Calcium too high and Magnesium is low

[cjvilla]

Hi, I've been testing my water every week with the exception of my magnesium and alkalinity, which I check everyday. My last test results are below.

Alkalinity - 9.8
PH - 8.1
Calcium - 560
Iodine - 0.06
Magnesium - 1200
Nitrate - 5
Nitrite - 3
Phosphate - 0.19

I did 2 weekly water changes and my calcium levels stay the same. I will begin dosing Brightwell Aquatics Magnesion to get my levels to 1350. However, don't know how to lower my calcium levels. I'm kind of worried because some of me coral aren't extending to their fullest and it seems that my acans are closing up. Any suggestions anyone? Thanks

60 gallon mixed reef
Q-maven Zetlight II
Ice cap 2k wave maker
Bubble Magnus Curve A skimmer

 

[Shirak]

What salt are you using? Have you tested salinity? Could be high if your Ca is running high.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Or salinity could be lower than 35 ppt, which would explain the magnesium.

 

[GARRIGA]

Curious how to lower calcium as well without water changes. Assuming no inhabitants at the moment to consume it.

 

[Shirak]

Or salinity could be lower than 35 ppt, which would explain the magnesium.

could be!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Curious how to lower calcium as well without water changes. Assuming no inhabitants at the moment to consume it.

There's no real way except water changes to lower ions that are not consumed, unless you want to drive up alk to drive precipitation.

There's nothing wrong with 560 ppm calcium so I would not recommend any treatment.

 

[Shirak]

Curious if either of you are dosing anything.
not sure I would be worried with mid 500 Ca anyway. Could be testing errors. Hobby Ca test kits are not that accurate and could give 30 point +- readings from the actual value

 

[cjvilla]

What salt are you using? Have you tested salinity? Could be high if your Ca is running high.

I'm using red sea pro (blue bucket) my salinity is 1.025.

 

[cjvilla]

Curious if either of you are dosing anything.
not sure I would be worried with mid 500 Ca anyway. Could be testing errors. Hobby Ca test kits are not that accurate and could give 30 point +- readings from the actual value

I'm dosing Nopox, Phosphat-e, Red Sea AB Reef Engery, & Triton Core 7

 

[GARRIGA]

There's no real way except water changes to lower ions that are not consumed, unless you want to drive up alk to drive precipitation.

There's nothing wrong with 560 ppm calcium so I would not recommend any treatment.

Is there a limit to calcium assuming it doesn’t precipitate out?

 

[GARRIGA]

Curious if either of you are dosing anything.
not sure I would be worried with mid 500 Ca anyway. Could be testing errors. Hobby Ca test kits are not that accurate and could give 30 point +- readings from the actual value

My coral skeletons are melting from nitrification being my best guess. Using API which I don’t expect precision but should be relatively accurate.

 

[131696]

How to get calcium down buy more corals to consume it..alk need to come down also to about 9 if you want High,remember high all and calcium and corals will grow super fast might want to get another tank or set up another 1 to start fragging in 8 months.. I always wondered grow your corals out then just keep them there for them to stop growing just keep lower alk and calcium 1 day I will have to try this no more fragging.

 

[theMeat]

When magnesium is low it’s hard to get cal and alk to stay stable. Plus when magnesium is low even if calcium and alk are at healthy levels calcium isn’t consumed by corals as well. Would double check your magnesium results by another tester and if in fact low would get them up before anything. Definitely check your salinity by another tester as well

 

[cjvilla]

How to get calcium down buy more corals to consume it..alk need to come down also to about 9 if you want High,remember high all and calcium and corals will grow super fast might want to get another tank or set up another 1 to start fragging in 8 months.. I always wondered grow your corals out then just keep them there for them to stop growing just keep lower alk and calcium 1 day I will have to try this no more fragging.

Will do, thanks

 

[cjvilla]

When magnesium is low it’s hard to get cal and alk to stay stable. Plus when magnesium is low even if calcium and alk are at healthy levels calcium isn’t consumed by corals as well. Would double check your magnesium results by another tester and if in fact low would get them up before anything. Definitely check your salinity by another tester as well

Thanks, I will use another tester

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I'm using red sea pro (blue bucket) my salinity is 1.025.

That's a bit low, assuming it is accurate. Raising it to 35 ppt (sg = 1.0264 ) would raise magnesium from 1200 to 1270 ppm (which is nearly identical to the ocean average at 1280 ppm).

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Plus when magnesium is low even if calcium and alk are at healthy levels calcium isn’t consumed by corals as well

I do not believe there is evidence of that, nor do I think it is true, at least not at his levels, which really only reflect slightly low salinity.

Where did you see that?

FWIW, If a coral thrived in the ocean at a sg of 1.025 (they do), it will thrive in his tank at that level.