Dosing ALK and Mag
- Thread starter Connie
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Dtech07
SPS LOVER!!!
+1 its good to go corals like to absorb in patterns each supplement not all at once.
Badspstank
Active Member
Really no need need to wait
Badspstank
Active Member
And order does not matter
Alabamareef
Well-Known Member
Hey Connie I'm jst courious what's your Mg level.
Alabamareef
Well-Known Member
Usually it's not used as much as your Ca and Alk
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Connie
Valuable Member
It was at about 1175. I have to add it every week, as well as ALK a couple of times a week. I never add calcium, it stays on the high side. If you have any ideas about how to get my calcium down, I'd love to hear it. It's never below 500, sometimes it reads over 600.
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Your mag is low and calcium is real high...you might be able to get your calcium to drop if you can boost your mag levels to 1300+. You should aim for
Mag ~ 1320
Alk ~ 8
Cal ~ 450
You mag level is what helps to keep you all and cal leeks stable. With mag being low your allowing alk and calcium to get pulled out of the water easier making everything have strange levels. You shouldn't have to Mag but about once a month and calcium and alk on a regular basis. What additive are you using to do the dosing?
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Connie
Valuable Member
I use Brightwells Magnesion
Seachem Reef Builder for ALK
I have Tropic Marin Bio-Calcium, for the calcium and trace elements but haven't used it because of the calcium levels.
What is a good product that will add trace elements without calcium?
Seachem Reef Builder for ALK
I have Tropic Marin Bio-Calcium, for the calcium and trace elements but haven't used it because of the calcium levels.
What is a good product that will add trace elements without calcium?
If you don't wait, you may have some precipitation because of locally high levels of Ca and Alk in the area you're dosing, even with proper levels of Mg. So, it would be best to dose in small amounts at different times.
If your Mg is low, a certain amount of your Ca and Alk will precipitate out of solution, making it unavailable for your corals to use. Therefore it would be prudent to get your Mg up to an appropriate level before adding either your Ca or Alk.
There are a myriad of article about this, but they can be a little technical, so here is a simple video that may help with an understanding of this:
How calcium and alkalinity function in the aquarium - YouTube
What are you using to measure your Ca, Mg and Alk? What is your SG, and what do you use to measure it with? What salt mix are you using?
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Connie
Valuable Member
I am dosing mag every 24 hours until it gets to 1300. Then I will start dosing Alk. I use Hanna Checkers for Ca and Alk. I use Salifert Mg test. 1.25 is my SG with refractometer. Water is made up of Reef Crystals mostly... I purchased a small bucket of RSCP and I've made the last two WC with that. I've had the calcium problem for about 6 months.
Phosphates .002 - Hanna
Nitrites 0 - Seachem
Nitrates 10 - Seachem
PH 7.8 - 8.0 - Hanna probe
Phosphates .002 - Hanna
Nitrites 0 - Seachem
Nitrates 10 - Seachem
PH 7.8 - 8.0 - Hanna probe
There have been a number of threads on this and other forums about the Hanna Ca checker being both inaccurate and inconsistent. Do you have a different Ca kit to confirm? I would continue to dose the Alk, as long as your Mg is around 1200, you should be fine. Is your refractometer calibrated with a solution that is near the refractive index of the sample you are testing, i.e. 35ppt? If you are using RO water, you may have, whats called a slope miscalibration, meaning that calibrated at '0' with RO water it seems right on, but it could be way off at 35ppt/1.026. IF, your refractometer is misleading you, it may be as simple as getting your SG in line, and your Alk and Mg along with it.
Here's an article about that:
Refractometers and Salinity Measurement by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
Here's an article about that:
Refractometers and Salinity Measurement by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
Alabamareef
Well-Known Member
Connie if your readings are good this is what I would do. Remember there are a thousand was to get to the end:
First I would stop dosing Ca. Continue to measure for it but let your system use it up till it gets close to your desired level.
Second I would continue to elevate my Mg. Look this up but I don't think you want to elevate it more than 100ppm per 24 hrs. Example my 180 I was dosing 60 oz every 24 hours and this kept me under the 100ppm. (Mg I only check every three months)
Third continue to dose Alk as you have been. Once the Mg is within normal range start adjusting.
Also I've always been told you dose your Alk and Ca exactly the same, for two part.
Lastly I'd look into getting a dosing pump. Let me know if you want one and ill see what I can do.
Good luck and call if you have questions
First I would stop dosing Ca. Continue to measure for it but let your system use it up till it gets close to your desired level.
Second I would continue to elevate my Mg. Look this up but I don't think you want to elevate it more than 100ppm per 24 hrs. Example my 180 I was dosing 60 oz every 24 hours and this kept me under the 100ppm. (Mg I only check every three months)
Third continue to dose Alk as you have been. Once the Mg is within normal range start adjusting.
Also I've always been told you dose your Alk and Ca exactly the same, for two part.
Lastly I'd look into getting a dosing pump. Let me know if you want one and ill see what I can do.
Good luck and call if you have questions
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