Tin levels elevated

Heres_doe_ · Jan 17, 2023

I've read around a bit see others having same sps issues with high levels of tin. Nothing is rusted. Only thing high is tin. I recently added a UV and used braided tubing. IDK if that's the issue. Long story short how can remove tin from tank besides water changes.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jan 17, 2023

Heres_doe_ said:
I've read around a bit see others having same sps issues with high levels of tin. Nothing is rusted. Only thing high is tin. I recently added a UV and used braided tubing. IDK if that's the issue. Long story short how can remove tin from tank besides water changes.

What is the tin level?

Tin is hard to nail down for export as it can take many different chemical forms. GAC may work for some forms.

John Bolden · Jan 17, 2023

I think carbon will remove tin along with other heavy metals.

DanyL · Jan 17, 2023

Activated carbon does work, however water changes would be more effective.
You do need to find the root cause though, or else it'll continue leaching into your system.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jan 17, 2023

John Bolden said:
I think carbon will remove tin along with other heavy metals.

While that is likely the case, I would be wary of extrapolating info known to the freshwater and wastewater worlds to seawater where the competition for interaction with the GAC from the ions and organics in seawater is very high. For example, it is known that increasing salt concentration reduces the binding of cadmium to GAC:

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/la049253m

John Bolden · Jan 17, 2023

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
While that is likely the case, I would be wary of extrapolating info known to the freshwater and wastewater worlds to seawater where the competition for interaction with the GAC from the ions and organics in seawater is very high. For example, it is known that increasing salt concentration reduces the binding of cadmium to GAC:

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/la049253m

Wow I didn't know that thank you for explaining.

Reefer4fun · Jan 17, 2023

Last year, I did an ICP test that showed TIN at 74.7ug/l in a WB Cube 25. I was not able to keep even Montiporas (Bubblegum Digi, monti caps, etc). Reading through other posts I put my attention in some soft tubing that I had. I replaced an old blue tubing used to dose Kalk for a silicone one. I also removed an Eheim canister filter including its green tubing. I kept doing large water changes(25%). I'm still due sending a follow-up ICP test but I haven't done it because my 2nd batch of Montiporas are now growing.

Heres_doe_ · Jan 17, 2023

13.24.... And that's my problem everything browns and dies with time. I do have soft tubing from the UV

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jan 17, 2023

Heres_doe_ said:
13.24.... And that's my problem everything browns and dies with time. I do have soft tubing from the UV

13 ppb?

While I cannot say it isn’t that, many folks have reported higher tin without apparent issue.

tritonpower · Jan 17, 2023

I also had elevated tin from soft tubing at my RODI system. I replaced it and the tin is now gone.

Heres_doe_ · Jan 17, 2023

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
13 ppb?

While I cannot say it isn’t that, many folks have reported higher tin without apparent issue.

13.24ug/l I'm assuming that means ppb

Heres_doe_ · Jan 17, 2023

Analysis result

ATI Aquaristik - Lab

lab.atiaquaristik.com

Heres_doe_ · Jan 17, 2023

tritonpower said:
I also had elevated tin from soft tubing at my RODI system. I replaced it and the tin is now gone.

I have plastic tubing from rodi and soft tubing for UV I'm making assuming it's from soft tubing because my last tank didn't give me the UV with rodi system

TokenReefer · Jan 17, 2023

Just curious, are you seeing issues with your livestock at this level?

Heres_doe_ · Jan 17, 2023

TokenReefer said:
Just curious, are you seeing issues with your livestock at this level?

ONLY sps nothing else and I mean any kind from acros to Montis to birdsnest

spsick · Jan 17, 2023

Replace the tubing with silicone and do a series of 25% water changes. Another member found a certain type of Tygon tubing to work as well but may be harder to source.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jan 17, 2023

Heres_doe_ said:
13.24ug/l I'm assuming that means ppb

Yes, essentially the same.

Alexander1312 · May 5, 2023

I am most concerned about the Tin value, which does seem to stay at that level over the past 3 ICP tests in the past few months. I have one metal bar that holds the rock together in the middle, could this be the issue? I bought this it at the LFS and they are using this across many of their tanks.

Any views if this is a problem. I have relatively good growth, nothing is dying, everything is healthy but I feel something is still holding back more growth. Also, curious if the iron value is acceptable or should be lower.

Appreciate any views on these three values. Thanks!

Heres_doe_ · May 5, 2023

Alexander1312 said:
I am most concerned about the Tin value, which does seem to stay at that level over the past 3 ICP tests in the past few months. I have one metal bar that holds the rock together in the middle, could this be the issue? I bought this it at the LFS and they are using this across many of their tanks.

Any views if this is a problem. I have relatively good growth, nothing is dying, everything is healthy but I feel something is still holding back more growth. Also, curious if the iron value is acceptable or should be lower.

Appreciate any views on these three values. Thanks!

I honestly started dosing trace elements and I think being depleted was my problem all corals doing a million times better and I can finally grow acros

Randy Holmes-Farley · May 6, 2023

Alexander1312 said:
I am most concerned about the Tin value, which does seem to stay at that level over the past 3 ICP tests in the past few months. I have one metal bar that holds the rock together in the middle, could this be the issue? I bought this it at the LFS and they are using this across many of their tanks.

Any views if this is a problem. I have relatively good growth, nothing is dying, everything is healthy but I feel something is still holding back more growth. Also, curious if the iron value is acceptable or should be lower.

Appreciate any views on these three values. Thanks!

I do not think it likely that tin at that level is causing apparent issue in a reef tank. it is impossible to say with certainty since ICP doesn't reveal what the chemical forms are, but generally speaking, folks with levels like that have not reported problems.