Water testing results - newer tank

[Mperry622]

I recently was sent a Triton test and sent it in. I'm new to this hobby and a lot of these numbers don't make sense I've been told iron is bad iron is good and I'm just not sure how to proceed.. any direction would be amazing I don't want to lose any of my family I currently have.

I've always used RO water.

My tank is cycled I do not dose anything.

 

[BanjoBandito]

Quick question - do you use any hand lotions and put your hands in the tank? You seem to have some high heavy metals (zinc, etc.) which is certainly curious. What salt are you using? How long has the tank been up? Is there anything in it now? What's your end goal (softies? LPS? mixed? SPS? FOWLR?)?

 

[Mperry622]

Gulp, try to be very mindful on what's on my hands or even washing them in a bucket of RO water I have sitting next to the tank before I put my hands in it but I do make mistakes

This tank's been set up for almost a month but it was established with 60 lb of live rock. Matrix media from a canister filter running well over a year. Just set up a refugum.

Yes it is stocked there are two clown fish. Emperor angelfish. Cow fish. Bubble tip anemone. Multi-colored Spike sea urchin. Numerous Coral frags all on frag holder all doing well. Huge patch of GSP that is doubled in about a month. The normal cleanup crew ghost shrimp. Narious snails. Blue legged hermit crabs. About nine turbo snails. Peppermint shrimp. Blue hippo Tang.

I have an apex coming in the mail today. I'm getting ahead of this and I have a separate tank set up with freshly mixed salt water.

I use instant Ocean salt for reef crystals

This tank has a sump that's 20 gallon. I just put in a refugium. It has a protein skimmer and aquamax fc80. There's about 15 lb of different types of biomedia. Mainly that matrix pebble stuff

 

[SlugSnorter]

I recently was sent a Triton test and sent it in. I'm new to this hobby and a lot of these numbers don't make sense I've been told iron is bad iron is good and I'm just not sure how to proceed.. any direction would be amazing I don't want to lose any of my family I currently have.

I've always used RO water.

My tank is cycled I do not dose anything.

RO or RODI water?

 

[Mperry622]

RO or RODI water?

RO

 

[SlugSnorter]

RO

consider using RODI (just add on a deionization filter), whats the TDS of your RO water?

 

[Mperry622]

consider using RODI (just add on a deionization filter), whats the TDS of your RO water?

Sadly I can't give you an answer to that. My ro unit does not have any kind of a TDS meter on it.

 

[Mperry622]

Sadly I can't give you an answer to that. My ro unit does not have any kind of a TDS meter on it.

I just ordered a TDS meter and I'm looking into adding a deionizer

 

[SlugSnorter]

Sadly I can't give you an answer to that. My ro unit does not have any kind of a TDS meter on it.

well that might be where the iron is coming from, you can get a TDS meter on amazon for cheap, as for a standalone DI unit you can prob find one too

 

[SlugSnorter]

I just ordered a TDS meter and I'm looking into adding a deionizer

nice

 

[BanjoBandito]

Gulp, try to be very mindful on what's on my hands or even washing them in a bucket of RO water I have sitting next to the tank before I put my hands in it but I do make mistakes

This tank's been set up for almost a month but it was established with 60 lb of live rock. Matrix media from a canister filter running well over a year. Just set up a refugum.

Yes it is stocked there are two clown fish. Emperor angelfish. Cow fish. Bubble tip anemone. Multi-colored Spike sea urchin. Numerous Coral frags all on frag holder all doing well. Huge patch of GSP that is doubled in about a month. The normal cleanup crew ghost shrimp. Narious snails. Blue legged hermit crabs. About nine turbo snails. Peppermint shrimp. Blue hippo Tang.

I have an apex coming in the mail today. I'm getting ahead of this and I have a separate tank set up with freshly mixed salt water.

I use instant Ocean salt for reef crystals

This tank has a sump that's 20 gallon. I just put in a refugium. It has a protein skimmer and aquamax fc80. There's about 15 lb of different types of biomedia. Mainly that matrix pebble stuff

I've seen sunscreen and lotions put zinc and bromide and the like into water is why I ask. The easiest way to "balance out" parameters is water changes. I don't think you need the separate tank or the freak out currently unless you are seeing negatives. Your emperor Angel is going to nip your corals, the cowfish probably will too. Just be mindful of it and watch them. Sometimes they don't, other times they GO ROGUE. I think you are going a little fast with the stocking and coral, but that can't be undone. Frequent water changes and no panic moves will help it settle down. Often the worse problems in this hobby are caused by our desire to "GOTTA DO STUFF TO THIS TANK TO FIX SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T MATTER". I giggle every time I hear someone talking about vanadium levels. A small bag of cuprisorb would handle most of the metal stuffs in there I would think. Just don't go commando on it.

 

[Mperry622]

I've seen sunscreen and lotions put zinc and bromide and the like into water is why I ask. The easiest way to "balance out" parameters is water changes. I don't think you need the separate tank or the freak out currently unless you are seeing negatives. Your emperor Angel is going to nip your corals, the cowfish probably will too. Just be mindful of it and watch them. Sometimes they don't, other times they GO ROGUE. I think you are going a little fast with the stocking and coral, but that can't be undone. Frequent water changes and no panic moves will help it settle down. Often the worse problems in this hobby are caused by our desire to "GOTTA DO STUFF TO THIS TANK TO FIX SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T MATTER". I giggle every time I hear someone talking about vanadium levels.

I appreciate your input I have definitely tried taking baby steps but this hobby does make you jump head for sometimes and I admit my other tank was more established and I did feel it but I've recently combined it because I like the sump in the protein skimmer and other benefits that I've added.. will be really mindful on what I have on my hands before I put my hands in the tank.

Got to say I was leery about the cow fish and the emperor angelfish.. are the two most amazing fishes ever I never see him picking at the corals and my blue damsel is a little dick.. the emperor puts him in his place constantly

I was very leery about both of those guys picking my Coral but so far not even as much as a peck..

appreciate the heads up and the advise

Out of the last 6 months the only thing I've lost was a peppermint shrimp.. I haven't lost a coral or fish... ( Knock on wood)

 

[SlugSnorter]

what size tank btw?

I appreciate your input I have definitely tried taking baby steps but this hobby does make you jump head for sometimes and I admit my other tank was more established and I did feel it but I've recently combined it because I like the sump in the protein skimmer and other benefits that I've added.. will be really mindful on what I have on my hands before I put my hands in the tank.

Got to say I was leery about the cow fish and the emperor angelfish.. are the two most amazing fishes ever I never see him picking at the corals and my blue damsel is a little dick.. the emperor puts him in his place constantly

I was very leery about both of those guys picking my Coral but so far not even as much as a peck..

appreciate the heads up and the advise

Out of the last 6 months the only thing I've lost was a peppermint shrimp.. I haven't lost a coral or fish... ( Knock on wood)

 

[BanjoBandito]

I appreciate your input I have definitely tried taking baby steps but this hobby does make you jump head for sometimes and I admit my other tank was more established and I did feel it but I've recently combined it because I like the sump in the protein skimmer and other benefits that I've added.. will be really mindful on what I have on my hands before I put my hands in the tank.

Got to say I was leery about the cow fish and the emperor angelfish.. are the two most amazing fishes ever I never see him picking at the corals and my blue damsel is a little dick.. the emperor puts him in his place constantly

I was very leery about both of those guys picking my Coral but so far not even as much as a peck..

appreciate the heads up and the advise

Out of the last 6 months the only thing I've lost was a peppermint shrimp.. I haven't lost a coral or fish... ( Knock on wood)

The only reason I don't have an angelfish is I want a clam or I'd have one. I've been mulling adding a scribbled boxfish to my tank for awhile now....maybe I'll pull the trigger.

 

[BanjoBandito]

I'm also not trying to talk down to you, it's just hard to gauge everyone's understanding or overall investment on a forum. I am also a guy that isn't a big fan of ICP tests. I think they are a little bit of a cash grab way to sell you additives. Personal opinion. If what you are doing is working, great. If you aren't comfortable with what the test told you, then water changes will balance it out pretty quickly. Dilution is the solution.

 

[Mperry622]

I tell you the worst fish I've ever bought is a blue damsel I had to he killed his brother he's been in quarantine for like 3 months

He was added into the tank last night with all the other fish and I tell you what I was so proud of the emperor angel anytime that blue damsel came out and flexed his gills at another fish are poked at him that emperor Angel would put him in his place..

It made me laugh when the emperor Angel decided to take his spot in the rocks so the blue damsel was forced to move next door and not happy about it.

The cowfish just does cowfish things and nobody ever picks on him and he doesn't pick on anybody else.

 

[Mperry622]

I'm also not trying to talk down to you, it's just hard to gauge everyone's understanding or overall investment on a forum. I am also a guy that isn't a big fan of ICP tests. I think they are a little bit of a cash grab way to sell you additives. Personal opinion. If what you are doing is working, great. If you aren't comfortable with what the test told you, then water changes will balance it out pretty quickly. Dilution is the solution.

That test was given to me for free with my last Coral order so it was no sweat to do it and send it in I'm just not a pro at this yet so I wasn't sure how to interpret the results

Appreciate you guys and your time

 

[SlugSnorter]

I'm also not trying to talk down to you, it's just hard to gauge everyone's understanding or overall investment on a forum. I am also a guy that isn't a big fan of ICP tests. I think they are a little bit of a cash grab way to sell you additives. Personal opinion. If what you are doing is working, great. If you aren't comfortable with what the test told you, then water changes will balance it out pretty quickly. Dilution is the solution.

Drink the water. A real aquarist can taste to find the best water. Think fish is sick? lick it, find the illness, destroy it with fire. Nems not attaching? eat them, show what happens to those who fall out of line.

 

[BanjoBandito]

That test was given to me for free with my last Coral order so it was no sweat to do it and send it in I'm just not a pro at this yet so I wasn't sure how to interpret the results

Appreciate you guys and your time

lol none of us are pros. The people that tell you they are pros are liars. We are all in this giant data collection vat together my man.

 

[BanjoBandito]

Drink the water. A real aquarist can taste to find the best water. Think fish is sick? lick it, find the illness, destroy it with fire. Nems not attaching? eat them, show what happens to those who fall out of line.

I have an ongoing bet for a certain amount of money to be raised that I'll do a shot of skimmate.