Water analysis
Our water analyzes are carried out with scientific methodology and accuracy. We take the time to evaluate and explain the results. - You do not have to be a chemist to understand and use Oceamo analysis.
With our ICP-OES we can safely analyze a large part of the essential macro elements, trace elements and pollutants in the water. Our ion chromatography (with conductivity and UV detection) also enables us to reliably determine fluoride, nitrate and nitrite with very low detection limits. The salinity is determined with a conductivity sensor, and the alkalinity determined titrimetrically. In addition, we measure phosphate with a sensitive photometric method, which determines this important parameter very reliably.
Since the end of 2021, an Agilent ICP-MS (ICP with mass spectroscopy) has been added to our scientific equipment. Using ICP-MS, we can detect trace elements and potentially harmful heavy metals in significantly lower concentrations than with ICP-OES. As a result, deficiencies can be reliably detected and compensated even for ultra-trace elements such as tin, cobalt, copper, chromium and selenium.
1. Oceamo Lab Classic Water analysis
Use our Oceamo Lab Classic analysis to determine all essential chemical parameters in the reef aquarium:
Oceamo Seawater analysis
Basic parameters: alkalinity, salinity
Macro elements: boron, bromide, calcium, chloride, potassium,
magnesium, sodium, strontium, sulfate
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, mercury, thallium, lanthanum
Nutrients: nitrate, nitrite, phosphate (photometric), silicon
This will create a "chemical fingerprint" of your aquarium, and together we can optimize it by adjusting the water parameters.
We recommend having an Oceamo Lab Classic analysis every 2-3 months. This way, you can detect and counteract possible accumulation of pollutants (for example, through corroded technical components), before any effects become visible on animals.
Together, we can also detect missing (trace) elements in your water and specifically address the deficiencies to further improve the health, coloration and growth of your coral. With our Custom Elements, we produce a tailor-made blend for your aquarium, which corrects all the defects in your tank identified during the analysis, to the ideal value.
2. ICP-MS Seawater Analysis
Use the ICP-MS analysis to get a much more detailed view of pollutants and trace elements in your reef aquarium.
With the Oceamo ICP-MS Analysis, your seawater analysis is performed 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 hast the following benefits:
- We can reliably measure essential trace elements in the relevant concentration range. This is a great advantage, especially for measuring selenium, chromium, cobalt, copper and nickel. Using ICP-OES, many of these elements can only be measured when their levels are elevated. Using ICP-MS, we can also reliably diagnose a deficiency in 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 tank.
- The measurement of additional elements (such as caesium, tellurium, cerium and ruthenium) is possible by ICP-MS.
We recommend the ICP-MS upgrade if you face problems in your aquarium and also at regular intervals to evaluate the trace element levels.