Alex’s Red Sea Reefer Nano (28-gallon)

[PizzaOven]

10 Jan 2025 - FM ICP Total Results
This is the first ICP after the reboot, i.e., new live rocks + rocks from my IM 150, new sand, live rubble from aquabiomics etc. It is so much harder to adjust the traces as the amounts for 22 gallons are so small I need to use a pipette a lot to dose properly, which is annoying. Also, getting the amounts long term right is an even bigger challenge as the room for error is very small when determining monthly dosing amounts.

Thanks for sharing this, my Lithium is always sky high (with Triton ICP). I assume it's something in my salt mix (Red Sea blue). I'm assuming you're using FM salt? High lithium doesn't seem to be harmful, so I'm not too worried, just curious.

I guess FM still hasn't fixed the "Total Phosphate : Nitrate" typo (should be Nitrate : Phosphate)?

 

[Alexander1312]

Thanks for sharing this, my Lithium is always sky high (with Triton ICP). I assume it's something in my salt mix (Red Sea blue). I'm assuming you're using FM salt? High lithium doesn't seem to be harmful, so I'm not too worried, just curious.

I guess FM still hasn't fixed the "Total Phosphate : Nitrate" typo (should be Nitrate : Phosphate)?

This is what FM says about Lithium. High values do not seem to be influenced by salt, only low values when buying a cheap salt.

Lithium is a microelement and is occasionally found in increased quantities in the aquarium. Especially the use of cement, but also the use of special magnesium solutions for algae control, leads to significantly increased measured values. Values above 500 µg/l should be reduced by partial water changes and reduction of sources.

How high is your lithium?

On the typo. This has come up many months ago and there was a response to that and why they do not fix that. Cannot remember why but I am curious myself now and will ask.

 

[PizzaOven]

How high is your lithium?

My last test was 1050 ug/l (over a year ago). I just mailed out a new one, but I expect it to be high like the last two measurements.

Lithium is a microelement and is occasionally found in increased quantities in the aquarium. Especially the use of cement, but also the use of special magnesium solutions for algae control, leads to significantly increased measured values. Values above 500 µg/l should be reduced by partial water changes and reduction of sources.

Interesting, I wonder if it is coming from my Magnesium supplement. I'm tempted to send out a sample of freshly mixed SW to rule out my salt mix.

 

[Darkxerox]

The high lithium values have been mentioned by ICP vendors as an American specific trend. Never had it show up on mine, but I have heard the MgCl contaminant comment before in the past. Some blamed IO salt. Either way it isn't toxic at the levels we see.

 

[Alexander1312]

My last test was 1050 ug/l (over a year ago). I just mailed out a new one, but I expect it to be high like the last two measurements.


Interesting, I wonder if it is coming from my Magnesium supplement. I'm tempted to send out a sample of freshly mixed SW to rule out my salt mix.

Fauna normally sets reasonably high upper limits since folks in Europe, who are mostly reading this, are getting instantly nervous when the parameters are out of range by just 1 ug/l. Being double what they are considering the max recommended level above the desired range would worry me, despite this being still a tiny quantity ug/l.

From what I read is that lithium levels are often too low (vs too high) if cheaper salt are being used. The reason is that many cheaper salts contain standard trace mixes which do not contain all elements found in NSW since many elements in NSW are not proven/researched enough to be actually needed for coral health and growth. Lithium is one of them.

 

[PizzaOven]

Fauna normally sets reasonably high upper limits since folks in Europe, who are mostly reading this, are getting instantly nervous when the parameters are out of range by just 1 ug/l. Being double what they are considering the max recommended level above the desired range would worry me, despite this being still a tiny quantity ug/l.

From what I read is that lithium levels are often too low (vs too high) if cheaper salt are being used. The reason is that many cheaper salts contain standard trace mixes which do not contain all elements found in NSW since many elements in NSW are not proven/researched enough to be actually needed for coral health and growth. Lithium is one of them.

What do you use for Mg supplement?

 

[PizzaOven]

The high lithium values have been mentioned by ICP vendors as an American specific trend. Never had it show up on mine, but I have heard the MgCl contaminant comment before in the past. Some blamed IO salt. Either way it isn't toxic at the levels we see.

Same question, what brand do you use for Mg supplement? Good to know it's harmless at these concentrations, I'd still prefer to have it closer to NSW if I have the choice.

 

[Darkxerox]

Same question, what brand do you use for Mg supplement? Good to know it's harmless at these concentrations, I'd still prefer to have it closer to NSW if I have the choice.

I used to use store brand epsom salts mixed at a 5:3 ratio with a 50 lb bag of sidewalk de-icing MgCl I got in the early 2000s. It was massively hygroscopic and probably had impurities, but worked great and mixed pretty clean. I've been using Brightwell Mg powder I got on clearance from Kenny really cheap lately. Only downside is that it creates an exothermic reaction when I mix it in water.

People with calcium reactors often use TLF ReMag.

 

[Alexander1312]

What do you use for Mg supplement?

Water changes are sufficient for me to keep it good levels.

I have and will use this if needed since I am using the Balling light method for Alk and CA and trust the quality:

Fauna Marin Balling Salts Mg 1 kg | Premium Aquatics

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