Confusing results when figuring out "4 day dosage" of Foundational elements!

[RadinJ]

Hello all!

I have a 13.5 fluval evo, recently I've been trying to figure out the daily dosage for calcium, magnesium and Alk. Unfortunately right now when I measured my prams i got very confusing results and i need help!

My salinity is at 35 ppt measured by a refractometer and held stable by ato.

These are my prams at the start of the 4 day period:
Mg: Start 1350, end 1335. Which makes sense!
Ca: Start 450, end 450Its possible i guess.
Alk: start 9.3, end 10.35. This one is not making sense at all!

Ive measured all prams before and after with Salifert test kits.

Now Mg makes sense, calcium im not so sure about it i guess, but alk it does not make sense.

My live stock are 1 torch, 1 hammer, 1 rainbow clove, 1 green short polyp flower looking thing (im sorry i dont know the name), 1 sun coral, 1 flat red sps.

Also im not sure its related or not ive been using Vibrant reef cleaner for my algae problem.

So now i need help to figure out what going on and why im getting these results! Because its evidence my torch and hammer are not too happy with the way the prams are because every

Also ive been following red seas my recipe, and i add trace elements daily, 0.1 ml, nopox daily 1.1 ml and ab+ coral food 4.6 ml daily. I have attached my recipe below!

Your help is appreciated!!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

The only one that is clearly wrong is the one you thought made most sense! Magnesium. lol

There is NO POSSIBLE WAY to measure a magnesium drop in 4 days with a hobby kit. Ignore it.

ALWAYS determine a magnesium dosing over a very long time (many weeks) or base it off the alkalinity decline as a starting point.

If alk and calcium are not declining, you will not be dosing.

I'd suggest monitoring longer to get a better sense of a trend.

 

[RadinJ]

The only one that is clearly wrong is the one you thought made most sense! Magnesium. lol

There is NO POSSIBLE WAY to measure a magnesium drop in 4 days with a hobby kit. Ignore it.

ALWAYS determine a magnesium dosing over a very long time (many weeks) or base it off the alkalinity decline as a starting point.

If alk and calcium are not declining, you will not be dosing.

I'd suggest monitoring longer to get a better sense of a trend.

Thanks alot Randy! Will keep monitoring all three for much longer!