I follow essentially the Triton Method, using their 3-part and sending out for their ICP testing every 3 months or so. Everything is doing well in my 160g full mixed reef, so I’m not chasing an observed problem. My regular testing numbers are all on-target, and my ICP numbers are almost all within range.
Sometimes I’ll get back a single elevated value of a trace element on ICP, seemingly out of the blue. I always try to chase it down a bit, because that’s the whole point of ICP testing for a tank that’s otherwise doing well, right? To catch minor problems before they become real problems.
So, on my latest test my Selenium is elevated for the first time, 5.8 ug/l. I don’t do many water changes (Triton) but when I do I usually use Reef Crystals, over this period I started using an extra bag of Red Sea Coral Pro (black) I have. The only other thing I’ve intentionally changed since my last test is that my Ca and Mg had been slowly rising over a couple years, and I’ve been slowly correcting them over 3 months by reducing my doses for all 3 parts of the Triton Core7, and supplementing alk dosing by hand a few times a day to keep it between 7.5-8.0. I’ve been using Arm and Hammer Pure Baking Soda mixed into RODI water to supplement alk manually, since it is supposed to be pure sodium bicarbonate. This has been working well from the perspective of slowly correcting values, now Ca (438 mg/l) and Mg (1447 mg/l). Mg is still a little high but probably of no consequence according to my reading (please correct me if I’m wrong).
I called Support for Arm and Hammer. They were responsive and helpful, which I appreciated. They double checked for me and told me that it’s 100% pure sodium bicarbonate. I specifically asked if they do quality control with ICP or similar technologies to look for any trace elements, and they said not to their (Support’s) knowledge. This response isn’t that confidence inspiring for me, since there are always trace contaminants, nothing is 100.0000% in this world, and I’m willing to bet they do some kind of QC.
Any thoughts on whether the Baking Soda could be my source of Selenium, or another common source?
Sometimes I’ll get back a single elevated value of a trace element on ICP, seemingly out of the blue. I always try to chase it down a bit, because that’s the whole point of ICP testing for a tank that’s otherwise doing well, right? To catch minor problems before they become real problems.
So, on my latest test my Selenium is elevated for the first time, 5.8 ug/l. I don’t do many water changes (Triton) but when I do I usually use Reef Crystals, over this period I started using an extra bag of Red Sea Coral Pro (black) I have. The only other thing I’ve intentionally changed since my last test is that my Ca and Mg had been slowly rising over a couple years, and I’ve been slowly correcting them over 3 months by reducing my doses for all 3 parts of the Triton Core7, and supplementing alk dosing by hand a few times a day to keep it between 7.5-8.0. I’ve been using Arm and Hammer Pure Baking Soda mixed into RODI water to supplement alk manually, since it is supposed to be pure sodium bicarbonate. This has been working well from the perspective of slowly correcting values, now Ca (438 mg/l) and Mg (1447 mg/l). Mg is still a little high but probably of no consequence according to my reading (please correct me if I’m wrong).
I called Support for Arm and Hammer. They were responsive and helpful, which I appreciated. They double checked for me and told me that it’s 100% pure sodium bicarbonate. I specifically asked if they do quality control with ICP or similar technologies to look for any trace elements, and they said not to their (Support’s) knowledge. This response isn’t that confidence inspiring for me, since there are always trace contaminants, nothing is 100.0000% in this world, and I’m willing to bet they do some kind of QC.
Any thoughts on whether the Baking Soda could be my source of Selenium, or another common source?
