Magnesium

[mustseefish]

how much Red Sea magnesium should I dose in my 20 gallon tank?

 

[Garf]

how much Red Sea magnesium should I dose in my 20 gallon tank?

Lol, you may have to provide a little more information. Current level, salinity, waterchange schedule bla bla bla

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

None.

 

[Nano_Man]

Just do regular water changes
That will replenish most things missing
Also mag readings can be different for different Salinity readings

 

[I never finish anythi]

how much Red Sea magnesium should I dose in my 20 gallon tank?

What are your mag levels ??

 

[gbroadbridge]

how much Red Sea magnesium should I dose in my 20 gallon tank?

None. And I wouldn't waste money buying a magnesium test either.

Just do regular weekly water changes.

 

[I never finish anythi]

None. And I wouldn't waste money buying a magnesium test either.

Just do regular weekly water changes.

What so testing mag is a waste of time ??

 

[gbroadbridge]

What so testing mag is a waste of time ??

Pretty much, yes.

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

 

[I never finish anythi]

Pretty much, yes.

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

Interesting. I've only ever tested it once in 2 years and that was a few days ago . It was at 1280 give it take . Might not bother again then . One less thing to test

 

[Nano_Man]

And just a thought don’t buy expensive fancy bottle stuff. Pure Epsom salts mixed with rodi do the same job. You just need a calculator. But just do regular water changes and you’ll be fine

http://reef.diesyst.com/cf/chemcalccf.html

 

[Garf]

And just a thought don’t buy expensive fancy bottle stuff. Pure Epsom salts mixed with rodi do the same job. You just need a calculator. But just do regular water changes and you’ll be fine

http://reef.diesyst.com/cf/chemcalccf.html

Youre not mixing it with magnesium chloride? I would assume that would raise the sulfate ratio, but maybe not important, especially if doing regular waterchanges.

 

[Nano_Man]

Youre not mixing it with magnesium chloride? I would assume that would raise the sulfate ratio, but maybe not important, especially if doing regular waterchanges.

Regular water changes

 

[Garf]

I may as well throw one of Randy's articles up here;

https://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-07/rhf/index.php#14

 

[Seansea]

Not testing is up to you but i still do. If my mag drops below 1200 i can tell because my euphelia suck in on their skulls. And not one but all of em. Dose mag back up and they back to fluffy and beautiful within 24 hours. I keep mine around 1450 and they seem really happy at that level and nothing else seems to care.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Not testing is up to you but i still do. If my mag drops below 1200 i can tell because my euphelia suck in on their skulls. And not one but all of em. Dose mag back up and they back to fluffy and beautiful within 24 hours. I keep mine around 1450 and they seem really happy at that level and nothing else seems to care.

If you use a method that adds magnesium based on alk or calcium additions, magnesium will never drop below 1200 ppm and you wouldn’t need to test.

The idea is not to give up magnesium dosing, but to do it independent of magnesium testing.

 

[Garf]

Ok, I gave in and tested mine (200 litre tank) with my aqua forest test kit. I've used this kit only a few times (same as my potassium test kit). I do 1.5% daily waterchanges with Tropic Marin Classic and throw a few tablespoons of mag chloride (with a little mag sulfate) into my salt mixing bin (100 litres). After using a combination of reading glasses and a magnifying glass to read the test instructions, my tank reads 1310ish. So back into the cupboard the test kit goes. I think my tank uses about 10 ppm mag per week currently.

 

[Seansea]

If you use a method that adds magnesium based on alk or calcium additions, magnesium will never drop below 1200 ppm and you wouldn’t need to test.

The idea is not to give up magnesium dosing, but to do it independent of magnesium testing.

It definatly does. I dose AFR and my calcium goes high when alk stays constant. Mag comes in low. So have to dose. Use salifert test kit compared with icp testing and its spot on. For me personally i wouldnt not test but thats up to each tank owner. Some tanks may never have mag problems or keep organisms that rely on it.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

It definatly does. I dose AFR and my calcium goes high when alk stays constant. Mag comes in low. So have to dose. Use salifert test kit compared with icp testing and its spot on. For me personally i wouldnt not test but thats up to each tank owner. Some tanks may never have mag problems or keep organisms that rely on it.

It definitely does what?

AFR is not properly balanced for RMM use. Of course it declines, especially in a tank with lots of coralline. You need to add more if you want to not test when using AFR.

The method says add magnesium at 5-10% of the calcium. AFR only adds it at 4.4% of calcium. Hence the decline you observe.

 

[Seansea]

It definitely does what?

AFR is not properly balanced for RMM use. Of course it declines, especially in a tank with lots of coralline. You need to add more if you want to not test when using AFR.

The method says add magnesium at 5-10% of the calcium. AFR only adds it at 4.4% of calcium. Hence the decline you observe.

Depletes mag. And i wouldnt add anything to my tank without testing. Wheteher alk or calcium or magnesium. Icp testing covers minor elements. Just me but however anyone runs their tank is up to them.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Depletes mag. And i wouldnt add anything to my tank without testing. Wheteher alk or calcium or magnesium. Icp testing covers minor elements. Just me but however anyone runs their tank is up to them.

Ok, but it seems your magnesium has been unstable with your current method and improving the method would seem desirable.