Bismuth

1979fishgeek · May 14, 2023

Hi,

Can anyone explain to me what Bismuth is, what is does and the effects it can have on coral when it’s high?
I’ve been getting regular icp for a few months and all of sudden Bismuth has gone from undetectable (last three tests) to this test at 21.87µg/l?

I’ve not done a water change in months (so can’t see it be a batch of salt) my nutrients are very low controlled via a large cheato/caulerpa refugium and a skimmer. My parameters have been really stable as I dose 2 part and use icp test results to determine extra trace element dosing.

Only changes I’ve made I can think of is feeding a lot more dried plankton/phyto as well as frozen foods and pellets to get my nutrients up a little (no3 @ 5ppm and po4 @ 0.05-0.08ppm) I also added some Reeflowers Pearl white sand as I plan to get some species that like a substrate.

Could it have come in via the food? Or my RODI top up? Kalk? The new substrate?

Its not a element I’ve ever really even noticed before now and no next to nothing about it.

Corals are doing really well and fish thriving the tanks never looked so good so I’m not keen to do a complete waterchange in a system holding nearly 1000litres unless absolutely necessary. Maybe get a second icp?

Bismuth

21.87 µg/l

Thanks everyone as always!

1979fishgeek · May 14, 2023


Pollutants
Al	Aluminium	< LOD	0 - 20 µg/l	0 µg/l	▲
Sb	Antimony	< LOD	0 - 10 µg/l	0 µg/l	▲
As	Arsenic	< LOD	0 - 10 µg/l	0 µg/l	▲
Bi	Bismuth	21.87 µg/l	0 - 0.2 µg/l	0 µg/l	▲
Cd	Cadmium	< LOD	0 - 1 µg/l	0 µg/l	▲
Ge	Germanium	< LOD	0 - 3 µg/l	0 µg/l	▲
La	Lanthanum	< LOD	0 - 10 µg/l	0 µg/l	▲
Pb	Lead	< LOD	0 - 3 µg/l	0 µg/l	▲
Hg	Mercury	< LOD	0 - 3 µg/l	0 µg/l	▲
Sc	Scandium	< LOD	0 - 5 µg/l	0 µg/l	▲
Ag	Silver	< LOD	0 - 3 µg/l	0 µg/l	▲
Tl	Thallium	< LOD	0 - 2 µg/l	0 µg/l	▲
Ti	Titanium	< LOD	0 - 5 µg/l	0 µg/l	▲
W	Tungsten	< LOD	0 - 5 µg/l	0 µg/l	▲
Zr	Zirconium	< LOD	0 - 5 µg/l	0 µg/l	▲

pollutants results from last icp

Randy Holmes-Farley · May 15, 2023

Bismuth has no known biological role in any known organism. It is also not very toxic (think pepto bismol) and I'd just ignore it at the level you have. I don't know if it actually rose in your tank, or is a test error. Don't assume ICP is error free.

Matt1997 · May 15, 2023

Likely test error. We see issues like this all the time with our assay results at work. If the value is close to the labs LOD I wouldn’t worry.

1979fishgeek · May 15, 2023

Thank you!

I’ve been reading as much as I can online about Bismuth but most of it was way over my head.

Im going to ignore it and test again in a month, I think I’m likely to do more harm messing with parameters trying to solve something that may or may not be a problem.

Thanks again, my minds at rest… for now. Lol