Water analyses

Our water analyses are carried out with scientific methodology and accuracy. We take the time to evaluate and explain the results. – You don’t need to be a chemist to understand and use Oceamo analyses.

We combine various analytical methods with specialist knowledge and personal advice. This will create a “chemical fingerprint” of your aquarium and together we can optimize it by adjusting the water parameters. With our ICP-OES we can reliably analyze a large part of the essential bulk elements, trace elements and pollutants in the probes. With our IC (including conductivity and UV detection), we can also reliably measure fluoride, nitrate and nitrite in extremely low concentrations. Salinity is measured with a conductivity probe and alkalinity (KH) is determined titrimetrically. In addition, we measure phosphate using a sensitive photometric method, which means that this important parameter is determined precisely.

ICP-MS device in the Oceamo laboratory

Since the end of 2021 Agilent ICP-MS (ICP with mass spectroscopy) has been added to our equipment pool. Using ICP-MS, trace elements and potentially harmful heavy metals can be detected in significantly lower concentrations than with ICP-OES.This means that deficiencies can be reliably detected and compensated for even in ultra-trace elements such as tin, cobalt, copper, chromium and selenium..

But our expertise does not end with ICP-MS. We combine this leading technology with a wide range of established methods such as ICP-OES, ion chromatography, as well as specialized measurements for salinity, alkalinity and phosphate. This comprehensive approach ensures that every aspect of your water sample is accurately recorded.

Analysesreport by Oceamo

At Oceamo, we understand that complex analyses need clear explanations. That’s why we take the time not only to provide you with data, but also to make it understandable.

Rely on our expertise and state-of-the-art technology, to ensure the health and balance of your aquarium.

ICP-MS Seawater Analysis

Use the ICP-MS Analysis to get a much more detailed view
about pollutants and trace elements in your aquarium
.

With the Oceamo ICP-MS, your seawater analysis is carried out with ICP-MS (instead of ICP-OES). ICP-MS (ICP with mass spectrometry) is significantly more sensitive and offers up to 10,000 times lower detection limits than ICP-OES.

This results in the following key advantages:

Oceamo ICP-MS Logo
  • Important trace elements can be reliably measured in the relevant concentration range. This is a great advantage, especially for the measurement of selenium, chromium, cobalt, copper and nickel. Many of these elements can be OES can only be measured when they are elevated. Using ICP-MS we can also reliably diagnose a deficiency of these elements.
  • Toxic heavy metals (such as mercury, thallium, bismuth, lead, thorium, uranium, …) can be reliably detected even in very low concentrations. And thus long before problems are caused in the pelvis.

  • The measurement of other elements (such as caesium, tellurium, cerium and ruthenium) is made possible by ICP-MS.
ICP-MS seawater analyses for reefaquaria

We measure these parameters using ICP-MS seawater analysis:

Basic parameters: Alkalinity (KH), Salinity, SAC254
Bulk elements: boron, bromide, calcium, chloride, potassium, magnesium, sodium, strontium, sulphate
Trace elements: barium, chromium,cobalt, caesium, iron, fluoride, iodium, copper, lithium, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, rubidium, selenium, vanadium, zinc, tin
Pollutants: aluminium, antimony, arsenic, beryllium, bismuth, lead, cadmium, cerium, gallium, lanthanum, mercury, neodymium, thallium, tellurium, titanium, ruthenium, thorium, tungsten, uranium
Nutrients: nitrate, nitrite, phosphate (photometric), silicon
Basic parameters: Alkalinity (KH), Salinity, SAC254
Salinity
SAC254
Bulk elements: Boron
Bromide
Calcium
Chloride
Potassium
Magnesium
Sodium
Strontium
Sulphate
Trace elements: Barium
Chromium
Cobalt
Caesium
Iron
Fluoride
Iodine

Lithium
Manganese
Molybdenum
nickel
rubidium

vanadium
Zinc
Tin
Pollutants: Aluminium
Antimony
Arsenic
Beryllium
Bismuth
Lead
Cadmium
Cerium
Gallium
Lanthanum
Mercury
neodymium
Thallium
Tellurium
Titanium
Ruthenium
Thorium
Wolfram
Uranium
Nutrients: nitrate nitrite phosphate (photometric) silicium

As part of the ICP-MS seawater analysis, we analyze your osmosis water free of charge for the “frequent problem causes” copper, zinc and silicon.

We recommend the ICP-MS analysis if you face problems in your aquarium and also at regular intervals to evaluate the trace element levels.

Use our Oceamo Lab Classic analysis to determine all essential chemical parameters in the reef aquarium. This creates a ‘chemical fingerprint’ of your aquarium and together we can optimise your aquarium by adjusting the water parameters.

We measure these parameters with the Classic seawater analysis:

Basic parameters: alkalinity (KH), salinity
Bulk elements: boron, bromide, calcium, chloride, potassium, magnesium, sodium, strontium, sulphate
Trace elements: barium, chromium, cobalt, iron, fluoride, iodine, copper, lithium, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, rubidium, selenium, vanadium, zinc, tin
Pollutants: aluminium, antimony, arsenic, beryllium, bismuth, lead, cadmium, mercury, lanthanum, titanium, thallium, uranium
Nutrients: nitrate, nitrite, phosphate (photometric), silicon
Osmosis check: copper, zinc, silicon
Basic parameters: Alkalinity
Salinity
Bulk elements: Boron
Bromide
Calcium
Chloride
Potassium
Magnesium
Sodium
Strontium
Sulphate
Trace elements: Barium
Chromium
Cobalt
Iron
Fluoride
Iodine
Copper
Lithium
Manganese
Molybdenum
Nickel
Rubidium
Selenium
Vanadium
Zinc
Tin
Pollutants: Aluminium
Antimony
Arsenic
Beryllium
Bismuth
Lead
Cadmium
Mercury
Lanthanum
Titanium
Thallium
Uranium
Nutrients: nitrate nitrite phosphate (photometric) silicium

Osmosis check: Copper
Zinc
Silicon
seawater laboratoy analyes classic by Oceamo

As part of the Classic seawater analysis, we test your osmosis water for the “frequent problem causes” copper, zinc and silicon free of charge.

We recommend having an Oceamo Lab Classic analysis carried out routinely every 2-3 months. This allows you to detect any accumulation of pollutants (e.g. from corroded technical components) and take countermeasures before the effects on living organisms become visible.

Together we can also identify missing (trace) elements in your water and specifically correct the deficits to further improve the health, coloration and growth of your corals. With our Custom Elements, we produce a custom-made product for your aquarium, which corrects all the deficiencies identified in the analysis to the ideal value in your tank.

Frequently requested and now available: ICP-OES, ion chromatography, KH titration and conductivity measurement are used to determine all relevant parameters (including nitrite) in your freshwater aquarium.

It is also possible to upgrade the Oceamo analysis for fresh water to the significantly more sensitive ICP-MS measurement.

In this way, deficiencies and enrichments can be identified and fertilisation and aquarium care can be optimised.

As part of the analysis for fresh water, we test your osmosis water free of charge for the “frequent problem causes” copper, zinc and silicon.

As usual with Oceamo: With detailed personal interpretation of the results.

Wateranalyses for freshwater aquaria

We measure these parameters with the freshwater laboratory analysis:

Main parameters: Conductivity, alkalinity (carbonate hardness)
Volume components: boron, bromide, calcium, chloride, potassium, magnesium, sodium, strontium, sulphate
Trace elements: Barium, chromium, cobalt, iron, fluoride, iodide, copper, lithium, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, phosphorus, rubidium, selenium, vanadium, zinc, tin
Pollutants: Aluminum, antimony, arsenic, beryllium, bismuth, lead, cadmium, lanthanum, mercury, thallium, uranium
Nutrients: Nitrate, nitrite, phosphate, silicon
Main parameters: conductivity
Alkalinity
Volume components: Boron
Bromide
Calcium
Chloride
Potassium
Magnesium
Sodium
Strontium
Sulphate
Trace elements: Barium
Chromium
Cobalt
Iron
Fluoride
Iodid
Copper
Lithium
Manganese
Molybdenum
Nickel
Phosphorus
Rubidium
Selenium
Vanadium
Zinc
Tin
Pollutants: Aluminium
Antimony
Arsenic
Beryllium
Bismuth
Lead
Cadmium
Lanthanum
Mercury
Thallium
Uranium
Nutrients: Nitrate
Nitrite
Phosphate
Silicon
wateranalyses for tap water

Of course we also measure pure water (osmosis water) for you. This analysis can also be used to check the suitability of tap water for aquarium use. At Oceamo, we do not run these samples “on the side”, but give them our full attention, because problems in reef aquaria often arise from the treatment of the source water.

Our devices are specially calibrated for your pure water samples, and we analyze your sample for all relevant chemical parameters. – Our detailed evaluation focuses on assessing the suitability of your water for aquaristics and making suggestions for improving the water treatment.

We measure these parameters using pure water laboratory analysis:

Bulk elements: boron, bromide, calcium, chloride, potassium, magnesium, sodium, strontium, sulphate
Trace elements: Barium, chromium, iron, fluoride, iodine, cobalt, copper, lithium, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, phosphorus, rubidium, selenium, vanadium, zinc, tin
Pollutants: Aluminum, antimony, arsenic, beryllium, bismuth, lead, cadmium, lanthanum, mercury, thallium
Nutrients: Nitrate, nitrite, silicon
Bulk elements: Boron
Bromide
Calcium
Chloride
Potassium
Magnesium
Sodium
Strontium
Sulphate
Trace elements: Barium
Chromium
Iron
Fluoride
Iodine
Cobalt
Copper
Lithium
Manganese
Molybdenum
Nickel
Phosphorus
Rubidium
Selenium
Vanadium
Zinc
Tin
Pollutants: Aluminium
Antimony
Arsenic
Beryllium
Bismuth
Lead
Cadmium
Lanthanum
Mercury
Thallium
Nutrients: Nitrate
Nitrite
Silicon

Oceamo sampling kits contain high-purity sample tubes (suitable for trace analysis). Sampling for aquarium water analysis involves 0.22 µm syringe filtration: this filters out microorganisms and particles from the water that could otherwise influence the result of the measurement.

Sampling kits for seawater and ultrapure water analysis can be found in specialist shops and in our webshop.

You can also find the current descriptions for sampling here

Do you have special analytical questions that are not covered by the standard analyses?
Contact us, we are happy to help you.

The following analytical techniques are available in the Oceamo laboratory:

  • ICP-MS
  • ICP-OES
  • IC-VWD/ECD (anions)
  • IC-ECD (cations)
  • IC-ICP-MS
  • HPLC-VWD
  • HPLC-ICP-MS
  • FTIR
  • Photometrics
  • Titration (acidimetric)
  • Conductivity & pH measurement