Triton water results

[Deborah Armay]

Hi all. I have a 90 gal reef tank mostly mushrooms and some softies. I have two radium lights, MP 10 and MP 40, Reef octopus skimmer, 40 gal sump with 3 sock, refugium. I have always had high phosphates and have tried vodka which did nothing, GFO and charcoal reactor which was partially successful but my local coral store told me to start Phosphate- E which I have been using with irregular results. Anyway I have had zero luck growing anything but mushrooms. So I turned to a water sample by Triton:
Ammonium was high-taking out Marine pure block and stopping the liquid phosphate remover. Will go back to GFO reactor
Lanthanum was high ?-also maybe due to liquid phosphate remover
Copper 0.1mcg/ml
Bromide: 86
strontium 12.4
Lithium 422
zinc 6.5
Phosphate very high
Supplements are recommended for K, boron, iodine, molybdenum, vanadium, manganese
Here's my question. Should I use detox? I'm worried because some of the heavy metals that detox targets are already too low. Also anyone has any idea where these levels come from? I've read it could be contaminated reef salt. I use reef crystals. Also my magnesium has always been and came out on this test as too high. I don't know what to do with that. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

 

[lapin]

This is my ipinion:
Reef crystals has a lot of elements in great amounts, not needed until you have a lot of coral using them. I would move to regular IO salt for starters. Go slow with the switch, as it will bring down your alk.
To replenish the elements that are lacking, 10% water changes per week should cover the needs for the shrooms and softies.
If you are worried about heavy metals, toss in one of the metal absorbent bags for a week. Should not do any harm for a week and I believe they say after a week they are pretty much used up anyways.
GFO will bring down your Po4. Carbon dosing can also work. It can take month or more for the bacteria to multiply enough to make a difference. However if you have tried other methods ( LC ) and not had solid results, then you need to look at the root cause.
If you change out 50% of your water, how long does it take for your Po4 to return to the high level?
What sort of feeding habits and fish?
What sort of rock is in your tank?
Has your Po4 always been high?
Pukani rock is reported to leech Po4. Rock from a high Po4 tank that has run for years can be a source also.
What happens when you stir your sand bed? Sand dust? Brownish green dust (ditritus) ?
Do you blow off your rockscape?
Pellet and flake foods are high in nutrients, Too much of a good thing can be a bad thing.
You can get it under control, just have to find the solution or solutions.

 

[Deborah Armay]

This is my ipinion:

This is my ipinion:
Reef crystals has a lot of elements in great amounts, not needed until you have a lot of coral using them. I would move to regular IO salt for starters. Go slow with the switch, as it will bring down your alk.
To replenish the elements that are lacking, 10% water changes per week should cover the needs for the shrooms and softies.
If you are worried about heavy metals, toss in one of the metal absorbent bags for a week. Should not do any harm for a week and I believe they say after a week they are pretty much used up anyways.
GFO will bring down your Po4. Carbon dosing can also work. It can take month or more for the bacteria to multiply enough to make a difference. However if you have tried other methods ( LC ) and not had solid results, then you need to look at the root cause.
If you change out 50% of your water, how long does it take for your Po4 to return to the high level?
What sort of feeding habits and fish?
What sort of rock is in your tank?
Has your Po4 always been high?
Pukani rock is reported to leech Po4. Rock from a high Po4 tank that has run for years can be a source also.
What happens when you stir your sand bed? Sand dust? Brownish green dust (ditritus) ?
Do you blow off your rockscape?
Pellet and flake foods are high in nutrients, Too much of a good thing can be a bad thing.
You can get it under control, just have to find the solution or solutions.

Reef crystals has a lot of elements in great amounts, not needed until you have a lot of coral using them. I would move to regular IO salt for starters. Go slow with the switch, as it will bring down your alk.
To replenish the elements that are lacking, 10% water changes per week should cover the needs for the shrooms and softies.
If you are worried about heavy metals, toss in one of the metal absorbent bags for a week. Should not do any harm for a week and I believe they say after a week they are pretty much used up anyways.
GFO will bring down your Po4. Carbon dosing can also work. It can take month or more for the bacteria to multiply enough to make a difference. However if you have tried other methods ( LC ) and not had solid results, then you need to look at the root cause.
If you change out 50% of your water, how long does it take for your Po4 to return to the high level?
What sort of feeding habits and fish?
What sort of rock is in your tank?
Has your Po4 always been high?
Pukani rock is reported to leech Po4. Rock from a high Po4 tank that has run for years can be a source also.
What happens when you stir your sand bed? Sand dust? Brownish green dust (ditritus) ?
Do you blow off your rockscape?
Pellet and flake foods are high in nutrients, Too much of a good thing can be a bad thing.
You can get it under control, just have to find the solution or solutions.

This is my ipinion:
Reef crystals has a lot of elements in great amounts, not needed until you have a lot of coral using them. I would move to regular IO salt for starters. Go slow with the switch, as it will bring down your alk.
To replenish the elements that are lacking, 10% water changes per week should cover the needs for the shrooms and softies.
If you are worried about heavy metals, toss in one of the metal absorbent bags for a week. Should not do any harm for a week and I believe they say after a week they are pretty much used up anyways.
GFO will bring down your Po4. Carbon dosing can also work. It can take month or more for the bacteria to multiply enough to make a difference. However if you have tried other methods ( LC ) and not had solid results, then you need to look at the root cause.
If you change out 50% of your water, how long does it take for your Po4 to return to the high level?
What sort of feeding habits and fish?
What sort of rock is in your tank?
Has your Po4 always been high?
Pukani rock is reported to leech Po4. Rock from a high Po4 tank that has run for years can be a source also.
What happens when you stir your sand bed? Sand dust? Brownish green dust (ditritus) ?
Do you blow off your rockscape?
Pellet and flake foods are high in nutrients, Too much of a good thing can be a bad thing.
You can get it under control, just have to find the solution or solutions.

Thanks for your advice. I do 20 gal water changes every week and my phos is always high. Never tried doing 50% water change. When I do my water change I siphons and stir up the sand. Learned that from my fresh water tanks. I feed every other day with new spectrum marine fish formula, rod's reef food, and reef-roids. I have a flame angelfish, 2 clowns, 3 pajama cardinals, blue tang, 1 goby firefish, 1 diamond goby, 1 filefish, harlequin shrimp, 6 line wrasse, green chromos, and a ribbon like fish (forgot the name) that hids in the rocks all the time. I susually don't have any dust on the sand but I do get a brownish green dust on the glass. I started the tank from a friend of mine that wanted to get out of the hobby. I put new sand in and some sand from his tank. All the rocks were live and from his tank. He never had a problem with high phosphates. The tank has been up and running for 1.5 years. But I'm getting so disappointed because with all the work and reading I've lost several torches, hammer heads (they didn't even open), zoas just melt. I'm to the point that I'm not putting anything into the tank because its a waste of money. I don't know what the problem is. Could it be trace elements?

 

[Skynyrd Fish]

Deb hang in there. Next water test try an ati test as it also tests your ro/di water. I’m going to guess your makeup water may have some po4 in it. I would consider not feeding reef Roids for a while, or flake or pellet. Also how is your no3? If you have undetectable no3 your tank will not process Po4 well. Also it may be time to really clean your sand. However, my hunch is time to replace ro filters and membranes.

 

[lapin]

Sounds like you have a good maintenance routine.
Can you post your Nitrate, Phosphate, Alkalinty, Calcium and Magneisum numbers.
I do not think it has anything to do with low trace elements. 20% water change per week is adding enough if you are using a good salt and do not have a lot of corals. Now if your tank is full of coral then adding trace elements might be needed.
Coral problems have a few causes. Light, Flow, Alkalinty are the most common things in my ipinion.

 

[Deborah Armay]

Deb hang in there. Next water test try an ati test as it also tests your ro/di water. I’m going to guess your makeup water may have some po4 in it. I would consider not feeding reef Roids for a while, or flake or pellet. Also how is your no3? If you have undetectable no3 your tank will not process Po4 well. Also it may be time to really clean your sand. However, my hunch is time to replace ro filters and membranes.

Just changed them. My TDS meter shows o. Nitrate 2 mg/l. Is cleaning my sand different than the syphoning I do with weekly water changes? Will try not feeding pellets or reef roids. Thanks for the encouragement.

 

[Deborah Armay]

Sounds like you have a good maintenance routine.
Can you post your Nitrate, Phosphate, Alkalinty, Calcium and Magneisum numbers.
I do not think it has anything to do with low trace elements. 20% water change per week is adding enough if you are using a good salt and do not have a lot of corals. Now if your tank is full of coral then adding trace elements might be needed.
Coral problems have a few causes. Light, Flow, Alkalinty are the most common things in my ipinion.

Nitrate 2 mg/l
Alk 8
Phos 97 ppb
Ca 530
Mg 1477
Thanks for ur help

 

[lapin]

Nitrate 2 mg/l
Alk 8
Phos 97
Ca 530
Mg 1477
Thanks for ur help

Phosphorus 97 ppb = .297 phosphate ppm