What could cause my micro elements to be low

[intricate_reefer]

I sent out an icp test and a lot of my micro elements were low. I do 25% water changes Weekly and dose tropic Marin all for reef that has trace elements.

Could it be a bad bucket of salt that was missing them?
I also have a tiny handful of cheato lit a few hours a day. From what I understand it uses some of my defficenit elements.

only other thing I can think of is maybe because I have a really heavy stocked tank as far as coral.

What would be the way to fix this problem? I was thinking about opening a new bucket of salt and doing three or four 50% water changes over 9-12 days to kind of reset things. I would match all parameters including dosing no3 and po4 into WC to match the tank. After I wait a month or two, I’ll send another icp test to see what happens. Is this a good plan or is it not good to change that much water that fast?

This is My icp test. I know calcium is high but my test kit was getting 420. I guess the kit was off so I just ordered a different brand to compare

 

[Lasse]

First - how do your corals looks like? Any problem with them?

IMO - you can´t rely on WC for trace elements. IMO - you can´t never rely on salts batches will be even mixed with compounds that around 1 - 2 g / metric ton - as many trace elements is

Second - I can´t see any catastrophic low measurements of "physiologically trace elements" at all

With this result - I would dose iodine and low amount of iron on a daily base

Sincerely Lasse

 

[Sallstrom]

I could add from our tests over the last five years, that just like Lasse says, Iron and Iodine usually decrease without adding specific additives for those elements. Also Boron, Zink, and a couple more.

My guess is that the salts and Balling/Core-products sold are carefully composed so no element will increase too much. Since every tank is different, the standard products fills up a part of the consumed elements, but you will need to top them up yourself. That goes for calcium reactors too. At least with the type of media we've used over the years.

If you keep on doing ICP tests, I think you can look into adding Fe, Mn, I and Zn daily or weekly. And fill up elements like B, Ni, Mo, K and Li when needed after an ICP test. Be careful and spread the dosings and start with low doses.

 

[intricate_reefer]

First - how do your corals looks like? Any problem with them?

IMO - you can´t rely on WC for trace elements. IMO - you can´t never rely on salts batches will be even mixed with compounds that around 1 - 2 g / metric ton - as many trace elements is

Second - I can´t see any catastrophic low measurements of "physiologically trace elements" at all

With this result - I would dose iodine and low amount of iron on a daily base

Sincerely Lasse

I keep mostly acans and chalices. Acans look great but was having issues with a bunch of my chalices having STN. I’m not sure if the elements are the cause though. I was stupid and had turned up my lights try to get better color. At this same time I wasn’t paying attention and my no3 and po4 zeroed out for 4 or 5 days. I’m thinking the light burned them. The acans were uneffected. I ended up taking most the chalices to a buddy’s because I wasn’t seeing any improvement and only further decline even after I turned the lights back and got my nutrients back up. Since he has had them, they pretty much stopped getting worse but haven’t started to recover yet.

I wanted do be sure it wasn’t anything else so I sent out the ICP. Just curious if my low elements could have caused any issues.

I have the Redsea colors Iron supplement. It seems like what’s in it checks most of the boxes for what I’m low in. You are suppose to dose if based on your calcium consumption. Should I start with half dose and should I do another big water change to get the levels up to baseline?

 

[Lasse]

After a big mistake with my old aquarium with dosing combined trace metals I promise my self only to dose single compounds. In your case - and if the Colours iron + only contain what they have listed - I probably have used that - but closely check my zinc levels after a while. I would start with a very low dose - maybe 1 ml/100 L and send in a test after 1 - 2 month again. I have get the experiences that when you are dosing low amounts every day - you will see changes - even if the level in the water column do not rise. With that provider of ICP tests I use - I dose iron until they can detect it (>0.1 µ gram (>0.1 ppb))

I wanted do be sure it wasn’t anything else so I sent out the ICP. Just curious if my low elements could have caused any issues.

I think the most plausible answer to this is

At this same time I wasn’t paying attention and my no3 and po4 zeroed out for 4 or 5 days. I’m thinking the light burned them.

Sincerely Lasse

 

[intricate_reefer]

After a big mistake with my old aquarium with dosing combined trace metals I promise my self only to dose single compounds. In your case - and if the Colours iron + only contain what they have listed - I probably have used that - but closely check my zinc levels after a while. I would start with a very low dose - maybe 1 ml/100 L and send in a test after 1 - 2 month again. I have get the experiences that when you are dosing low amounts every day - you will see changes - even if the level in the water column do not rise. With that provider of ICP tests I use - I dose iron until they can detect it (>0.1 µ gram (>0.1 ppb))


I think the most plausible answer to this is



Sincerely Lasse

Thanks for the insight!