Crazy mg requirements and high calcium

[marcmen]

120 Gal water volume
Salinity = 34 PPM
PH 8.16-8.24
Alk = 7.54
Cal = 554
Mg = 1284

Dosing:
Red Sea Alk = 15 ml
Red Sea mg = 36ml
All for Reef = 12 ml


Hi all, I am so lost. I am having issues with high calcium climbing with alk, but I am dosing such little All for reef, it makes no sense. what Is crazier is that I am dumping such much mg into the tank to keep the numbers where they are.

My questions are, where does the extra calcium come from? What would cause me to fight with mg to keep it at a reasonable level? According to red sea, I should only need to dose about 4ml of mg daily - not 36 ml. If I reduce the mg to even 20, I can watch the levels drop with each test.

So lost

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

120 Gal water volume
Salinity = 34 PPM
PH 8.16-8.24
Alk = 7.54
Cal = 554
Mg = 1284

Dosing:
Red Sea Alk = 15 ml
Red Sea mg = 36ml
All for Reef = 12 ml


Hi all, I am so lost. I am having issues with high calcium climbing with alk, but I am dosing such little All for reef, it makes no sense. what Is crazier is that I am dumping such much mg into the tank to keep the numbers where they are.

My questions are, where does the extra calcium come from? What would cause me to fight with mg to keep it at a reasonable level? According to red sea, I should only need to dose about 4ml of mg daily - not 36 ml. If I reduce the mg to even 20, I can watch the levels drop with each test.

So lost

Have you calculated how many ppm that mg addition would be expected to cause?

It is not being consumed, regardless. Real mg consumption is not ever more than about 1/10th of the calcium consumption in ppm.

 

[marcmen]

Thanks Randy - I have not, but that is a good point. I am going to look for a calculator

 

[marcmen]

Have you calculated how many ppm that mg addition would be expected to cause?

It is not being consumed, regardless. Real mg consumption is not ever more than about 1/10th of the calcium consumption in ppm.

Randy - thanks for this. I started dosing about six months ago. I did realize that the recommended dosage was for maintenance and not to get me to my goals. Rookie mistake :)