Benefits of high magnesium for LPS coral

[crazyfishmom]

My magnesium levels trend between 1340-1370. I’ve seen a lot of people say that LPS benefit from higher magnesium in the 1400-1450 range but what are those benefits really and are there any clear benefits to trying to raise those levels?

 

[Miami Reef]

No. I don’t believe those claims at all. Magnesium is already abundant in seawater, and it makes no logical sense that more would make any difference. It’s not limiting.

 

[crazyfishmom]

I have been looking for primary literature to support those claims and can’t find any. Yes, going below 1100 seems become a problem as it starts to affect calcium and alkalinity but so many people chase very specific numbers and if that’s truly beneficial I’d love to understand how, just can’t really find any concrete evidence to that effect.

Thanks for the response!

 

[MoshJosh]

I have had my Mag way up before. . . like my test kit couldn't read it. . . and I saw no noticeable change in my LPS.

 

[crazyfishmom]

I have had my Mag way up before. . . like my test kit couldn't read it. . . and I saw no noticeable change in my LPS.

The Tropic Marin website has a really neat tool where one can look at both major components and trace elements and they provide ranges and the like which I’ve found pretty informative. I’ve also read somewhere the inverts start to suffer once magnesium levels get above 1600 I think, did you see anything like that?

Tropic Marin elements

 

[Gellisjr1]

I have watched a few videos from March @ Fragbox corals on YouTube. He has mentioned this on several occasions. He states that Euphyllia corals definitely benefits from higher mag levels.







I have tried high magnesium after I had a Torch coral shrivel up and die on me. Per March's recommendation. I did notice snails start dying off above 1500 PPM. I still have elevated levels of mag. but I have lowered my levels to 1350 - 1400 PPM. My reason for this is. I have Euphyllia corals Hammers and I want them to stay healthy incase of a dip in mag. I attribute the loss of my Torch coral to low mag because at about the same time my coraline algae started to take off and grow which caused my magnesium to drop.

 

[Troylee]

I keep mine at 1350 and I’d say my LPs are plenty happy with huge flesh bands. Torch and hammer at night time..

 

[steveschuerger]

I keep my Mag at around 1500 or slightly higher. Definitely my Gonis/Alves and Torches, Hammers and Frogs all like those levels. And everything else seems fine with it as well

 

[crazyfishmom]

I have watched a few videos from March @ Fragbox corals on YouTube. He has mentioned this on several occasions. He states that Euphyllia corals definitely benefits from higher mag levels.







I have tried high magnesium after I had a Torch coral shrivel up and die on me. Per March's recommendation. I did notice snails start dying off above 1500 PPM. I still have elevated levels of mag. but I have lowered my levels to 1350 - 1400 PPM. My reason for this is. I have Euphyllia corals Hammers and I want them to stay healthy incase of a dip in mag. I attribute the loss of my Torch coral to low mag because at about the same time my coraline algae started to take off and grow which caused my magnesium to drop.

Thanks for sharing the videos! Always awesome to get more perspectives.

 

[crazyfishmom]

I keep my Mag at around 1500 or slightly higher. Definitely my Gonis/Alves and Torches, Hammers and Frogs all like those levels. And everything else seems fine with it as well

Stunning corals! Where do you keep your other parameters if you don’t mind sharing!

 

[crazyfishmom]

I keep mine at 1350 and I’d say my LPs are plenty happy with huge flesh bands. Torch and hammer at night time..

They look great!

Most of my torches and hammers look very much like that when closed up. I have one frogspawn that was pretty stressed during shipment and seems to be losing some tissue but I tend to be the observe and act only if absolutely necessary type so I’m being patient and not messing with anything else in the tank since the rest of my Coral are healthy.

 

[Hans-Werner]

The magnesium-calcium ratio is meant to be important and maybe also the magnesium-alkalinity ratio.

Maybe it is not the absolute magnesium concentration that counts but these ratios.

The scientific background is that magnesium forms ion pairs with carbonate (Millero, Chemical Oceanography). Slightly more than half of the carbonate in seawater forms ion pairs with magnesium and in this way reduces free carbonate ions (CO3)2- and ion pairs with calcium which could form precipitates.

 

[crazyfishmom]

The magnesium-calcium ratio is meant to be important and maybe also the magnesium-alkalinity ratio.

Maybe it is not the absolute magnesium concentration that counts but these ratios.

The scientific background is that magnesium forms ion pairs with carbonate (Millero, Chemical Oceanography). Slightly more than half of the carbonate in seawater forms ion pairs with magnesium and in this way reduces free carbonate ions (CO3)2- and ion pairs with calcium which could form precipitates.

The argument of ratios makes a lot of sense from a basic chemistry perspective. I guess I also think about the possibility of precipitation and generating insoluble salts in the process. Balance and thresholds make a lot of sense, trying to raise those levels to a high number without cause worries me. That said, some people do it very successfully. Just trying to understand how to tap into the secrets of reef chemistry to help my coral thrive!