Water Quality

[CodyF.]

Hello everyone,

I just received my first ICP test results back from ATI, and the numbers are quite puzzling. Here are the key findings:

- **Magnesium**: 1623 ppm (I don’t dose magnesium at all)
- **Chloride**: 18788 mg/l (I don’t dose chloride either)
- **Bromine**: 101.9 mg/l (No idea where this is coming from)

For context, I use SeaChem Kalkwasser to maintain PH, DKH, and Calcium. My salt mix is Reef Crystals (purple top), and I feed Reef Frenzy as my food. Additionally, three times a week, I dose 10ml of RedSea AB+ along with 1/4 tsp of Reef Roids. A while back, I used Brightwell Aquatics Kalk+2, but I haven’t touched that in months.

I initially thought my Salifert Magnesium test kit was off, but the ICP test confirmed it was accurate. My tank has decent coloration and growth, but I’m concerned these imbalances might be holding it back from its full potential.

Has anyone else experienced similar issues with their ICP results? Any advice or insights on how to tackle these anomalies would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[gbroadbridge]

Hello everyone,

I just received my first ICP test results back from ATI, and the numbers are quite puzzling. Here are the key findings:

- **Magnesium**: 1623 ppm (I don’t dose magnesium at all)
- **Chloride**: 18788 mg/l (I don’t dose chloride either)
- **Bromine**: 101.9 mg/l (No idea where this is coming from)

For context, I use SeaChem Kalkwasser to maintain PH, DKH, and Calcium. My salt mix is Reef Crystals (purple top), and I feed Reef Frenzy as my food. Additionally, three times a week, I dose 10ml of RedSea AB+ along with 1/4 tsp of Reef Roids. A while back, I used Brightwell Aquatics Kalk+2, but I haven’t touched that in months.

I initially thought my Salifert Magnesium test kit was off, but the ICP test confirmed it was accurate. My tank has decent coloration and growth, but I’m concerned these imbalances might be holding it back from its full potential.

Has anyone else experienced similar issues with their ICP results? Any advice or insights on how to tackle these anomalies would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance for your help!

I'd suggest checking your salinity using a calibrated device.

The high Magnesium would most likely be caused by high salinity

 

[CodyF.]

I'd suggest checking your salinity using a calibrated device.

The high Magnesium would most likely be caused by high salinity

Actually, according to the ICP it’s low. 32.43 psu, ideal is 35 according to ATI.

 

[CodyF.]

I’m thinking of maybe switching salts over to Tropic Marin.

My silicon is also high, 6299 ug/l. But I think that’s due to heavy feeding. My phosphorus and phosphate is very low. P 3.42 and PO4 0.01

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

The chloride is ok, and is lower than normal seawater at 35 ppt.

Can you post the whole analysis?

 

[gbroadbridge]

Actually, according to the ICP it’s low. 32.43 psu, ideal is 35 according to ATI.

ICP does not measure salinity, it calculates it based upon the elemental composition of the water.

Have you measured your salinity with a calibrated device?

 

[CodyF.]

ICP does not measure salinity, it calculates it based upon the elemental composition of the water.

Have you measured your salinity with a calibrated device?

Other than a refractometer no.

 

[CodyF.]

The chloride is ok, and is lower than normal seawater at 35 ppt.

Can you post the whole analysis?

Yes. I will try to get screen shots. If it don’t line up, I will type it.

 

[CodyF.]

https://lab.atiaquaristik.com/share/45cee3fb45946536872a

See if this works?

 

[CodyF.]

For what it’s worth. I’m also waiting on a Fauna Marin ICP test. It’s a long story. But the short is, I’ve had 2 ICPs ran about a week apart from each other.

The only change between the two, I now dose Tropic Marin A&K.

The Fauna Marin results should be any day now.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Yes, that link works. I do not agree with some of their value judgements. 476 ppm calcium being critically high? That’s ridiculous, IMO.

Potassium is too low and I’d dose it.

I’d switch to a salt mix with lower magnesium levels.

What salinity do you get by refractometer?

 

[CodyF.]

Yes, that link works. I do not agree with some of their value judgements. 476 ppm calcium being critically high? That’s ridiculous, IMO.

Potassium is too low and I’d dose it.

I’d switch to a salt mix with lower magnesium levels.

What salinity do you get by refractometer?

My SG reads 1.026 and pretty stable there. Occasional it’ll dip to 1.025. That’s most my error for water changes or when I take something out the tank without turning off the ATO.

I guess I never realized the purple reef crystals had high Mg..?

In regards to potassium. I started the A&K, I need to read what’s in it and then go from there.

I’m curious to see what the Fauna ICP says.


My Mg has been high as long as this tanks been running. I thought it was the test kit off. Apparently not. Lol

 

[CodyF.]

Question:

Do you feel it's better to maintain nutrients in my reef via dosing nitrates and phosphates, or should I continue with heavy feeding using Reef Frenzy, Reef Roids, and Red Sea AB+?

Or, should I give the Bacto Balance a try by Tropic Marin?

Feel free to add any additional context or details if needed!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

A and K does not contain potassium, and you need a potassium only supplement anyway.

How did you calibrate your refractometer?

 

[CodyF.]

A and K does not contain potassium, and you need a potassium only supplement anyway.

How did you calibrate your refractometer?

Thanks for that info on potassium. Whats a good brand you recommend? I have a 50G AIO. Should I start the dosage at half recommended? Or, is potassium something you really can’t over dose?


I’ve been calibrating it the wrong way… with tap/RO water.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Thanks for that info on potassium. Whats a good brand you recommend? I have a 50G AIO. Should I start the dosage at half recommended? Or, is potassium something you really can’t over dose?


I’ve been calibrating it the wrong way… with tap/RO water.

I’d use food grade potassium chloride. Iherb/now foods is a good brand. I’d boost it to 400 ppm over 3-4 days.

Use this calculator and the entry for potassium from potassium nitrate, and multiply the amount needed by 0.75 since KCl is a bit more potent than potassium nitrate.

 

[CodyF.]

Thanks

 

[CodyF.]

Received my second ICP.

Confirms my salinity is low. Also confirms my silicate is through the roof….?

Both ICP test tested my fresh water, I use distilled (don’t kill me). But my fresh water came back without anything negative in it on both test.

Could my high silicate be coming from my food? I use Larry’s Reef Frenzy, I also dose reef roids 3 times a week along with AB+.

Attached is the second ICP.

 

[CodyF.]

ReefBums recommendations, however I will not be asking for the Skype call. I’m sure this is a generic response

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I’d ignore the silicate. Only drawback to high silicate is diatom growth, and if that’s not a problem, then there’s no concern.