Calcium and Magnesium help.

J.mill · Oct 20, 2020

I am brand new to the reefing community and I made a grave mistake with my test reading. I read results backwards. Now that I have figured out what was wrong my calcium and magnesium are well off the charts on the high side. I have done a 25% water change and a 50% water change with in two weeks. My readings this morning are even higher than they were. Alkalinity is slightly high but my other levels are good: Ph: 8.0, Ammonia: 0, Nitrite: 0, Nitrate: 0. Is there something I can add to reduce the calcium and magnesium? Does something in the tank need to deplete it or will it naturally dissipate over time? Please help! I want to get this right before I introduce livestock.

HuduVudu · Oct 20, 2020

What are your readings and what is your water change water testing at (what brand of salt are you using)?

fishguy242 · Oct 20, 2020

yes agree calcium level,alk,brand of salt,

J.mill · Oct 20, 2020

HuduVudu said:
What are your readings and what is your water change water testing at (what brand of salt are you using)?

Ok, as I stated earlier I really goofed on the start up. I was reading these backwards. I saw no color change in titration in 1 ml parameter and I understood it as being low, not even registering. So I would add and test and add and test with no change in results. Finally I realized my error. What I was reading as low was actually high. I did a 25% water change (because that was all the salt I had). Then a few days later more salt was delivered and I did a 50% water change. I fully expected my levels to at least drop. They all went up. Salinity-1.024(stable), PH-8.0(stable) Ammonia, nitrite, nitrate-0(stable) alkalinity-12.9 dKH(up from 9.8 dKH), calcium-1220 ppm(I had to create an extended scale) magnesium-2960 ppm). I am using Red Sea Coral Pro Salt.
is there something that can be used to deplete the calcium and magnesium?

fishguy242 · Oct 20, 2020

were you dosing?..i'm gonna say water changes to get down,poss with lower grade salt

vetteguy53081 · Oct 20, 2020

Do water changes daily.
To verify, you are saying your CA is 1300 and mag is 450?

excell007 · Oct 20, 2020

Since you said you do not have any livestock yet, you can lower your salinity. Also use the red sea blue bucket salt which has lower magnesium and calcium than the pro.

Pistol Peet · Oct 21, 2020

J.mill said:
I am brand new to the reefing community and I made a grave mistake with my test reading. I read results backwards. Now that I have figured out what was wrong my calcium and magnesium are well off the charts on the high side. I have done a 25% water change and a 50% water change with in two weeks. My readings this morning are even higher than they were. Alkalinity is slightly high but my other levels are good: Ph: 8.0, Ammonia: 0, Nitrite: 0, Nitrate: 0. Is there something I can add to reduce the calcium and magnesium? Does something in the tank need to deplete it or will it naturally dissipate over time? Please help! I want to get this right before I introduce livestock.

definitely keep up with the water changes if it were me I'd try to cycle out 100% of the water in the tank over a week. I know the Magnesium is not going to do a ton of harm can go pretty far above before you see stuff die calcium can also end up pretty high one of the upside to having high magnesium keeps algae and cyanobacteria in check to a degree the best thing you could do now is just do some water changes preferably like I said hundred percent turn over over the next week then leave it alone from there from the readings you put above you are definitely High but I wouldn't be super concerned without livestock just keep testing and keep changing out water unyil u see them levels drop