First ICP Test

[scaramanga]

Hey all,

Got the results back from my first ICP test. This is on my IM 15g in my office. Sent in to get a baseline since the tank looks really good and everything has been growing really well. However, from the results of the test it almost feels like its not in a good place lol.

Only thing being dosed right now is 6ml Daily of AFR. Tank has been running just short of 2yrs. Last water change was like 3 or 4 months ago.

Based on the low Manganese and Zinc it looks like I should be dosing Tropic Marin K+ or ATI Part b.

Thoughts

 

[happyreefer]

Hey all,

Got the results back from my first ICP test. This is on my IM 15g in my office. Sent in to get a baseline since the tank looks really good and everything has been growing really well. However, from the results of the test it almost feels like its not in a good place lol.

Only thing being dosed right now is 6ml Daily of AFR. Tank has been running just short of 2yrs. Last water change was like 3 or 4 months ago.

Based on the low Manganese and Zinc it looks like I should be dosing Tropic Marin K+ or ATI Part b.

Thoughts

What a pleasant surprise, now you know what to do. I'm going to be doing my ICP test for the first time as well lol. I think I'm going to go with Moonshine

 

[happyreefer]

Wow, that's a lot of info

 

[mescobar]

You still have to do water changes with AFR. Makes sense that your calcium and strontium are high if you went 4 months without a water change.

You salinity looks a bit low, but I would be more worried about your high aluminum. Are you using PhosGuard on the tank by chance?

IMO - 15G cube is small enough that water changes + AFR should be easier than dosing A/K trace elements.

 

[scaramanga]

You still have to do water changes with AFR. Makes sense that your calcium and strontium are high if you went 4 months without a water change.

You salinity looks a bit low, but I would be more worried about your high aluminum. Are you using PhosGuard on the tank by chance?

IMO - 15G cube is small enough that water changes + AFR should be easier than dosing A/K trace elements.

No phosguard. This tank is pretty simple. Filter floss is only filtration on the system. No skimmer, UV, scrubber.

This tank has struggled with having nutrients. Finally have been able to stop dosing Phosphate and Ammonium Bicarb. Bioload is pretty small with 2 fish and 2 peppermint shrimp. Handful of assorted snails and hermits.

The aluminum I have no idea where its coming from. My RO water was tested and came back flawless. It's a 5 stage and I stay up to date on replacing the consumables.

 

[mescobar]

I would look out for leaching metals somewhere like an exposed magnet or pump. And in the meantime do water changes to dilute the aluminum in the tank.

 

[thresher]

Ive got some fairly good growth on some stuff in my 10....i noticed that weekly water changes were not maintaining a proper alk level. Dosing solved it...just depends on your livestock and the amount of alk consume. Even small tanks benefit from dosing.

 

[scaramanga]

Ive got some fairly good growth on some stuff in my 10....i noticed that weekly water changes were not maintaining a proper alk level. Dosing solved it...just depends on your livestock and the amount of alk consume. Even small tanks benefit from dosing.

This was 100% it. Alk wasn't keeping up, hence the AFR. Plus with having low nutrients already it was sinking them lower. Stopped doing them so long ago. I do agree though that Aluminum is not good. I'll probably do 10% changes every week over the next few weeks.

Just found it kinda funny that I went to just get a baseline of the tank when it was thriving and it came back with some not so great numbers in some key areas.

 

[Jimbo327]

Easy with a 15g, just a couple water changes, and you should be good.

 

[drexel]

The key with using AFR is routine water changes, as they balance out any inconsistencies that happen over time. Also, my recipe for successful nanos is weekly water changes regardless of dosing regime. TM pro salt is great, as it has an alk level closer to NSW, so not too high, typically in the high 7’s. 4g of fresh sw a week would do the trick. Also, it’s not recommended to dose TM traces if you’re using AFR. The other thing I’ll mention is, ICP doesn’t tell the whole story, if you’re tank is looking good, then I wouldn’t go correcting every little thing to change those numbers, observation first, then maybe change a few things slowly to see how things adjust. If I’m not mistaken, aluminum isn’t toxic, but doing routine water changes should help to bring it down. Some bio media may contain aluminum, which may be the culprit?

 

[scaramanga]

Some bio media may contain aluminum, which may be the culprit?

I thought this might be the issue. I am slowly replacing out all of these with marco bag rubble now.

 

[drexel]

I believe siporax and polyp lab media is completely safe. I know Brightwell, Maxspect and others all leached aluminum.

 

[Tangerine Speedo]

Also, it’s not recommended to dose TM traces if you’re using AFR.

? this is new to me... I add TM A or K depending on what the ICP trend is.
I use AFR and micro ESV two part and add A or K per ICP...
What would be the downside?

 

[drexel]

? this is new to me... I add TM A or K depending on what the ICP trend is.
I use AFR and micro ESV two part and add A or K per ICP...
What would be the downside?

Sorry, you're right. I was thinking someone wanted to add trace A and K to AFR and not separately, which is fine.

 

[thresher]

Good stuff. Im wondering too what will be depleting in my nano. Thus far, i have yet to do an icp but down the road, ill be sending one in. As of now, im having unmeasurable NO3. Phos is in check since going to frozen foods only and lighter feeding schedule. Maybe more fish?? Although ive been a death merchant these days to our finned friends.

 

[mescobar]

Props to you guys, I have a hard time justifying the costs of an ICP test for a nano tank. The adjustments are so minor that it is often easier to do the water change. IMHO, real ROI for ICP is for larger tanks where the costs of replenishing minor trace elements cheaper and easier than doing the actual water change.

 

[thresher]

I got the best icp available on the market. The FREE one!

 

[scaramanga]

I got the best icp available on the market. The FREE one!

lol. This was me also. Plus water changes suck... This tank has been rocking. I only did it because so many people do it when their tank goes south. I wanted a baseline when it was good.

@mescobar I agree 100% on the larger tank and replacing trace. Also will probably go back to at least a WC a month for sure.

 

[drexel]

Good stuff. Im wondering too what will be depleting in my nano. Thus far, i have yet to do an icp but down the road, ill be sending one in. As of now, im having unmeasurable NO3. Phos is in check since going to frozen foods only and lighter feeding schedule. Maybe more fish?? Although ive been a death merchant these days to our finned friends.

Just make some ammonium bicarbonate and dose that during the photo period. Here’s the recipe, 20g of ammonium bicarbonate (food grade from Amazon) in 1L of RO. This will last you a long time, so keep the lid on tight. I would start with 1mL two or three times a day until you get a measurement of NO3. Dose it in your back chamber in the overflow, that way it will have time to dissipate before going into the display.