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Magnesium

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by mpivit, Feb 20, 2013.

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  1. Feb 20, 2013 #1
    mpivit Dubuque

    mpivit Well-Known ReefKeeper

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    After reading Kpotters post, I was thinking i should probably test as well.

    My results were as expected, including a Magnesium reading so high, that it does not register on the Red Sea kit. I always follow the instructions, and have always gotten the same results. My question is, Is high magnesium a bad thing ? and what are the ramifications. The only issue I know with my tank is that my acans don't do the best. They survive, and multiply but never get that big puffy look that I see in some people's tanks. Could this be because of high Magnesium,
    For what it is worth I do add aquavitro reef fuel at about 1/4 the recommended dose. I know this product contains some magnesium.

    I have considered I just have a bad test kit. (At $40 I hope this is not the case)

    Calcium was 420
    Alk was about 10 (up from 8-9 prior to replacing substrate)

     
  2. Feb 20, 2013 #2
    Kpotter2 North liberty, IA

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    Glad i could help.lol Funny how all this works! Great post and I am interested in the info also
     
  3. Feb 20, 2013 #3
    jstngates Toledo Iowa

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    OK you guys talked me into it I'm gonna test here in a bit will let you know.
     
  4. Feb 20, 2013 #4
    Kpotter2 North liberty, IA

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    Lol Sweet testing party! Got to love it!
     
  5. Feb 20, 2013 #5
    jstngates Toledo Iowa

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    1160? Is that too low?
     
  6. Feb 20, 2013 #6
    jstngates Toledo Iowa

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    Also tested nitrates at 0 for now lol
     
  7. Feb 20, 2013 #7
    jstngates Toledo Iowa

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    Calcium is 380 so are both mag and calcium low?
     
  8. Feb 20, 2013 #8
    mpivit Dubuque

    mpivit Well-Known ReefKeeper

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    Those are at the low end, but not terrible. Did you test alk?
     
  9. Feb 20, 2013 #9
    jstngates Toledo Iowa

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    So just add a little bit of each?
     
  10. Feb 20, 2013 #10
    mpivit Dubuque

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    What's your alk?
     
  11. Feb 20, 2013 #11
    jstngates Toledo Iowa

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    not sure
     
  12. Feb 20, 2013 #12
    erayk1 Coralville, IA

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    I think ALK is the most important out of the 3. I always test for alk, because if it is too high, you'll burn stuff; if it's too low, stuff won't grow and look as good. The other two just take a little tweaking (adding) or are maintained with water changes.
     
  13. Feb 21, 2013 #13
    mpivit Dubuque

    mpivit Well-Known ReefKeeper

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    Is consistently (very) high magnesium something i should be concerned with?
     
  14. Feb 21, 2013 #14
    mpivit Dubuque

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    You could, but I would test the alk first, my gut is that while your numbers are a little low, they are probably in balance. You don't want to throw them out of balance by adding calc and not alk. It is my understanding that kalkwasser is a balanced additive that will raise both alk and calc in the proper proportions. your next water change (if you do them) would probably take care of it as well.
     
  15. Feb 21, 2013 #15
    mpivit Dubuque

    mpivit Well-Known ReefKeeper

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    You could, but I would test the alk first, my gut is that while your numbers are a little low, they are probably in balance. You don't want to throw them out of balance by adding calc and not alk. It is my understanding that kalkwasser is a balanced additive that will raise both alk and calc in the proper proportions. your next water change (if you do them) would probably take care of it as well.
     
  16. Feb 21, 2013 #16
    xroads La Porte City, IA

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    The problem with too high of mag is that it is bound to other elements. Not a chemist by any means, but it can have an adverse effect on other elements in the water.

    Think of your water as an empty bowl. The bowl can only hold so much. If it is too full of magnesium, then there isn't enough room for other elements to fit in and balance.

    That is the laymans terms it was explained to me years ago.
     
  17. Feb 21, 2013 #17
    beckerj3 West Des Moines, IA

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    Calc - 380 is a bit low. Most people like to raise it to around 425.


    Alk - as mentioned earlier, very important. I'm using the Salifert kit. Previously I used API and thought I was good - somewhere 8-9. Then I switched to the Salifert and found I was constantly down around 7. Things are ok and still grow well for me at that reading, but things like the acans look much fuller when I get (and keep) the alk reading up around 8.5


    Mag - I've used the Red Sea kit and the Salifert Kit. Hands down I like the salifert kit better. Simpler and I think more accurate. If mag is too high (I'll qualify below), it may affect your invertebres and possibly your SPS - but there are mixed stories on that.


    I've recently magnesium up high (as in about 1700) for a short period of time (4-6 weeks) in a new biocube that I purchased. The high mag was a treatment for some bryopsis that came as a hitchhiker on some live rock that came with that complete system I purchased.


    The Salifert mag kit also tests to 1500 with one complete vial (1ml) of the solution. So when the syringe is empty (that's 1500), I fill the syringe again and continue to add solution drop by drop until the color change occurs. Based on the amt of solution left in the syringe I get a second reading that I add to the 1500 number. I think the same would probably work with the Red Sea kit.


    OR, you might have a bad Red Sea kit. When I first got the Red Sea kit, the reagents were bad (never changed color to mark the end point), and it took to the 3rd one before it worked (I called Red Sea directly and they replaced the kit).
     
  18. Feb 21, 2013 #18
    PotRoast

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    watch this video...it is very informative videoWaverz (jeremy) did a couple years ago.


    http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/video/series/view/calcium-alkalinity-reef-aquarium-series?video=62
     
  19. Feb 21, 2013 #19
    mpivit Dubuque

    mpivit Well-Known ReefKeeper

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    How did you lower the mag in your Bio-cube? I did what you suggested and got a reading of about 1700. I recently changed tanks and in the process, replaced all my sand as well as added roughly 50% new water. I assume that the addition of fresh saltwater lowered my Mag somewhat, maybe that is why my alk went from 8-9 to about 10. Until this test, the only thing I was testing was Alk on a weekly basis for about 6 months. And it is an API test kit, so my alk may be sitting closer to 9 now. (This would make sense as at a reading of 8 seemed to be the minimum level which my tank inhabitants looked good, visually I could tell when it dropped below by my corals appearance).

    The one thing that I have been very disappointed in is the way Acans don't get that full look in my tank, I'm getting a little excited that maybe the Mag is preventing my alk from reaching ideal levels. Hopefully if I get this figured out they will look as good as I hope.
     
  20. Feb 21, 2013 #20
    mpivit Dubuque

    mpivit Well-Known ReefKeeper

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    By the way thanks
     
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