Questions regarding new tank parameters High Calc and Mag

[Cleverbs]

I recently decided to restart my 93g Cube. It had its share of issues so I completely redid it and am taking a more controlled and methodical approach. One of the things I did was changed Salts. I went from Instant ocean to Red Sea. The tank has dry rock, 100% new Salt water mixed with Red Sea, and I used 40lbs of Ocean Direct Sand as my substrate. Everything was done and I tested ~30 hours after. My results are in the table below. Im just a bit confused why my mag and calc mixed so high compared to what it says they should mix to on the bucket of salt. for 1.026 it says it should be Ca 430, Mag 1280, DKH 8. Any thoughts?

Test	Reading
Ammonia (NH3-4) (Red Sea)	0.8
Nitrite (NO2) (Red Sea)	0
Nitrate (NO3) (Red Sea)	3
Magnesium (Mg) (Red Sea)	1400
Alkalinity (Hanna)	8.4 DKH
Calcium (Ca) (Hanna)	496
Phosphate (PO4) (Hanna)	0
PH (Red Sea) (PH Probe)	8.1
Temp (Temp Probe)	76
Salinity	1.026

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Any or all of the tests (including salinity, alk, calcium, and magnesium), or the product claim, could be off.

That said, all of the values are fine.

 

[Cleverbs]

Any or all of the tests (including salinity, alk, calcium, and magnesium), or the product claim, could be off.

That said, all of the values are fine.

Thank you, I recently bought all new test reagents so I figured they should at least be close. I always had a major issue with IO being all over the place and wanted to spend a little more on salt for the stability.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Thank you, I recently bought all new test reagents so I figured they should at least be close. I always had a major issue with IO being all over the place and wanted to spend a little more on salt for the stability.

IMO, many test kits and devices are more variable than is normal IO when mixing a whole bag, but in any case, you should be good.

 

[attiland]

I recently decided to restart my 93g Cube. It had its share of issues so I completely redid it and am taking a more controlled and methodical approach. One of the things I did was changed Salts. I went from Instant ocean to Red Sea. The tank has dry rock, 100% new Salt water mixed with Red Sea, and I used 40lbs of Ocean Direct Sand as my substrate. Everything was done and I tested ~30 hours after. My results are in the table below. Im just a bit confused why my mag and calc mixed so high compared to what it says they should mix to on the bucket of salt. for 1.026 it says it should be Ca 430, Mag 1280, DKH 8. Any thoughts?

Test	Reading
Ammonia (NH3-4) (Red Sea)	0.8
Nitrite (NO2) (Red Sea)	0
Nitrate (NO3) (Red Sea)	3
Magnesium (Mg) (Red Sea)	1400
Alkalinity (Hanna)	8.4 DKH
Calcium (Ca) (Hanna)	496
Phosphate (PO4) (Hanna)	0
PH (Red Sea) (PH Probe)	8.1
Temp (Temp Probe)	76
Salinity	1.026

These are not that bad numbers except the 0 phosphate.

 

[Cleverbs]

These are not that bad numbers except the 0 phosphate.

well the tank has been running for ~48 hours. Nothing has been introduced to become PO4 yet. I would expect it to climb as the cycle continues.

 

[attiland]

well the tank has been running for ~48 hours. Nothing has been introduced to become PO4 yet. I would expect it to climb as the cycle continues.

Sorry I haven’t realised that the tank is just about 2 days old. I wouldn’t really care any of the parameters just yet.

 

[Cleverbs]

Sorry I haven’t realised that the tank is just about 2 days old. I wouldn’t really care any of the parameters just yet.

Well I do. Parameters are something iv personally slacked on in the past. I don't see any better time to get a good understanding of the balance between Alk/Calc/Mag then right now. I also switched salt mixes because of the inconsistent Alk/Calc/Mag levels I was getting from Instant Ocean so understanding the levels I'm getting from the new salt mix is important to me at this time. I know what you are saying though, do my parameters impact anything while its cycling and empty? No not really, but Alk/Calc/Mag to my knowledge are not impacted by the age of the tank but by what has been put into the tank. With my levels being considerably outside of what Red Sea says it should be based on my SG, I was looking to understand why that is. Is it because of test kit variance? or something else?

 

[attiland]

Well I do. Parameters are something iv personally slacked on in the past. I don't see any better time to get a good understanding of the balance between Alk/Calc/Mag then right now. I also switched salt mixes because of the inconsistent Alk/Calc/Mag levels I was getting from Instant Ocean so understanding the levels I'm getting from the new salt mix is important to me at this time. I know what you are saying though, do my parameters impact anything while its cycling and empty? No not really, but Alk/Calc/Mag to my knowledge are not impacted by the age of the tank but by what has been put into the tank. With my levels being considerably outside of what Red Sea says it should be based on my SG, I was looking to understand why that is. Is it because of test kit variance? or something else?

I use the blue bucket. The alk mixes for me to 7.9-8 mg 1250 ca 430. So before I add it to the tank I have to do corrections.

When my tank was new my mg was way too high. Ca was really high and alk was 7.7ish. But it was anything than stable in the beginning. I did nothing and it has stabilised. Than I had to do fix the levels and in a few weeks it has stabilised on the new one.

levels are important but your tank is probably ready for s pair of clowns in a week or do but nothing more. You can try to fix those levels but I think it is not time for that.

it is of course only an option.

good luck

 

[Cleverbs]

I use the blue bucket. The alk mixes for me to 7.9-8 mg 1250 ca 430. So before I add it to the tank I have to do corrections.

When my tank was new my mg was way too high. Ca was really high and alk was 7.7ish. But it was anything than stable in the beginning. I did nothing and it has stabilised. Than I had to do fix the levels and in a few weeks it has stabilised on the new one.

levels are important but your tank is probably ready for s pair of clowns in a week or do but nothing more. You can try to fix those levels but I think it is not time for that.

it is of course only an option.

good luck

For sure. Totally makes sense. I don’t currently want to do anything to adjust the levels. Just trying to learn to understand how they move.

 

[ChaosAquaculture]

have you dosed the tank with anything? kali