triton first test

[SBB Corals]

Hello reefers

i just got my first test back and it says i have dangerously high chromium levels and zink and copper.

i was wondering if you guys could help me with this and give some suggestions or if i realy shouldn't worry about this. i checked all my pumps and nothing is rusting that i can find... nothing is compleaty off the charts expet for the zink which is all the way to the red

im running all sps tank so want to get my water perfect.. any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.


files attached

 

[jason2459]

Copper and Zinc may be a bit high and I would look at reducing those. Copper I'd use some cuprisorb or a polyfilter (not fill) plus some GAC as a precaution.

Everything else seems fine to me.

 

[jason2459]

To add I would check your method of checking the salinity of the tank and it's calibration. Assuming you are targeting closer to 35PPT for salinity for an SPS tank. The triton results calculate to around 32.68 with a few assumptions.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Red does not mean dangerous. It just means elevated. IMO, the copper is not high enough to be a concern, but lowering it is a fine plan and any of the several metal binders will help, as Jason mentions.

Rusting or not, are there any metal parts in the water? Hose clamps? Any just above the water that might drip moisture?

Do you use tap water?

 

[SBB Corals]

Copper and Zinc may be a bit high and I would look at reducing those. Copper I'd use some cuprisorb or a polyfilter (not fill) plus some GAC as a precaution.

Everything else seems fine to me.

Red does not mean dangerous. It just means elevated. IMO, the copper is not high enough to be a concern, but lowering it is a fine plan and any of the several metal binders will help, as Jason mentions.

Rusting or not, are there any metal parts in the water? Hose clamps? Any just above the water that might drip moisture?

Do you use tap water?

running full rodi and have a tdi meter that reads 0- nothing hanging and checked all pumps.. i use a refractomer.. i haven't calibrated in a while.. i will try that now .. thanks all

 

[jason2459]

Keep in mind calibration solutions can be off as well.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/does-your-calibration-solution-need-calibrated.250133/

 

[SBB Corals]

just calibrated to Refractometer and it didnt need any adjustment. just tested my tank and im at 1.026...

i used fresh rodi water i just was making.. and it reads 0

 

[jason2459]

just calibrated to Refractometer and it didnt need any adjustment. just tested my tank and im at 1.026...

i used fresh rodi water i just was making.. and it reads 0

I would not calibrate to 0. I would calibrate to a 35ppt standard especially if it's not a true seawater refractometer (unless its the Milwaukee digital and there is no choice but to 0 but it is supposed to be a true seawater refractometer). I suggest reading the refractometer article by Randy I linked to in the link I posted above yours.

 

[SBB Corals]

I would not calibrate to 0. I would calibrate to a 35ppt standard especially if it's not a true seawater refractometer (unless its the Milwaukee digital and there is no choice but to 0 but it is supposed to be a true seawater refractometer). I suggest reading the refractometer article by Randy I linked to in the link I posted above yours.

going to read now..

 

[jason2459]

going to read now..

I just remembered they ported that article over to Reef2Reef's reefedition. I updated the link in that thread to it:

http://www.reefedition.com/refractometers-salinity-measurement/

 

[SBB Corals]

i just read the artical.. i am using now a cheap 45 dollar one and going to buy the Milwaukee digital now from BRS.. is there a better one you reccomend?

 

[jason2459]

i just read the artical.. i am using now a cheap 45 dollar one and going to buy the Milwaukee digital now from BRS.. is there a better one you reccomend?

Your cheap refractometer will work just fine if calibrated to 35ppt. I am a very big fan of the vitalsine (dr. foster and smith) aka veegee (the filter guys) refractometer but I also calibrate it to 35ppt. The Milwaukee digital is good too and very easy to use and read of coarse being digital. It can only calibrate to 0. The only refractometer I can not recommend is the Red Sea refractometer.

 

[SBB Corals]

Your cheap refractometer will work just fine if calibrated to 35ppt. I am a very big fan of the vitalsine (dr. foster and smith) aka veegee (the filter guys) refractometer but I also calibrate it to 35ppt. The Milwaukee digital is good too and very easy to use and read of coarse being digital. It can only calibrate to 0. The only refractometer I can not recommend is the Red Sea refractometer.

also just got the the new neptune apex with comes with a salinity probe. will this be accurate... im going to set this up tomorrow

 

[jason2459]

also just got the the new neptune apex with comes with a salinity probe. will this be accurate... im going to set this up tomorrow

Had to dig around for this post but yes it can be fairly accurate under certain care of placement and calibration.

I do not believe you can use the pinpoint calibration solution for the neptune Apex?

I would use this for calibration:
http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/neptune-systems-conductivity-calibration-solution-53-0-ms.html

FWIW, when I first setup my Apex salinity probe I was getting a good 3ppt swing through out the day and sometimes even up to 5ppt. I just used it as a basic wide range failsafe for my ATO and AWC.

I fixed it by rerouting the cable to the PM2 and the probe, angled the probe away from the slight flow it was getting (no bubbles in the area as well), and recalibrated again with the Neptune calibration packet. I do have a temp probe plugged right into the PM2 as well.

The calibration I did completely different from the first time doing it. Before starting I took the salinity probe out and soaked it in some water/vinegar for a while (~30 minutes), then rinsed very very well with RO/DI water, wiped it down and shook it out a bit to displace any water, and let it sit for about an hour drying out. I placed the 53.0 mS calibration packet in my sump and let it sit in there that entire time adjusting to the tank water temp it's normally at. I also made sure to set the temp Conductivity Compensation in the input setup to 2.2 and range set to salinity before starting the calibration.

Then I started the calibration selecting the 53000. Wait 10 minutes while it's adjusting to the Dry probe. Then I continue. I clipped the corner of the packet to be able to shove the probe in and kept holding it in the water (I did not use the temp probe in the packet just the temp probe was next to it in the sump). I gently swirled it around periodically for around 5 minutes. And then just stood there for another 5 minutes. Making sure to hold the packet closed well around the probe and in the sump water. Then ended the calibration.

My apex probe has been pretty solid since then. It varies now with in 1ppt and I was able to tighten up my failsafes and trust it a bit more. I also shake it a bit periodically in the sump. About once each day or every other day.

 

[jason2459]

Also a note on the Apex probe is that it is very susceptible to interference. Physical interference like bubbles will mess with it's readings in a bad way. And electrical/electromagnectic/EMI/EMF/etc which is why I rerouted the cables in that quoted post above to get the cables away from my heater's cables.

But more recently I have moved my sump and in doing so put the probe closer to under my tank. I run LED and T5's. Every time the T5's turned on my probe showed my salinity plummet. Over 8 feet away from each other with a floor between them, totally different electrical circuits and even different electrical boxes with the basement on a subpanel.

At first I thought it was timed with my LEDs but the timing turned out to be when my T5's turned on. I replaced my ballasts and placed them up higher.
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/w...-my-leds-not-even-close-to-each-other.252338/

It never impacted my pinpoint salinity probe.

Which after that move and all that interference I need to calibrate my probe again.

 

[jason2459]

I also just noticed you said you use a mag drive. You may want to check the screws are not rusting. Some people will dab silicone over them.

I've used a mag drive 1800 in my system since 2009 with no issues though and I haven't coated the screws with anything.

 

[SBB Corals]

I also just noticed you said you use a mag drive. You may want to check the screws are not rusting. Some people will dab silicone over them.

I've used a mag drive 1800 in my system since 2009 with no issues though and I haven't coated the screws with anything.

For me I'm using a sicca silent 2.0.. not a mag drive

 

[SBB Corals]

For me I'm using a sicca silent 2.0.. not a mag drive

Jason btw.. thanks for this advise... and taking the time to answer my question.

 

[jason2459]

Jason btw.. thanks for this advise... and taking the time to answer my question.

No problem. I must have got threads mixed up thinking you had a mag drive. Someone else is then. I get threads mixed up all the time when I'm involved in several covering similar topics.

 

[SBB Corals]

No problem. I must have got threads mixed up thinking you had a mag drive. Someone else is then. I get threads mixed up all the time when I'm involved in several covering similar topics.

Lol thanks again multitasking helping many people at once