Red Sea test kits high calcium and magnesium.

darinsmall86

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Currently have the Red Sea test kit for Calcium, Alk, and Magnesium and a Hanna checker as well for alk. I am consistently getting a magnesium of 1680 and a calcium of 540. The alk test on both the Hanna and Red Sea kit are the same at 7.8. Could the magnesium and calcium really be that high. Have tested multiple times over a couple weeks and get the same results.
 

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Do you dose those? And if so, how much are you dosing of calcium relative to alk?
 

Randy Holmes-Farley

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what do you recommend for testing magnesium??

IMO, it's a low priority test that does not need to be done often at all. It gets way too much air time as important. It's not that magnesium it self is not important, but that it rarely is such that it needs attention if you use appropriate additives, like a balanced two part.


That said, the Salifert test is likely a fine way to go.
 

thatmanMIKEson

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IMO, it's a low priority test that does not need to be done often at all. It gets way too much air time as important. It's not that magnesium it self is not important, but that it rarely is such that it needs attention if you use appropriate additives, like a balanced two part.


That said, the Salifert test is likely a fine way to go.
I only ask because(you know your stuff) the salifert was telling me 1500 using mostly reef crystals for mix. My tank is usually at 8.2dkh and 476 calcium w/Hanna checkers yesterday.

I want to get a second test to check it against.
Only water changes and small dosing brs pharma just to maintain parameters(NO MAG dosing) ...but thank you for your help
 

PatW

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IMO, it's a low priority test that does not need to be done often at all. It gets way too much air time as important. It's not that magnesium it self is not important, but that it rarely is such that it needs attention if you use appropriate additives, like a balanced two part.


That said, the Salifert test is likely a fine way to go.

My results are similar. The Red Sea magnesium test just drove me crazy. I use Salifert. In my experience, regular water changes keeps my magnesium pretty stable. I dose Ca and ALK. I have an SPS dominant system.
 

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I only ask because(you know your stuff) the salifert was telling me 1500 using mostly reef crystals for mix. My tank is usually at 8.2dkh and 476 calcium w/Hanna checkers yesterday.

I want to get a second test to check it against.
Only water changes and small dosing brs pharma just to maintain parameters(NO MAG dosing) ...but thank you for your help

if your salinity is off then your mag and other parameters could be raised.
 

thatmanMIKEson

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My results are similar. The Red Sea magnesium test just drove me crazy. I use Salifert. In my experience, regular water changes keeps my magnesium pretty stable. I dose Ca and ALK. I have an SPS dominant system.
do you mean your mag test is similar, high around the max of the test?

seems like salifert is the prefered test, i guess i could have high magnesium mixed with a combination of tester error but i can tell its twords the end of the test up in the 1500 area but i was just looking for a second test for a second opinion, maybe i need more practice with the salifert test
 
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