Magnesium intake

[Shahin bahrami]

I have started a new aquarium. Today it has been 3 months. Magnesium consumption is 40 mg/L per day. Where does this amount go when there is no fish or coral?

 

[X-37B]

Its impossible for your system to use that much per day. Test error!
Get another test kit and retest.

 

[Shahin bahrami]

Its impossible for your system to use that much per day. Test error!
Get another test kit and retest.

I tested with three different kits. I also have a reference solution. I have checked the kits with this reference solution.

 

[X-37B]

I tested with three different kits. I also have a reference solution. I have checked the kits with this reference solution.

Just trying to help.
Like I said before something is off. No system can use that amount of mag in one day or even a week or month.
Someone else please confirm for the op.
What is you alk and ca levels and how much do they vary daily?
It would be almost impossible to see ca move in one day also.
Alk is the only one you can measure and get a difference in a day.

 

[Shahin bahrami]

Just trying to help.
Like I said before something is off. No system can use that amount of mag in one day or even a week or month.
Someone else please confirm for the op.
What is you alk and ca levels and how much do they vary daily?
It would be almost impossible to see ca move in one day also.
Alk is the only one you can measure and get a difference in a day.

The level of KH, Ca and Mg is constant. Because the dosing pump does. Only I witness consumption.

I also sent the water to the laboratory for testing three days in a row.
Every three days
KH = 9
Ca = 440
Mg = 1340

 

[X-37B]

The level of KH, Ca and Mg is constant. Because the dosing pump does. Only I witness consumption.

I also sent the water to the laboratory for testing three days in a row.

I dont understand. How can they be constant if you mag flucuates that much?
Again it is not possible to use that much mag in a day. Do a search here for more info.
Easy question. How much alk does your system use in 1 day?
How about a tank pic.

 

[Shahin bahrami]

I dont understand. How can they be constant if you mag flucuates that much?
Again it is not possible to use that much mag in a day. Do a search here for more info.
Easy question. How much alk does your system use in 1 day?
How about a tank pic.

alk dose is: 2.15 gr/Day

Daily measurements show constant values. But the stock solution level is going down. It means it is being consumed.

 

[Shahin bahrami]

alk dose is: 2.15 gr/Day

I dont understand. How can they be constant if you mag flucuates that much?
Again it is not possible to use that much mag in a day. Do a search here for more info.
Easy question. How much alk does your system use in 1 day?
How about a tank pic.

Daily measurements show constant values. But the stock solution level is going down. It means it is being consumed.

 

[X-37B]

alk dose is: 2.15 gr/Day

Daily measurements show constant values. But the stock solution level is going down. It means it is being consumed.

What I meant was what is your daily alk consumption not how much you dose. Lets say its 8. If you dont dose what is the level in 24hrs. If it goes from 8 to 7.5 in 24hrs without dosing you daily consumption is 0.5 dkh a day. This is how you determine how to dose.

 

[Shahin bahrami]

I dont understand. How can they be constant if you mag flucuates that much?
Again it is not possible to use that much mag in a day. Do a search here for more info.
Easy question. How much alk does your system use in 1 day?
How about a tank pic.

What I meant was what is your daily alk consumption not how much you dose. Lets say its 8. If you dont dose what is the level in 24hrs. If it goes from 8 to 7.5 in 24hrs without dosing you daily consumption is 0.5 dkh a day. This is how you determine how to dose.

If I turn off the dosing pump، after 24h
KH: 9 ---> 8.2
Ca: 440 ---> 428
Mg: 1340 ---> 1315

 

[X-37B]

Ok so your alk comsumptjon is 0.8 a day.
If you turn off your mag it should not drop from 1340 in one day.
Test kits are not that accurate.
Same with ca.
I only test alk every few days.
I test ca once a month when I remember.
What chemistry are you using to dose alk, ca, and mag?

 

[Shahin bahrami]

Ok so your alk comsumptjon is 0.8 a day.
If you turn off your mag it should not drop from 1340 in one day.
Test kits are not that accurate.
Same with ca.
I only test alk every few days.
I test ca once a month when I remember.
What chemistry are you using to dose alk, ca, and mag?

Mg: Reef Advantage Magnesium (Seachem)
Ca: Calcium powder (Deep Ocean)
KH: KH buffer (Continuum)

​

 

[X-37B]

Mg: Reef Advantage Magnesium (Seachem)
Ca: Calcium powder (Deep Ocean)
KH: KH buffer (Continuum)

​

Not familar with any of those.
Your numbers are good so I would just keep doing the same if the numbers stay consistant.
If you have any questions you can pm me. I have been in the hobby since the 80's. Yea im old, lol.
Good luck and start a build thread so we can follow.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

OK, just to reiterate what has been correctly stated, a drop of 40 ppm magnesium in one day is NEVER real, except by salinity drop. A drop in specific gravity from 1.026 to 1.025 will drop magnesium from 1350 ppm to 1298 ppm.

With an alk decline of 0.8 dKH per day, the real magnesium consumption is not more than 0.6 ppm per day, and may be much less.

I personally recommend you skip measuring it at all since it will just lead to problems. Use the RMM method where you add magnesium based on alk or calcium declines, and never measure it.

Just say NO to magnesium testing: RMM is born

OK, this thread has been many years in the making, and I'm posting it here since folks in the chem forum are probably already tired of all the threads relating to problematic magnesium testing. I'm going to propose a method, let's call it the Randy Magnesium Method, or RMM for short. All good...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Shahin bahrami]

OK, just to reiterate what has been correctly stated, a drop of 40 ppm magnesium in one day is NEVER real, except by salinity drop. A drop in specific gravity from 1.026 to 1.025 will drop magnesium from 1350 ppm to 1298 ppm.

With an alk decline of 0.8 dKH per day, the real magnesium consumption is not more than 0.6 ppm per day, and may be much less.

I personally recommend you skip measuring it at all since it will just lead to problems. Use the RMM method where you add magnesium based on alk or calcium declines, and never measure it.

Just say NO to magnesium testing: RMM is born

OK, this thread has been many years in the making, and I'm posting it here since folks in the chem forum are probably already tired of all the threads relating to problematic magnesium testing. I'm going to propose a method, let's call it the Randy Magnesium Method, or RMM for short. All good...

www.reef2reef.com

Thank you for your guidance and support. But now my problem is not the amount of magnesium or calcium. My problem is where the daily dose is taken.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Your first post says you just started this aquarium - what livestock is currently in the tank? Generally, dosing isn't necessary in a new (few if any corals) tank..

 

[Shahin bahrami]

Your first post says you just started this aquarium - what livestock is currently in the tank? Generally, dosing isn't necessary in a new (few if any corals) tank..

Yeah. You are right. But I want to slowly add the corals and I want the level of elements to be suitable for practice and preparation. My question is where does this dose go? Is it possible to attract liverocks?

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Yeah. You are right. But I want to slowly add the corals and I want the level of elements to be suitable for practice and preparation. My question is where does this dose go? Is it possible to attract liverocks?

I don't know, but personally, I would stop testing for those 3 and focus on letting your tank mature. Regular water changes will replenish any minor consumption of alk/cal by inverts with shells and/or coralline algae. Once you actually have stoney corals, then you can start to track your alk/ca levels to see if regular water changes are keeping up with demand.
I understand your interest given your test results, but as everyone has said, there has to be some error somewhere.

 

[Shahin bahrami]

I don't know, but personally, I would stop testing for those 3 and focus on letting your tank mature. Regular water changes will replenish any minor consumption of alk/cal by inverts with shells and/or coralline algae. Once you actually have stoney corals, then you can start to track your alk/ca levels to see if regular water changes are keeping up with demand.
I understand your interest given your test results, but as everyone has said, there has to be some error somewhere.

thank you so much.

 

[Lavey29]

Don't even know why you are dosing anything in a 3 month old tank with no coral. Your testing is faulty. Your tank doesn't have anything in there to consume any alk, cal or mag.