Coraline & magnesium consumption

[Aquariumaddictuk]

Within the last two months I've noticed a huge takeover of coraline algae in my tank.aside from having to clear it off the glass daily I'm happy it's arrived.
Calcium consumption has increased along with alk(tank is SPS dominant & consumes 2 DKH per day) but tweaking of 2 part has mitigated that.
Magnesium however I'm having to regularly supplement.currently using magnesium sulphate.
I switched to aquaforest reef for its low alk & good K values(tank is ZEOVIT) & mag matches the test data on bag.

Is coraline really capable munching through this much mag?
Also, is good old epsom salt an acceptable supplement or is chloride a better option?

 

[Timfish]

It's really pretty difficult to guess what ratios of alkalinity, calcium and magnesium are used by a system. Generally aquarists only think in terms of araganite but in reef systems corals and other calcifying organisms may also be making calcite, high magnesium calcite, dolomite, magnisite, vaterite and brucite. It's nice when a single dosing protocal covers everything but reef ecosystems are dynamic and we need to adjust dosing to compensate as needed. Here's a data bomb if you feel like going down this particular rabbit hole: ;)

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/adfm.201707321

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12562-022-01627-9
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/jpy.13098
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0016703715007140
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1047847719302576
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1047847719302576
https://www.nature.com/articles/nclimate1760
https://bg.copernicus.org/articles/8/3331/2011/

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Within the last two months I've noticed a huge takeover of coraline algae in my tank.aside from having to clear it off the glass daily I'm happy it's arrived.
Calcium consumption has increased along with alk(tank is SPS dominant & consumes 2 DKH per day) but tweaking of 2 part has mitigated that.
Magnesium however I'm having to regularly supplement.currently using magnesium sulphate.
I switched to aquaforest reef for its low alk & good K values(tank is ZEOVIT) & mag matches the test data on bag.

Is coraline really capable munching through this much mag?
Also, is good old epsom salt an acceptable supplement or is chloride a better option?

Coralline can consume a lot of alk and calcium, and magnesium consumption in such a scenario is about 1/10th of the calcium consumption. Anything greatly more than that is test error.

Epsom salt alone is not the best bet, as it raises sulfate too much if used extensively.

 

[Aquariumaddictuk]

Coralline can consume a lot of alk and calcium, and magnesium consumption in such a scenario is about 1/10th of the calcium consumption. Anything greatly more than that is test error.

Epsom salt alone is not the best bet, as it raises sulfate too much if used extensively

Coralline can consume a lot of alk and calcium, and magnesium consumption in such a scenario is about 1/10th of the calcium consumption. Anything greatly more than that is test error.

Epsom salt alone is not the best bet, as it raises sulfate too much if used extensively.

I've found some chloride in the back of my seemingly endless "aquarium cupboard" so currently mixing up your recipes.
I knew the American-cup sized baking spoons that my mother gifted me one Christmas would come in handy one day! :face-with-tears-of-joy:

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I've found some chloride in the back of my seemingly endless "aquarium cupboard" so currently mixing up your recipes.
I knew the American-cup sized baking spoons that my mother gifted me one Christmas would come in handy one day! :face-with-tears-of-joy:

Sounds good.

Happy Reefing!