" These findings are among the first to demonstrate that low concentrations of soluble Ba in seawater can be toxic and are of potential concern in the marine environment."