Magnesium

[muk]

Hi guys!!!
I have many corals not doing well, so I had my LFS test the water and got the following results:

PH: 7.9
Kh: 8.3
Calcium: 445
Magmesium: 972
Phosphate: .10
Nitrate: 9

I was told to raise the magnesium I need to add 50ml of Red Sea Magnesium foundation C everyday for the next 2 weeks. Is there another way to speed the process? I was thinking of dosing every hour or so til the levels are up

 

[Lavey29]

You don't want to exceed what the instruction say for max dosing or it will shock the tank and cause other problems.

 

[1ocean]

slow and steady is best...if you do it too fast the corals will do worse..What type of coral you have...Are you doing tests yourself and had the LFS just check your water for you? If you are doing your own tests what test kits you using? Perhaps they not working right...

 

[iReefer12]

Just buy epsom salts from target. Much much cheaper, and can raise mg roughly 75ppm each day with no issues.

Here is a great calculator to work out how much epsom salt you need: https://reef.diesyst.com/chemcalc/chemcalc.html

Mix it with some saltwater or mix with freshwater in a bucket then add the mix to the tank

 

[DrDirt]

Ditto! Slow adjustment is the best approach.

 

[lil sumpin]

I’ve been using Kent tech m it’s like $5 on Amazon. My mag was critically low for a bit and I lost some frags but now the survivors are looking pretty content

 

[muk]

slow and steady is best...if you do it too fast the corals will do worse..What type of coral you have...Are you doing tests yourself and had the LFS just check your water for you? If you are doing your own tests what test kits you using? Perhaps they not working right...

Local fish store tested using an API machine that holds water inside a cassette

 

[muk]

Local fish store tested using an API machine that holds water inside a cassette

I test with Salifert

 

[InactionJackson]

I test with Salifert

So your Salifert matched the LFS test?

 

[rtparty]

How old is the system and are you doing water changes?

 

[bushdoc]

Magnesium consumption is about 10% of Ca, so your results is possible if:

• your water changes are infrequent or non existent
• you have lot's of corals
• you dose Ca and Alkalinity but not Mg

Otherwise it might be testing error, even if done by stuff from LFS and especially using API machine.
Magnesium testing is frequently prone to errors and I would tripple check level before commiting to any additives.

 

[muk]

Magnesium consumption is about 10% of Ca, so your results is possible if:

• your water changes are infrequent or non existent
• you have lot's of corals
• you dose Ca and Alkalinity but not Mg

Otherwise it might be testing error, even if done by stuff from LFS and especially using API machine.
Magnesium testing is frequently prone to errors and I would tripple check level before commiting to any additives.

I had a maintenance guy doing biweekly maintenance. I do have a lot of corals and dose tropic Marine all reef with CA KH MG

 

[muk]

How old is the system and are you doing water changes?

8 months… water is changed bi weekly switched from red sea pro black bucket to tropic marine

 

[muk]

So your Salifert matched the LFS test?

I am driving home now to check

 

[rtparty]

8 months… water is changed bi weekly switched from red sea pro black bucket to tropic marine

Outside of something crazy like a horrible batch of salt, I don’t see any way your magnesium could drop that low

 

[bushdoc]

I don't think All-For -Reef has got Mg, so you might have an answer.
You were dosing Ca and Alk but not Mg, although it is still difficult for me to believe that Mg would drop so low.

 

[rtparty]

I don't think All-For -Reef has got Mg, so you might have an answer.
You were dosing Ca and Alk but not Mg, although it is still difficult for me to believe that Mg would drop so low.

It contains magnesium

 

[bushdoc]

Thanks, it looks as if does, although I couldn't find how much.

 

[muk]

I am driving home now to check

I just tested and its 1170 with the salifert compared to 972 the LFS had tested. I had added 50ml of magnesium 3 hours ago so that’s adding about right

 

[muk]

It contains magnesium

Outside of something crazy like a horrible batch of salt, I don’t see any way your magnesium could drop that low

I double checked with my salifert test kit to compare to the LFS results… mine read 1170. I had dosed 50ml of magnesium 3+ hours ago