ICP Test Results Help

[NYReefer30]

Hi i had my first icp test done and am a little perplexed with the results was hoping someone could help me figure out the problem. It appears i have some heavy metals showing up- i checked my fresh rodi & 0 tds. Filters and di resin recenlty replaced. I was using red sea blue bucket recently started transitioning to red sea coral pro. The sample was taken a few days after my first 20% wc with coral pro. Was wondering if it could be contaminated food and/or trace elements. I have a finnex titanium heater doesnt appear to be compromised (ill inspect closer next wc) Feeding/dosing the following:
Auto feed 1x per day
ON formula one
ON formula two
PE pellets
Reef chili

Frozen feed every other day
Hikari spirulina
ON brine shrimp plus
Brightwell vitamarin-c (10 drops)
Brightwell garlic power (5 drops)

Some nori for tang on the off frozen days

Dose every other day
Red sea reef energy a&b 6ml

I had a couple new sps frags die a month ago which is why i decided to change the salt and i got free reef energy so started dosing that. I have a bubblegum digi that looks to be doing fine and ive seen growth, a war coral and chalice that arent looking so hot. Torch ive had a while wasnt doing well for a few weeks i dipped in coral rx last week its showing improvement. Zoas i wouldnt exactly say are thriving but they arent bad- not all polyps are opening or opening fully but i havent seen any loss of polyps. Hammer coral looks fine althought its not opening as much as ive seen it in the past. Acan and favia look great. Any help with this would be appreciated im not sure if i should throw all my food and elements out and buy new stuff or not, or if im overlooking something else that may be wrong.

 

[NYReefer30]

Just though of something....do apex probes have metal in them? Only other metal in tank is the titanium screws on my skimmer buy they look shiny as new.

Also, from time i took the sample til now was 2 weeks...could accuracy be a concern being the water was sitting for so lomg before it was tested?

 

[Dimmy007]

Check all your equipment. Wave makers, pumps, skimmers. Clean and inspect everything. Make sure nothing is rusted. Also I have seen on here people that have had magnets rusted. Magnetic food holders, magnetic cleaners. Did you accidentally drop anything in the sump or the tank.

 

[NYReefer30]

Check all your equipment. Wave makers, pumps, skimmers. Clean and inspect everything. Make sure nothing is rusted. Also I have seen on here people that have had magnets rusted. Magnetic food holders, magnetic cleaners. Did you accidentally drop anything in the sump or the tank.

Good point im doing a wc tonight ill take all the pumps out and clean/inspect them. I haven seen anything in the tank i could have dropped in. I do have a red sea screen cover which does have a metal frame i wonder if water could be splashing up on it and back down, ill take a closer look at that as well.

 

[Dimmy007]

Good point im doing a wc tonight ill take all the pumps out and clean/inspect them. I haven seen anything in the tank i could have dropped in. I do have a red sea screen cover which does have a metal frame i wonder if water could be splashing up on it and back down, ill take a closer look at that as well.

https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/magnets-and-your-tank.233/

Check out this link and some examples of where rust could be hiding. Check your probe holder. Check everything!

 

[NYReefer30]

https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/magnets-and-your-tank.233/

Check out this link and some examples of where rust could be hiding. Check your probe holder. Check everything!

Ahh didnt think of the probe holder...ill report back after i inspect everything. Thanks for the help!

 

[rlman41299]

Just though of something....do apex probes have metal in them? Only other metal in tank is the titanium screws on my skimmer buy they look shiny as new.

Also, from time i took the sample til now was 2 weeks...could accuracy be a concern being the water was sitting for so lomg before it was tested?

Could be this. Mine was caused an elevated Tin by a titanium screw of my skimmer pump. Now that I replaced my skimmer my test turned out great on my last 2 test.

 

[smartwater101]

I ran into an issue with this on one of my tanks. Tin showing up on tests and when I ran a magnet through the sand I found metal shards everywhere!

Definitely check your equipment but then run some magnets through various areas of the rock/sand and see if you're picking anything up. Could just be a lost screw chillin' in your sandbed.

 

[MnFish1]

I would personally not investigate anything - until you have repeated the results of the test. Send in another one - Or - send in 2 of the same samples to the same company - see what you come up with. BTW - is there ANY thing that makes you think there is a problem with your tank? (coral/fish, etc looking poorly)?

 

[NYReefer30]

Ok so i checked all pumps and heater and it didnt appear anything was compromised. I did notice the outside magnet of the apex prob holder was under water when the return pump was off but it appeared to be sealed still and no rust. I did relocate it to my return area where the outside mag is on the outside of the sump. I threw out the reef energy i was dosing it was a free sample and i had bought larger bottles already so just incase it was contaminated thats gone.

Could be this. Mine was caused an elevated Tin by a titanium screw of my skimmer pump. Now that I replaced my skimmer my test turned out great on my last 2 test.

The results are showing tin and some copper and barium i believe...did you have similar results? Im confused by the tin and ive never dosed anyhing with copper.Is it possible titanium would get confused with tin in the test?

I ran into an issue with this on one of my tanks. Tin showing up on tests and when I ran a magnet through the sand I found metal shards everywhere!

Definitely check your equipment but then run some magnets through various areas of the rock/sand and see if you're picking anything up. Could just be a lost screw chillin' in your sandbed.

Interesting...there could be metal shards because the red sea screen you have to cut all the pieces and assemble yourself. I know i wiped it down prior to putting it on the tank but there is the possibility i missed some. Ill have to try this.

I would personally not investigate anything - until you have repeated the results of the test. Send in another one - Or - send in 2 of the same samples to the same company - see what you come up with. BTW - is there ANY thing that makes you think there is a problem with your tank? (coral/fish, etc looking poorly)?

I have another icp test im going to take another sample in a few weeks i want to get a couple more water changes in. All fish are very healthy no issue with them. Corals on the other hand ive had mixed results, see original post.

Thank you all for the assistance! Could these metals be coming from the water source although my tds meter shows 0?

 

[rlman41299]

The results are showing tin and some copper and barium i believe...did you have similar results? Im confused by the tin and ive never dosed anyhing with copper.Is it possible titanium would get confused with tin in the test?



Yes my copper was also elevated. I have the waveline pump on my skimmer that has metal screws on it. Not sure if it was titanium or stainless steel tho. After pulling skimmer out and did the ICP test again, they went to zero after doing a 40% water change 2x

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Barium isn't a concern, and unless copper rises, it probably isn't either. Tin may or may not be. If the tank looks OK, I'd just look for metal parts and not agonize over other sources.