Low Magnesium!

[jjg14e]

My magnesium is really low in my new 20 gallon IM fusion nano tank. Its around 1150 and the LFS told me it should be 1350. I dont have any corals yet just a few blue leg hermit crabs and a peppermint shrimp as well as some dry rock from marco rocks. How can I get my magnesium back up?

 

[Jimbo662]

You can buy it from BRS and dose. Have you notice coraline algae starting to spread?

 

[CodyRVA]

Dose, there are a variety of options, here are a few...
How often are you doing water changes?

2 part:

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/brs-bulk-magnesium-chloride-aquarium-supplement.html
http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/brs-bulk-magnesium-sulfate-aquarium-supplement.html

Alternative Supplement:

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/magnesion-liquid-magnesium-supplement-brightwell-aquatics.html

 

[jjg14e]

No I don't have any live rock in the tank, just dry rock. I went on vacation for about a week and when I came back I had brown algae on my glass that I cleaned off. But that is pretty much the only algae I've seen in the tank.

 

[jjg14e]

unfortunately I have not done a water change yet because of lack of funds and a car, which is why I haven't put any corals in it either.

 

[Sabellafella]

Whats your sg? Maybe your salinity is low, try bumping it up

 

[jjg14e]

Here of the parameters of my tank based off of the test results:

Salt: 1.025
Nitrate: 0
Calcium: 400-420
Alk: 8.3
Magnesium: 1140

Also my tank is just over 2 months old, I'm very new to the hobby. It finished cycling at about a month and since then I got my peppermint shrimp and crabs. As soon as I can, I am going to do a water change and get a good powerhead so that I can start putting corals in.

 

[jjg14e]

my tank setup is this:

IM nuvo fusion 20 gallon nano all in one tank
Aquaillumination Hydra TwentySix HD
Around 20 lbs of dry rock from marcorocks.com
CaribSea live reef sand
and I am using chemipure nano for filtration in my filter socks

 

[jjg14e]

Here are some pics

 

[Anirban]

Which salt you use?

 

[jjg14e]

It was already premixed salt water from my LFS

 

[Anirban]

It was already premixed salt water from my LFS

I think they use a saltmix which has low magnesium content....so ask them...and you can always dose but once you have your system running try shift to a more balanced salt mix.

 

[jjg14e]

okay should I use their saltwater to do a water change then? or another store? I figured I would keep using their's so that there is consistency and I don't mess up my tank by getting another stores bad water, but if the magnesium is low i am not too sure anymore.

 

[Anirban]

Just test ur water next time before u put it in tank. Why don't u make ur own saltwater? It will help u to keep ur parameters checked and under ur control.

 

[CodyRVA]

or just ask them what salt they're using

 

[FishOfHex]

My magnesium is really low in my new 20 gallon IM fusion nano tank. Its around 1150 and the LFS told me it should be 1350. I dont have any corals yet just a few blue leg hermit crabs and a peppermint shrimp as well as some dry rock from marco rocks. How can I get my magnesium back up?

1150 isnt all that low but could come up some.. what happens when your mag gets under 900 or so you will notice your cal, alk will end up participating out and covering equipment. I recommend getting the brs bulk cal, soda ash and mag and dosing by hand or better connect it to a auto doser. Make sure you move slow with mag bc its easy to over dose and takes a lot longer to get the levels back down.