Triton ICP test shows 0ppm Potassium

malfist · Mar 4, 2023

Hi all,

I just got an ICP test back from Triton and got a reading of absolute zero for my potassium levels. This seems unusual. Any ideas on what might have caused this?

csturgis1989 · Mar 4, 2023

What salt are you using and what’s the frequency of water changes? Are you dosing and trace elements?

rtparty · Mar 4, 2023

Contact them and make them double check they entered the info correct. That result isn’t correct

vpierce3 · Mar 4, 2023

Not enough polluters (fish) in the tank. Too much skimming. Running lights in your refugium too much. Etc.

malfist · Mar 4, 2023

I'm running the full method, so traces are being dosed with the majors.

Salt is fritz reef pro. Low skimmer production, but I do have a lot of chaeto.

Last water change was the day before the sample was collected, and was 30%. No water changes prior to that for at least two months. No indication of need for one, and it's not the triton method way. Last ICP test was January and results were all nominal.

Sent them an email to confirm test results

Spare time · Mar 4, 2023

vpierce3 said:
Not enough polluters (fish) in the tank. Too much skimming. Running lights in your refugium too much. Etc.

I think you misread it as phosphate.

Spare time · Mar 4, 2023

In my experience I think macroalgae is a decent consumer of potassium

malfist · Mar 4, 2023

Spare time said:
I think you misread it as phosphate.

No, potassium. Phosphate is present because I had dinos a long time ago and don't want them back

Spare time · Mar 4, 2023

malfist said:
No, potassium. Phosphate is present because I had dinos a long time ago and don't want them back

You misread my post of another person who I believe misread your post haha

Spare time · Mar 4, 2023

It would be bizarre to have 0 potassium in my opinion. If you want a test kit, the salifert one is very nice.

csturgis1989 · Mar 4, 2023

malfist said:
I'm running the full method, so traces are being dosed with the majors.

Salt is fritz reef pro. Low skimmer production, but I do have a lot of chaeto.

Last water change was the day before the sample was collected, and was 30%. No water changes prior to that for at least two months. No indication of need for one, and it's not the triton method way. Last ICP test was January and results were all nominal.

Sent them an email to confirm test results

I would guess lab error. I use Fritz RPM and do 10 gallon water changes weekly and consistently get 400ppm on icp tests(using ATI lab). Get a salifert test kit to confirm.

vpierce3 · Mar 4, 2023

Spare time said:
I think you misread it as phosphate.

Good grief, you’re right. Can’t wait for Costco to have my new glasses ready. Geez.

malfist · Mar 4, 2023

Spare time said:
You misread my post of another person who I believe misread your post haha

Apologies!

vpierce3 · Mar 4, 2023

Now that I know you are talking about potassium, chaeto does absorb that stuff at a high rate. If you look at the ingredients for ChaetoGro, potassium is one of the things it replenishes.

rtparty · Mar 4, 2023

malfist said:
I'm running the full method, so traces are being dosed with the majors.

Salt is fritz reef pro. Low skimmer production, but I do have a lot of chaeto.

Last water change was the day before the sample was collected, and was 30%. No water changes prior to that for at least two months. No indication of need for one, and it's not the triton method way. Last ICP test was January and results were all nominal.

Sent them an email to confirm test results

I can’t say this with 100% certainty but you can’t deplete potassium. At some point it will stop being used and just flatline. It’s like depleting calcium completely to 0. Major issues likely arise long before total depletion.

It is a testing error or input error on Triton’s part.

malfist · Mar 4, 2023

vpierce3 said:
Now that I know you are talking about potassium, chaeto does absorb that stuff at a high rate. If you look at the ingredients for ChaetoGro, potassium is one of the things it replenishes.

Test in January had 394ppm, there's been no significant changes in mass or lighting schedule for chaeto. I regularly trim it

Randy Holmes-Farley · Mar 5, 2023

I do not believe it is likely an accurate result. Can you post it? If K really reads zero, then I agree to ask them to double check.

malfist · Mar 6, 2023

Not sure how to attach a file, but this is the link to the results: https://www.triton-lab.de/en/showroom/icp-oes/119469

Jay Hemdal · Mar 6, 2023

malfist said:
Hi all,

I just got an ICP test back from Triton and got a reading of absolute zero for my potassium levels. This seems unusual. Any ideas on what might have caused this?

IIRC, potassium is about 1% of sea salt mixes. Doesn’t seem like much, but a zero reading is either a lab error or a huge mis-mix in the sea salt.
Jay