Disappearing magnesium

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

It was explained to me years ago. I know people with low magnesium and high magnesium have great tanks depending on what corals they have. If I remember correctly I think natural seawater is 1300 mag and just over 400 calcium which is perfect ratio. My magnesium is 1600 and my calcium is 500 approx. I am upping my magnesium a little at the moment

OK, but I'm still not hearing any rationale for why the ratio is important, and I have never heard of one.

I know many people refer to the ratio, but I think it is not the way to control these chemicals. It is, IMO, just an oversimplification of the fact that they both rise and fall together with salinity changes, but not that there is anything optimal about keeping the ratio fixed if, for example, you have a reason to want one of them unusually high or low.

 

[Greggy]

OK, but I'm still not hearing any rationale for why the ratio is important, and I have never heard of one.

I know many people refer to the ratio, but I think it is not the way to control these chemicals. It is, IMO, just an oversimplification of the fact that they both rise and fall together with salinity changes, but not that there is anything optimal about keeping the ratio fixed if, for example, you have a reason to want one of them unusually high or low.

The more the calcium and magnesium go up the more the Alk tends to drop. I know all magnificent tanks keep this ratio very closely. I dose everything automatically so it's easy to keep my parameters really good.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

The more the calcium and magnesium go up the more the Alk tends to drop. I know all magnificent tanks keep this ratio very closely. I dose everything automatically so it's easy to keep my parameters really good.

OK, I'll just have to leave it that I disagree. :)