All for Reef = low on Mag?

[thresher]

Been using All for Reef for the Past 2 months and my Mag levels are now down to 1200. The Cal 1450 and Alk 8.3 are within good parameters. Anyone else have these reading while using All for Reef?

 

[Brymac1]

I have noticed this as well. 3 months on AFR and mag has gone from 1450 to 1300 while Alk and cal have been stable. I’m not too worried about it since it’s a very slow decline and I can always supplement it.

 

[rtparty]

Yes, this is pretty common. Most supplement a little magnesium every week or 2

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

How much did it drop in 2 months? Real magnesium consumption is about 1/10th of the calcium decline, so 2 ppm a day is a large drop even with no supplementation.

 

[Spare time]

Been using All for Reef for the Past 2 months and my Mag levels are now down to 1200. The Cal 1450 and Alk 8.3 are within good parameters. Anyone else have these reading while using All for Reef?

I have to dose magnesium but WAY less than before I switched to all for reef. I know tropic marin doesn't like all for reef for large tanks as they say the magnesium consumption is too independent of the others so I wonder if they maybe estimate magnesium usage on the lower end for all for reef as a "just in case."

 

[Little c big D]

Following. I noticed when I was overdosing a4r slightly that my mag was actually stable as my alk climbed. Although I could have been caught in some user error testing

 

[brmc1985]

Been using All for Reef for the Past 2 months and my Mag levels are now down to 1200. The Cal 1450 and Alk 8.3 are within good parameters. Anyone else have these reading while using All for Reef?

Negative. I have a 180g mixed reef tank with lots of corals and have been on AFR for 8 months. All levels have been rock solid. 8.5, 460 and 1450. If anything mine is still elevated from mixing up my first batch(when it was in separate containers and you had to mix in the right amount of mg) incorrectly and doubling the mg in it.

 

[Spare time]

I have to dose magnesium but WAY less than before I switched to all for reef. I know tropic marin doesn't like all for reef for large tanks as they say the magnesium consumption is too independent of the others so I wonder if they maybe estimate magnesium usage on the lower end for all for reef as a "just in case."

EDIT: I should clarify that I have a thriving refugium which is, in my opinion, likely the extra source of magnesium drainage.

 

[Lyss]

I had this going on since starting AFR. I was using coral pro salt and eventually independently decided to switch to blue bucket b/c I didn’t like alk that high. Ever since I switched over, my parameters have been totally, perfectly stable.

 

[thresher]

Thanks for the real time testimonials. I had switched as it was cumbersome with dosing 3 additives. Looks as though I'll be dosing mag on its own now.

 

[Lyss]

I had this going on since starting AFR. I was using coral pro salt and eventually independently decided to switch to blue bucket b/c I didn’t like alk that high. Ever since I switched over, my parameters have been totally, perfectly stable.

I meant my parameters w/AFR. Since switching salts I’ve only needed to dose AFR, and everything has been stable.

 

[CK00020]

I dose extra mag as well

 

[Little c big D]

So post overdose problem described above I have been testing weekly. With A4r. I tested today and compared tests to the 9th. Calc is stable at 450. Got alk back down to 9 where I like it. Mag checked in at 1360. It would seem the small decrease I've made in dosing has not affected mag as much. 8.2 ph. I don't have much for coral so I may just have a super low consumption rate

 

[brmc1985]

Thanks for the real time testimonials. I had switched as it was cumbersome with dosing 3 additives. Looks as though I'll be dosing mag on its own now.

What salt are you using? And are you doing water changes?

 

[JaaxReef]

Just mix the DIY All for Reef using Carbo Calcium, Bio Magnesium, and the two trace element supplements and add more mag than the recipe calls to dissolve. Problem solved.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Following. I noticed when I was overdosing a4r slightly that my mag was actually stable as my alk climbed. Although I could have been caught in some user error testing

It's very unlikely you'd detect a magnesium rise from overdosing a perfectly balanced additive.

A perfectly balanced additive will contain about 2.8 dKH of alk, 18-20 ppm of calcium, and only about 2 ppm of magnesium.

Thus, if you overdosed a perfectly designed additive, and allowed alk to rise by 6 dKH, you'd only expect about a 4 ppm rise in magnesium that you would not be able to detect reliable with any kit.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Thanks for the real time testimonials. I had switched as it was cumbersome with dosing 3 additives. Looks as though I'll be dosing mag on its own now.

Perhaps, but as I noted, real magnesium drops are small, and your observation and that of some others may reflect test error as much or more than magnesium changes.

Magnesium testing errors are VERY common.

 

[Little c big D]

It's very unlikely you'd detect a magnesium rise from overdosing a perfectly balanced additive.

A perfectly balanced additive will contain about 2.8 dKH of alk, 18-20 ppm of calcium, and only about 2 ppm of magnesium.

Thus, if you overdosed a perfectly designed additive, and allowed alk to rise by 6 dKH, you'd only expect about a 4 ppm rise in magnesium that you would not be able to detect reliable with any kit.

I believe you had mentioned this. It seems atlwast in my case mag is stable with a4r. Perhaps I don't have much demand

 

[Lyss]

Perhaps, but as I noted, real magnesium drops are small, and your observation and that of some others may reflect test error as much or more than magnesium changes.

Magnesium testing errors are VERY common.

I was wondering about this back when I was going through something similar w/having to dose extra mag. But is it possible for the error to be consistent? In my case I figured there must have been precipitation b/c of the high parameter salt mix, and that stopped when I switched, but I really don’t know. Just know I’ve not had the issue since.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I was wondering about this back when I was going through something similar w/having to dose extra mag. But is it possible for the error to be consistent? In my case I figured there must have been precipitation b/c of the high parameter salt mix, and that stopped when I switched, but I really don’t know. Just know I’ve not had the issue since.

The nature of the salt mix used will have a big impact on magnesium levels.

Yes, it is certainly possible for a magnesium kit to be routinely low or routinely high.

We also see MANY reports of people claiming huge changes in magnesium in a week or less, which cannot be anything except test errors unless they did massive overdosing or water changes.