Magnesium dropping considerably. Daily dosing!

[Nanolifeuk]

I am dosing iquatics kh buffer daily (0.3g) to maintain kh 8.4

Whilst calcium stays steady at 420-400, magnesium is dropping. I am dosing magnesium salt every day to maintain at 1360.
Without this it falls to around 1200. Even a water change will lower it to 1290.

salt params are way higher and I’ve even tested fresh saltwater to make sure it’s not this.

ultimately. I read a lot that people don’t need y does mg daily. So is this normal?

*60L tank, 14month old

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I am dosing iquatics kh buffer daily (0.3g) to maintain kh 8.4

Whilst calcium stays steady at 420-400, magnesium is dropping. I am dosing magnesium salt every day to maintain at 1360.
Without this it falls to around 1200. Even a water change will lower it to 1290.

salt params are way higher and I’ve even tested fresh saltwater to make sure it’s not this.

ultimately. I read a lot that people don’t need y does mg daily. So is this normal?

*60L tank, 14month old

That drop must be either test error, or a salinity drop.

To have a real drop of 100 ppm of magnesium requires consumption at the same time of at least about 140 dKH of alk and about 1,000 ppm of calcium.

 

[Nanolifeuk]

I use Salifert tests. Do u think maybe dosing kh buffer affects the reagents in the mg test kit?

 

[Nanolifeuk]

I can’t figure out the need to bump this much mag in there

 

[Lavey29]

You probably want to get a second test done at your LFS to verify results. Unless your salinity dropped dramatically there is no mechanism to reduce magnesium that much daily.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I can’t figure out the need to bump this much mag in there

There isn’t any way it’s needed.

 

[Nanolifeuk]

I think I’m gonna do an ICP :/

 

[Nanolifeuk]

There isn’t any way it’s needed.

yesterday mag = 1370
Today = 1280

Did both tests twice? Are you sure there’s nothing in the tank that can absorb it up?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

yesterday mag = 1370
Today = 1280

Did both tests twice? Are you sure there’s nothing in the tank that can absorb it up?

Absolutely positive. There’s no mechanism to allow that to happen except a large drop in salinity.

 

[jay1976]

yesterday mag = 1370
Today = 1280

Did both tests twice? Are you sure there’s nothing in the tank that can absorb it up?

Did you ever figure this out having the same issue?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Did you ever figure this out having the same issue?

Most magnesium issues are actually testing problems. Magnesium never is depleted at more than about 1/10th of the calcium depletion rate.

What exact issue are you having?

You may find this method (ignoring magnesium testing) will relieve your concern:

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/just-say-no-to-magnesium-testing-rmm-is-born.1017528/