Advice on proceeding with ICP results

[araziza]

I have been trying to do ICP analyses on my tank (roughly) twice a year just to see the cumulative effects of my adjustments on my tank. The adjustments are generally small, and I regularly observe the tank visually to determine general health, but I'm trying to take the long view. The first time I did the test, with the exception of Lithium, all of my elements were low. I started on a slightly above minimum dose (12ml/week in a reefer 200XL) of Aquaforest's trace elements to try and address this. For reference, Fauna Marin ICP has been used each time. The second ICP showed no relevant change in trace elements, and most values remained negligible. Since I was also seeing very little growth (especially in sps corals), I took the next step.

Testing dates (Tank started January 2022):
analysis 1 Sept 2022
analysis 2 March 2023
analysis 3 Jan 2024

Between the second and 3rd ICP (early August) I switched from weekly 12mL Aquaforest 3 part to Tropic Marin A and K elements dosed at 2.1 mL per day via Red Sea ReefDose.

So far, both other times I have done these ICP tests, I have seen the following:
1) Higher than expected aluminum: Likely due to the Marine pure block. this started at 50, was 25 at the second ICP and is now at 15, so trending downward. I'm not worried
2) Negligible results for most of the metals (shown below)
3) Low Iodine
4) Low Fluoride
5) Low Nickel


I am however noticing the following:
1) Rising Boron: 3.5 on the first test 4.8 on the second, 7.29 on the most recent. Not sure if this is a problem, but it's now showing as decently above acceptable values
2) Rising Bromine: 72.5 on the first test 108 on the second, 125 on the most recent. Not sure if this is a problem, but it's now showing as decently above acceptable values
3) Rising Copper: This worries me. It was 0 on both prior ICP tests, and is now registering at 5.75. This is still in acceptable range, but at the higher end of that, and unless there's an external source of copper, this is likely from the elements I'm dosing.
4) Slowly rising Iodine: This is good, as the first reading showed 12 (SUPER low), the second showed 18 (Very Low), and the most recent showed 37 (still low, but much better)
5) Slightly high Potassium. Registered at 393 on the first ICP, jumped to 438 on the second, and barely increased to 442 on the 3rd
6) Sky high, rising Lithium: I see others seem to have this with no issues. Was 290 on the first ICP, 1115 on the second and 1480 on the third. The only reason I see for concern is a still rising value.
7) Slowly rising Molybdenum: This is good, as the first reading showed 3.34 (SUPER low), the second showed 4.77 (Very Low), and the most recent showed 8.57 (still low, but much better and close to desired value range)
8) Rising Nickel: Was negligible (0) on the first 2, now registers at 0.518, which is still very low but registering.
9) Slowly rising Selenium: This is not so good, as the first reading showed 3.92 (Higher end of perfect range), the second showed 4.01 (negligible change), and the most recent showed 5.67 (not in danger range, but out of desirable range )
10) Slowly rising strontium: Too low (4.4) in the first, perfect range (7.7) in the second, slightly high (8.14) in the most recent test.
11) Slowly rising Zinc: Low on the first test (1.4), Negligible on the second, (0), and back up to low on the third (0.82). Not really a problem if it's rising, I guess.
12) Low Fluoride: was negligible in first test, and still super low (0.15) in the next two,
12) Still showing negligible values (0) despite the increased dosing for Beryllium, Cobalt, Cromium, Manganese, Rubidium, and Vanadium.

Conclusions: Not sure what I should do here. I really don't want to start buying the full fauna marin range, but it looks like I should:
1) Decrease my dosing by 25 to 30% (at least) if I want to avoid issues with Boron, Bromine, Strontium, Potassium, Selenium and possibly most significantly Copper
2) Maintain dosing if I want to fix my low Zinc, Molybdenum, Iodine
2) Increase dosing if I want to fix my low Fluoride, Beryllium, Cobalt, Chromium, Manganese, Rubidium, Vanadium.
If all my issues were in in one of the two additives, or if only a couple were low this would be easy, but it's spread around. What's the right thing (with cost in mind as well) to do here?

I have attached my lab results for the most recent ICP for additional info. Input would be appreciated!

 

[Gribbles]

How do your coral look?

 

[araziza]

Mostly pretty good! Decent growth on most lps and softies, a couple of lps have negligible growth, and my SPS corals are continuing to base out without any new or existing branch growth. My one anemone has become 4 over a year and a half. Everything is plump and has good polyp extension except a small micromussa frag.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Everything being low would mean low salinity. Is that literally what you mean?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

For more details, I’ll have to check later since I can’t read the pdf on my phone.

 

[Uncle99]

Your tank looks great.
I see life, coralline and extended corals.
That’s better than any ICP test.
While they are great information, I not sure how accurate the trace results are and you may change something that’s not broken.

I do pay attention to the major parameters and do a weekly 5% water change to dilute any major buildup of those trace stuff.

 

[araziza]

For more details, I’ll have to check later since I can’t read the pdf on my phone.

Thanks, it's much appreciated!
A number of individual elements are registering as low. Some of them are also high, and as you'll see in the document, the overall salinity is slightly high. I don't really have enough expertise to tell why, but I've tried to include as much of the data as possible, and I've taken as slow and methodical an approach as possible to address them.

 

[araziza]

For more details, I’ll have to check later since I can’t read the pdf on my phone.

Just checking, did you ever get a chance to look over the results?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Sorry, lost track of this thread.

Everything looks mostly OK to me, except lithium is pretty high. I'm not sure if it is an issue or not, or why it would be high for you. All of the other stuff is not a priority, IMO.

What salt mix are you using? Most seem well below that reported level.

I'm not convinced more dosing would help anything. I'd stick with dosing a mix, but might look for one that does not list lithium as a component. Not sure what brands don't have it.

 

[araziza]

U

Sorry, lost track of this thread.

Everything looks mostly OK to me, except lithium is pretty high. I'm not sure if it is an issue or not, or why it would be high for you. All of the other stuff is not a priority, IMO.

What salt mix are you using? Most seem well below that reported level.

I'm not convinced more dosing would help anything. I'd stick with dosing a mix, but might look for one that does not list lithium as a component. Not sure what brands don't have it.

thanks! Yeah, just using aquaforest reef salt.

 

[Reefahholic]

9) Slowly rising Selenium: This is not so good, as the first reading showed 3.92 (Higher end of perfect range), the second showed 4.01 (negligible change), and the most recent showed 5.67 (not in danger range, but out of desirable range )

Are you dosing Se?

What all are you dosing specifically?

 

[araziza]

Are you dosing Se?

What all are you dosing specifically?

Dosing?
ESV 2 part
Tropic Marin A-Elements
Tropic Marin K-Elements
just started dosing Fauna marin Aminos, but since it's only been 2 weeks or so (after the ICP was done), I think that can safely be ruled out.
Other than that, the only thing that goes into the tank is some pellet/ flake food.

 

[araziza]

I occasionally add aquaforest magnesium to to top-up water if it get's low, maybe every few months or so.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I would take icp company warning colors with a lot of skepticism.

 

[Reefahholic]

Tropic Marin A-Elements
Tropic Marin K-Elements

Here’s why your elements are rising. There’s not enough consumption for what you’re dosing and you don’t have a way to know exactly what you’re adding. ESV could be contributing slightly. It’s pretty mild though.