High calcium and alkalinity magnesium

[jcp2947]

I am having a problem with Cyanobacteria and random element levels. My calcium levels and alkalinity levels are quite high and magnesium levels are normal. Tank is mostly a SPS/softies dominant tank
Current readings
Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 5
Phosphate - 1
PH - 8.4
Salinity - 1.025
Calcium - 545
Alkalinity - 12.4
Magnesium - 1320
The only thing that has been dosed recently is magnesium about 3 days ago went from 1250-1320 nothing else has been dosed in about a month. Took about a month to drop the 70ppm magnesium and corals are not growing at all if not just dying off. Alkalinity goes up about .2 every week. Corals are not using cal and alk. What is causing the rising alk and random levels, and what should I do to lower them? If the levels are even a problem

 

[bushdoc]

Welcome to R2R.
I am not aware of any salt brand which would have Ca of 545ppm,so it is most probably testing error If you didn’t dose Ca.
Other possibility is high sg, but your Mg should be also high in this case.
Is your phosphate really 1ppm? What salt brand you use?

 

[Propane]

How old is the tank and what test kits are you using?

 

[jcp2947]

Welcome to R2R.
I am not aware of any salt brand which would have Ca of 545ppm,so it is most probably testing error If you didn’t dose Ca.
Other possibility is high sg, but your Mg should be also high in this case.
Is your phosphate really 1ppm? What salt brand you use?

Using brs 2 part pharma calcium chloride and alkalinity soda ash and pharma magnesium. Using instant ocean reef crystals salt. I will test phosphate again. The levels were high about a month ago and did a 40% water change which is also when the cyano took over.

 

[jcp2947]

How old is the tank and what test kits are you using?

Tank is about 2 years old test kits are the API test kits. Triple checked the calcium and alk, using API, Hanna colorimeters and Aquaforest. Just using Aquaforest for the magnesium.

 

[bushdoc]

You were overzealous with dosing 2 part, seems like. Stop dosing for a bit, then you need to establish daily Ca and Alk consumption by testing for two consecutive days, preferably same time of the day. Then you will know how much should you dose.
Magnesium consumption in average reef tank is just a fraction of Ca, so you can dose it once a week or so.
If your phosphate is 1 ppm than is very high and needs some attention to lower it, preferably with Lanthanum chloride or GFO. It should be done cautiously and slowly and not to undetectable levels. Good luck!

 

[jcp2947]

Welcome to R2R.
I am not aware of any salt brand which would have Ca of 545ppm,so it is most probably testing error If you didn’t dose Ca.
Other possibility is high sg, but your Mg should be also high in this case.
Is your phosphate really 1ppm? What salt brand you use?

Using brs 2 part pharma calcium chloride and alkalinity soda ash and pharma magnesium. Using instant ocean reef crystals salt. I will test phosphate again. The levels were high about a month ago and did a 40% water change which is also when the cyano took over.

It’s looks like 1ppm I couple be just bad at matching colors.