Help with dosing Reef Foudation C

Jumbo · Dec 19, 2015

I recently bought the Reef Foundation A, B, C 1kg powder presentation.

I need increase the Mg level, was in 1170 ppm, my goal is 1280 ppm as minimum.

The system is 400 liters.

I am use Red Sea coral pro salt but I've stopped water changes due an Dino issue.

My four day Mg consumption is 46 ppm/4= 11.5 ppm.
I Am added 40 ml daily and the level is the same, 1170 ppm.

The instructions says the safely maximum daily increase is 10 ppm, so how can increase the ppm what I need without cause a harmful to inhabitants?

Several doses at day? How much ml need to add to increase an maintain?

Help please!

Thanks in advance.
Greetings from Mexico!

Pd. I'm sorry for my bad English [emoji6]

Randy Holmes-Farley · Dec 19, 2015

You have some sort of testing error, which is very common with magnesium kits.

There is no possibility that the magnesium declined 46 ppm in 4 days. So just ignore that. Magnesium decline is 1/10th of the calcium decline, or less. Have you been adding calcium and alkalinity?

Red Sea Coral Pro salt has a large amount of magnesium (over 1400 ppm at 35 ppt), and I'd guess that you have a lot more than you are measuring. Even if you never added any magnesium, and never did water changes, it would take a very long time to get to 1170 ppm with that salt mix at a reasonable salinity.

Try the kit on some new salt water before doing any large supplementing of magneisum.

What is the salinity of your tank water?

Jumbo · Dec 19, 2015

My Sg is on 1.024, I never have added Ca or alk, the Mg is the first one. My tests for Mg, Ca and dKh are Salifert.
Ca is now 440 ppm, dKh 9.6, Ph 8.1.
Stopped WC two months ago due the Dino's invasion, before that I do it every 2 weeks.
I'm do test with new water as you suggest at the same specific gravity of my tank water and compare the results.
Thanks for the advice Randy! [emoji3]

Randy Holmes-Farley · Dec 19, 2015

In your case, the magnesium should match what Red Sea put in it. They claim to add about 1335 ppm at your salinity, but I can't know if they actually did in your bucket.

IMO, it is likely fine to leave it where it is since it probably is close to 1300, but also would be OK to raise it by 100 ppm, since having it at either 1270 or 1400 ppm is fine.

I'd boost it by 20 ppm per day for 5 days, if you elect to boost it. You can use a DIY or the Red Sea product.