magnesium test question

[fireman23]

Yesterday i checked my tank parameters and magnesium seemed a little high at 1700.
Calcium was 540, alk was 7. Salinity is 1.025. Is high calcium bad.

 

[Pappy]

No but it will be hard to keep your alk stable. Mg is definitely high though.

 

[fireman23]

What is the best way to lower mag.

 

[mrcoffee]

1700 while high is not out of hand. I would not dose any MAG and you should see it deplete and having good water changes will help. There is a thread about battleing briopsis with High Mag. You are at the very bottom of the range for this though. they say setting it at the 2200 level or so. Mag will slowly decline some salts start with pretty high mag becuse many people rely on water changes for mag suplimenation. Mag does have a critical role in keeping the stability of alk and calcium I would refrence Randy Holmes-Farley Aquarium Chemistry: Magnesium In Reef Aquaria — Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog I would say read the bible of mag in the aquarium.

 

[mrcoffee]

And by the way I never knew NORI was so very high in mag. Intresting.

 

[Dowtish]

What test kit are you using for Mag?

 

[fireman23]

Its red sea I believe. Ill double check when get home

 

[Dowtish]

If it is the new version red sea test, they have been reported to be off by a lot. 300 or so, in some cases. All the other red sea tests are good, but the mag is not getting good reviews fyi.

 

[mixer911]

yep, the red sea mag kits show high. I would say you are in the 1350 -1400 range.