Problems with maintaining magnesium it keeps dropping.

[Max93]

If it is low and that result is not test error (a test can repeat perfectly and still be inaccurate) then it is coming from the salt mix. It is not being consumed.

Low salinity can also yield low everything, including magnesium. What do you think the salinity is and how are you measuring it?

Hey Randy, my SG is at 1.026 with a calibrated refractometer. I’ll test my salt mix today. If my mix tests perfect, then what is the next step?

 

[Max93]

Just tested tank again, mg at 1140.
I’m mixing a fresh 5 gallon batch to see what the magnesium tests at. Will provide results in 3 hours or so.

 

[Floyd-]

Just tested tank again, mg at 1140.
I’m mixing a fresh 5 gallon batch to see what the magnesium tests at. Will provide results in 3 hours or so.

Ill check my new SW also. Just mixed a batch yesterday. I just use IO.

 

[Max93]

Ill check my new SW also. Just mixed a batch yesterday. I just use IO.

I’m using Red Sea blue bucket, let’s see what happens. My bet is that it’ll show perfect magnesium, fingers crossed.
I read somewhere that algae growth (such as a turf scrubber) can deplete magnesium. Not sure if that’s true or not.

 

[Floyd-]

I’m using Red Sea blue bucket, let’s see what happens. My bet is that it’ll show perfect magnesium, fingers crossed.
I read somewhere that algae growth (such as a turf scrubber) can deplete magnesium. Not sure if that’s true or not.

If thats the case then it would make sense for me. I have a lot of turf algae on my rocks all of a sudden.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I’m using Red Sea blue bucket, let’s see what happens. My bet is that it’ll show perfect magnesium, fingers crossed.
I read somewhere that algae growth (such as a turf scrubber) can deplete magnesium. Not sure if that’s true or not.

The only algae that can appreciably impact calcium, alkalinity and magnesium are calcerous algae such as halimeda. Noncalcerous organisms have no where to put magnesium.

The internal concentration of dissolved magnesium inside of tissues (cells) is typically lower than in seawater. Noncalcerous organisms try to keep it out, not take it up.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

If thats the case then it would make sense for me. I have a lot of turf algae on my rocks all of a sudden.

It isn’t.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Hey Randy, my SG is at 1.026 with a calibrated refractometer. I’ll test my salt mix today. If my mix tests perfect, then what is the next step?

If the tank is low with the same kit that shows the salt mix is fine, just dose it up, then sit back and watch for an extended period and see what happens.

 

[Floyd-]

It isn’t.

I thought it would be odd. That was the first I heard of that notion that Mag and algae are connected at all.
Ill test the main tank and my new SW batch of IO tonight and see what I have for Mag.
Last mag test was 1320 using Salifert. Was as low as 1200 ppm

 

[Max93]

Thanks Randy! I appreciate the knowledge, you are awesome. I’m almost up to temp in my 5g bucket, salt is next. I’m at work so it’ll be a bit more than a couple hours haha.
I don’t have any coralline algae either in my tank, so I’m wondering where its going.

 

[Max93]

Randy you were right - salt is bad?
Just tested my 5g batch, 78 degrees, 1.026 salinity.
1140 magnesium o.o

I guess I’ll switch back to my prior salt mix. This is annoying - does it mean the whole bucket is lacking in magnesium? I’ll test calcium shortly to see if it’s the same thing..

Although the bucket does say 35 ppt to achieve 1280 magnesium, technically 1.026 is not 35 ppt right? It’s a little higher on the scale of the refractometer.

 

[Floyd-]

And for my testing...
The 150gallon display tested at 1320 and my fresh IO mixing since yesterday at 1.026 reads 1500+ with the same Salifert test.
I just did a 20 gallon change yesterday as part of my weekly change.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Randy you were right - salt is bad?
Just tested my 5g batch, 78 degrees, 1.026 salinity.
1140 magnesium o.o

I guess I’ll switch back to my prior salt mix. This is annoying - does it mean the whole bucket is lacking in magnesium? I’ll test calcium shortly to see if it’s the same thing..

Although the bucket does say 35 ppt to achieve 1280 magnesium, technically 1.026 is not 35 ppt right? It’s a little higher on the scale of the refractometer.

Might be a bad batch, a bad magnesium test kit result, or lower salinity than you think.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

And for my testing...
The 150gallon display tested at 1320 and my fresh IO mixing since yesterday at 1.026 reads 1500+ with the same Salifert test.
I just did a 20 gallon change yesterday as part of my weekly change.

You two need to share salt mixes. lol

 

[Max93]

Might be a bad batch, a bad magnesium test kit result, or lower salinity than you think.

I’m raising it up to 35 ppt now to see if I get the advertised results. I may just switch back to my original salt mix, was just trying to save some money. I was using bio actif but not that one just that brand.

 

[Max93]

You two need to share salt mixes. lol

Lololol

 

[Max93]

Just recalibrated and it’s perfect, 1.0264 and hits perfect at the 35 ppt right on using reagents calibration standard. I’m double checking my results on the Red Sea mix. If results are the same, I will add magnesium to the bucket to see if it goes up, that will determine if the test is accurate.

 

[Max93]

For fun I raised the SG in the sample batch to 1.028. The resulting magnesium test was 1290. Bad batch, maybe all the magnesium is stuck at the bottom, I don’t know. Overall still switching salts. Will work on supplementing display.

 

[homer1475]

You mentioned it's a bucket of salt. Have you heard of stratification? It's when the elements settle in a bucket. For this reason we always recommend to roll the bucket around before using for the first time.

Not saying this is your issue, but something to keep in mind.

 

[Floyd-]

You two need to share salt mixes. lol

Seems like it. Ive used Fritz, Red sea, IO Reef and now IO.