ICP-OES analysis
Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) analysis very precisely measures dozens of elements in aquarium water with a single sample mailed.
Detailed explanation
ICP analysis has revolutionized the management of marine aquariums. With a 30 ml sample of water sent to a laboratory you receive back the exact concentration of 30-40 elements: calcium, magnesium, strontium, barium, iodine, boron, potassium, iron, copper, zinc, aluminium, phosphates... all in one fell swoop.
The most used laboratories are ATI Lab, Triton Lab, Fauna Marin. Costs between 25 and 40 EUR per analysis. Results in 5-10 days working hours.
The ICP does not replace drip tests for daily monitoring (KH, calcium). But to have the complete picture once a month or every 2 months is irreplaceable. It discovers contamination (copper from pipes, aluminium from poor quality rocks) that no drop test can detect.
How to do it: Take a water sample in a sterile test tube (usually provided by the laboratory). You ship it. Receive results via email. The problem? Interpreting 40 values is not trivial for a beginner.
Coralia Lab imports ICP results and analyzes them with AI, highlighting what is out of range and what to do to correct it. No more Excel tables to compare by hand.
For freshwater aquariums, ICP is less common but is growing. It is especially useful for those who breed valuable caridina and want perfect water.
How it is measured
You send a water sample to the laboratory. This is not a home test.
Coralia Lab monitors this parameter with AI diagnostics. Tank Score alerts you when a value moves outside the recommended range for your aquarium.
Try AI diagnostics (ICP import) for free