Do You Test for Mag?

Do you test for Magnesium?

  • Yes (frequently)

    Votes: 12 44.4%
  • Yes (rarely)

    Votes: 11 40.7%
  • Yes (only if calcium is low)

    Votes: 1 3.7%
  • Never

    Votes: 3 11.1%

  • Total voters
    27

ilovetank

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I guess I've always been under the school of thought that if your calcium levels are good then your magnesium levels are good. I read some article probably from Farley that correlated these two. My question is, how many SPS and LPS keepers test for magnesium.
 
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ilovetank

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How often do you do water changes? Don't they keep your mag at acceptable levels?
 

Ds04384

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I guess I've always been under the school of thought that if your calcium levels are good then your magnesium levels are good. I read some article probably from Farley that correlated these two. My question is, how many SPS and LPS keepers test for magnesium.

If your calcium is good and your snails aren't lethargic/dying then you're good. Still a good thing to check periodically but does not need to be checked as regularly as the others
 
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ilovetank

ilovetank

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If your calcium is good and your snails aren't lethargic/dying then you're good. Still a good thing to check periodically but does not need to be checked as regularly as the others
Does lethargic/dying snails mean too much Mag or not enough?
 

Elementalj

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I always test magnesium because magnesium at minimum once a month at maximum twice a month
 

aaron23

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i do around 5 gal water changes every 2 weeks it doesnt replenish Mg enough so i need to dose after the dosed 2 part
 

Randy Holmes-Farley

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i do around 5 gal water changes every 2 weeks it doesnt replenish Mg enough so i need to dose after the dosed 2 part

I'd suggest dosing the specific amount with the two part, rather than trying to measure it. :)
 
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ilovetank

ilovetank

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Hmmm?? So I tested my Mag and it's at 1600 PPM. I use IO salt changed once every 2 weeks. I don't dose any mag. Do mag swings have a proven effect on the health of coral?
 

Randy Holmes-Farley

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Hmmm?? So I tested my Mag and it's at 1600 PPM. I use IO salt changed once every 2 weeks. I don't dose any mag. Do mag swings have a proven effect on the health of coral?

I suspect that result is not accurate unless the salinity is very high. Inaccuracy is a clear problem that many have from magnesium testing and responding to the result (even if yours is accurate).

Did you use the Red Sea kit? many folks seem to get high readings with it.
 
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ilovetank

ilovetank

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I suspect that result is not accurate unless the salinity is very high. Inaccuracy is a clear problem that many have from magnesium testing and responding to the result (even if yours is accurate).

Did you use the Red Sea kit? many folks seem to get high readings with it.
As a matter of fact I did use the Red Sea Pro kit.
 

Tori

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I suspect that result is not accurate unless the salinity is very high. Inaccuracy is a clear problem that many have from magnesium testing and responding to the result (even if yours is accurate).

Did you use the Red Sea kit? many folks seem to get high readings with it.

That's bad news:eek:. My mag usually on the low side.
 

Randy Holmes-Farley

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ilovetank

ilovetank

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Great!! Which one do I believe!? I guess I'll post on my local club and see if anyone has a mag test I can borrow.
 

Tori

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ilovetank

ilovetank

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Randy,

Don't you also use IO? I have read that it is known for high mag so 1600 could be believable couldn't it? My calcium consistently reads 450. If it were too low I couldn't keep that type of calcium level could I?
 

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