ICP Results - Aquaforest

[jdm85]

I wanted to share my experience with the Aquaforest ICP testing.
The ICP test kit arrived in Poland on Tuesday Sept 28th and this morning Sept 30th I have my results. Can't get much better than that!

Quality of the test? I would only know once compared against a different ICP test lab, even then my personal opinion is to use the number from one single ICP test as a baseline.

What are your thoughts on using different ICP tests?

My system
Salt: Aquaforest Reef Salt
Gallons: 50gallons
Media: Marine Pure Bio Blocks
Nutrient Reduction: Skimmer and Chaeto with grow light
Dosing: Red Sea AB+ recommended minimum dosage twice per week
Water changes: 5 gallons bi-weekly
Salinity: 33ppm



Salifert Tests results on the same day I sent samples to Poland

Ca: 380
Mg:1350
Alk: 6.7
N03: 10ppm
P04: 0

Aquaforest ICP Results

Other than lowering the Aluminium and Tin I think my results are not horrible.
possible cause: Marine Pure Bio Blocks

My curiosity was sparked when many of my micro nutrients were either too low or too high considering I had just done a 50% water change using the Aquaforest Reef salt prior to taking water samples.

Also my Hanna Digital Salinity Checker had just been calibrated with 35ppm solution.
My aquarium water was reading 33ppm the day I took water samples while the Aquaforest ICP reading was 35ppm. Water could not have evaporated from the sealed test vial during transport.

Which test should I trust?

RO Water:
I have detectable amounts of Calcium and Silicates. Should this be an item of concern?
Any suggestions?

Any Suggestions?

 

[Dan_P]

I wanted to share my experience with the Aquaforest ICP testing.
The ICP test kit arrived in Poland on Tuesday Sept 28th and this morning Sept 30th I have my results. Can't get much better than that!

Quality of the test? I would only know once compared against a different ICP test lab, even then my personal opinion is to use the number from one single ICP test as a baseline.

What are your thoughts on using different ICP tests?

My system
Salt: Aquaforest Reef Salt
Gallons: 50gallons
Media: Marine Pure Bio Blocks
Nutrient Reduction: Skimmer and Chaeto with grow light
Dosing: Red Sea AB+ recommended minimum dosage twice per week
Water changes: 5 gallons bi-weekly
Salinity: 33ppm



Salifert Tests results on the same day I sent samples to Poland

Ca: 380
Mg:1350
Alk: 6.7
N03: 10ppm
P04: 0

Aquaforest ICP Results

Other than lowering the Aluminium and Tin I think my results are not horrible.
possible cause: Marine Pure Bio Blocks

My curiosity was sparked when many of my micro nutrients were either too low or too high considering I had just done a 50% water change using the Aquaforest Reef salt prior to taking water samples.

Also my Hanna Digital Salinity Checker had just been calibrated with 35ppm solution.
My aquarium water was reading 33ppm the day I took water samples while the Aquaforest ICP reading was 35ppm. Water could not have evaporated from the sealed test vial during transport.

Which test should I trust?

RO Water:
I have detectable amounts of Calcium and Silicates. Should this be an item of concern?
Any suggestions?

Any Suggestions?

I am working @taricha and @Rick Mathew on that very question, “which test do I trust?”

Keep in mind that no vendor will endorse their own measurements by telling you about precision or accuracy of the results that they sell you. This means, from test to test, day to day, and vendor to vendor you have no idea how close any measured element concentration is to the true value. Also, here are vendor to vendor differences in whether or not they detect an element and how variable their results are. There are vendor to vendor differences in what is detected in RODI samples.

Vendors seem to be more consistent measuring the concentration of elements that have a concentration greater than 1000 ppb. Below this concentration, variability tends to increase. Above 1000 ppb, the concentration measurement can vary from roughly +/- 5 to 20%. Below 1000 ppb, +/- 100% is not uncommon.

We are still in the midst of our study. The above comments are provisional. If you are going to rely on ICP measurements, remember to use them in a way consistent with the level uncertainty in their values. The Hanna Checkers are likely to be more accurate than ICP measurements across all elements the Checkers measure.

 

[Snoopy 67]

I ran 2 tests, 1 from ATI in Germany & 1 by ICP here in the states.
Test results were identical to the hundredths.

 

[Dan_P]

I ran 2 tests, 1 from ATI in Germany & 1 by ICP here in the states.
Test results were identical to the hundredths.

Yep, it can happen. Would love to see the data if you are willing to share.

 

[Brent Bohannon]

I look at it this way. Is it within a tolerable range? Is it staying consistent? Am I seeing any problems in the tank? After my first ICP I thought the world was going to end because of the aluminum. Randy and the rest of the gang talked me off the ledge and I realized that the look test was more important than the ICP. I made some very slow corrections to get my numbers back in the proper ranges and Hulk Smashed that ceramic media straight into the trash. Tank looks even better now. The ICP is important along with all the other tests we do, but it isn't the end all be all.