1600+ magnesium

[TheGreenReefer]

I've been running my tank a magnesium levels over 1600 for 2+ months. I over dosed once and I've been trying to get it down ever since. Corals are fine, but I think I can get more growth out of my sticks if the magnesium was a couple hundred points lower. anyone have any tips to get it out of the system? Been doing weekly water changes and have seen no difference

 

[blasterman]

Use a salt mix with low mag like instant ocean.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

That's the only way.

 

[Robin316us]

Use a salt mix with low mag like instant ocean.

Hi.. I’m also havIng same issue.. mag is 1660. I’ve stopped dosing for over 2 weeks and still I don’t know why it’s not coming down. I’m using Fritz Blue Box . So just for reducing Mag, I’ve to use Instant Ocean to reduce Mag?

 

[lmm1967]

mine is that high and I've never dosed MG. Salinity is at 52, confirmed multiple times with a Pinpoint & a Red Sea refractometer (34 ppt).

I thought it was horrible testing method by me or bad test kits (I've tried multiple) - but now that I'm using the trident and it came back the same as my other test kits I'm convinced it really is that high.

I'm using SeaChem Vibrant Sea which should mix much lower than my numbers.

I'm curious if I'm in some sort of danger zone @Randy Holmes-Farley ?

I don't like quick fixes unless absolutely necessary and my preference is to dose Alk and get my PH a little higher (currently average around 7.9) and let both Mg & Ca fall naturally (Ca is 500).

 

[homer1475]

Back in the day we used to raise MAG to over 1600 with a specific product to combat certain algaes. Never seen a negative effect from keeping it that high. I'm currently over 1600 using just regular IO, and no dosing. It just stays that high.

 

[lmm1967]

Back in the day we used to raise MAG to over 1600 with a specific product to combat certain algaes. Never seen a negative effect from keeping it that high. I'm currently over 1600 using just regular IO, and no dosing. It just stays that high.

Holy Cow - I'm not alone!

 

[homer1475]

Holy Cow - I'm not alone!

Certainly not alone, and my tank has been that way for about 2 years now.

 

[fishface NJ]

You aren't alone. I have never dosed MG and it's high. I daily dose Kh and Ca.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Ouch. That’s some high content.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Hi.. I’m also havIng same issue.. mag is 1660. I’ve stopped dosing for over 2 weeks and still I don’t know why it’s not coming down. I’m using Fritz Blue Box . So just for reducing Mag, I’ve to use Instant Ocean to reduce Mag?

It probably is coming down, but at 1 ppm a day (a reasonably high magnesium consumption rate) it will take a year to hit NSW levels.

Instant Ocean is not the only choice. Many salt mixes will be fine for this purpose.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I would also add that MANY folks get erroneous readings from their magnesium kits, especially the Red Sea.

If you measure your new salt water, and it reads very high in magnesium (and salinity is normal), then it may be the magnesium measurement that is off.

 

[EMeyer]

Randy, do you have any idea what is the issue that gives the bad readings with these kits? Is it a misinterpretation of the endpoint? Bad QC with reagents? Improper procedures (e.g. not mixing long enough between drops or something similar)?

--

I try hard to hit NSW levels in my tanks for everything I can measure, except I do keep Mg elevated at about 1400 (based on the kit, who knows what the real level is) because I've observed problems with montipora below that level. In the process of raising it, I once overdosed to about 1600.

The only problem I noticed was my zoas were reallly unhappy for a week or two, I honestly thought I was gonna lose my whole collection. I dropped the Mg and they bounced back.

 

[sradosevich]

I use Red Sea Pro salt mix (black bucket) and find that it has always had such elevated levels. This morning's measurement was 1632 in my tank. I've never noticed an ill effect from this, but individual mileage may vary!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I use Red Sea Pro salt mix (black bucket) and find that it has always had such elevated levels. This morning's measurement was 1632 in my tank. I've never noticed an ill effect from this, but individual mileage may vary!

If you are at 35 ppt (or anything close to it or lower; sg = 1.0264) and the magnesium measurement is accurate, you have always had way out of spec salt batches. Red Sea claims it is 1390 ppm at 35 ppt:

Coral Pro Salt | Premium grade, high Alkalinity - Red Sea

Coral Pro reef salt enhances coral growth up to 4 times their natural rate. Its alkalinity of 12 dKH makes it ideal for mixed reefs.

www.redseafish.com

Maybe you have always had inaccurate measurements?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Randy, do you have any idea what is the issue that gives the bad readings with these kits? Is it a misinterpretation of the endpoint? Bad QC with reagents? Improper procedures (e.g. not mixing long enough between drops or something similar)?

--

I try hard to hit NSW levels in my tanks for everything I can measure, except I do keep Mg elevated at about 1400 (based on the kit, who knows what the real level is) because I've observed problems with montipora below that level. In the process of raising it, I once overdosed to about 1600.

The only problem I noticed was my zoas were reallly unhappy for a week or two, I honestly thought I was gonna lose my whole collection. I dropped the Mg and they bounced back.

I do not know what the problem is, but many folks give results from multiple brands of magnesium kits with widely divergent answers. Magnesium kits have to distinguish some chemically similar ions, such as calcium, and maybe they do not do that well. Might be an endpoint issue. I just do not know.

 

[sradosevich]

If you are at 35 ppt (or anything close to it or lower; sg = 1.0264) and the magnesium measurement is accurate, you have always had way out of spec salt batches. Red Sea claims it is 1390 ppm at 35 ppt:

Coral Pro Salt | Premium grade, high Alkalinity - Red Sea

Coral Pro reef salt enhances coral growth up to 4 times their natural rate. Its alkalinity of 12 dKH makes it ideal for mixed reefs.

www.redseafish.com

Maybe you have always had inaccurate measurements?

Interesting. I have never dosed magnesium to my knowledge and do frequent water changes. My red sea test as well as my trident have both told me that the levels are elevated.

 

[ReefPig]

Give salifert a whirl, or do an ICP test.
RedSea mag test reports +200 for me over salifert and ICP.

 

[JimWelsh]

I do not know what the problem is, but many folks give results from multiple brands of magnesium kits with widely divergent answers. Magnesium kits have to distinguish some chemically similar ions, such as calcium, and maybe they do not do that well. Might be an endpoint issue. I just do not know.

Yeah, that "distinguish" part can be pretty tricky when you're trying to isolate the Mg in a matrix with substantial Ca. Trust me, I know. I suspect that most of the commercial kits are oversimplifying many aspects of the process, in order to make the instructions comprehensible.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Yeah, that "distinguish" part can be pretty tricky when you're trying to isolate the Mg in a matrix with substantial Ca. Trust me, I know. I suspect that most of the commercial kits are oversimplifying many aspects of the process, in order to make the instructions comprehensible.

Thanks, Jim.