High calcium and magnesium without dosing

[Carolina79]

Hi,
For about a month and a half now using my salifert kits my calcium and magnesium are not reading on my Kits so the numbers are over 500 and 1500 for Ca and Mg. I don’t dose anything. The salt I use is instant ocean reef crystals. Rocks and corals are from previous tanks I had for a year. I transferred everything over into this 80g in December. My corals are small most LPS. My All was just 8.6 on my Hanna checker. I really don’t know what to do…. I figured with time the numbers would start dropping but they are not. Any advice?? I’m sending an ICP tomorrow bc I lost 2 heads on my torch and my Duncan has been closed for about 2 weeks. The other Duncan I have is fine. So hopefully the ICP will verify my numbers. Any advice or words of wisdom are appreciated. -Carolina

 

[bushdoc]

Reef Crystals have naturally high Calcium and Magnesium content, especially if you mix it with higher sg. Those values should not be harmful to your corals, inverts or fish, but if you want lower values, go for Instant Ocean salt.

 

[Jillianh]

I’m having the same issue with my levels of Mag and Calcium using Reef Crystals mixed at 1.025. I sent in an ICP recently but I have not yet received the results. I have mostly LPS as well, and also thought my levels would drop at some point; only the ALK drops. Maybe time to switch salts?

 

[Dburr1014]

Hi,
For about a month and a half now using my salifert kits my calcium and magnesium are not reading on my Kits so the numbers are over 500 and 1500 for Ca and Mg. I don’t dose anything. The salt I use is instant ocean reef crystals. Rocks and corals are from previous tanks I had for a year. I transferred everything over into this 80g in December. My corals are small most LPS. My All was just 8.6 on my Hanna checker. I really don’t know what to do…. I figured with time the numbers would start dropping but they are not. Any advice?? I’m sending an ICP tomorrow bc I lost 2 heads on my torch and my Duncan has been closed for about 2 weeks. The other Duncan I have is fine. So hopefully the ICP will verify my numbers. Any advice or words of wisdom are appreciated. -Carolina

Those numbers are fine.
Is anything else happening with the tank you can think of? How are nutrients?

 

[Carolina79]

I’m having the same issue with my levels of Mag and Calcium using Reef Crystals mixed at 1.025. I sent in an ICP recently but I have not yet received the results. I have mostly LPS as well, and also thought my levels would drop at some point; only the ALK drops. Maybe time to switch salts?

Interesting….. would love to see your results. I can share mine as well. How do you raise your ALK? I use sodium bicarb. What other salt are you considering?

 

[Carolina79]

Those numbers are fine.
Is anything else happening with the tank you can think of? How are nutrients?

My Duncan is closed now for weeks and lost 2 heads on a torch over the last 2 months. Nitrate is 0.2 super low and phosphate is 0.012. My nitrates have gotten really low , but I think it may be a false reading since I’ve got some bubble algae. All other corals are fine (elegance, plate coral, RFAs, montipora, leathers, toadstools, favia, zoas, cyphastrea, digi, gorgonian). 35ppt salinity, temp 77-79

 

[Dburr1014]

My Duncan is closed now for weeks and lost 2 heads on a torch over the last 2 months. Nitrate is 0.2 super low and phosphate is 0.012. My nitrates have gotten really low , but I think it may be a false reading since I’ve got some bubble algae. All other corals are fine (elegance, plate coral, RFAs, montipora, leathers, toadstools, favia, zoas, cyphastrea, digi, gorgonian). 35ppt salinity, temp 77-79

PO4 @ 0.012 is to low. Needed minimum 0.03
Corals are Hungry.

 

[Carolina79]

PO4 @ 0.012 is to low. Needed minimum 0.03
Corals are Hungry.

Recently started feeding Red Sea reef energy ab+ 2-3 x/week, and I occasionally feed mysis to the corals. But maybe not enough. I feed my fish 2-3/day a nice variety. And those numbers are still low!

 

[Dburr1014]

Recently started feeding Red Sea reef energy ab+ 2-3 x/week, and I occasionally feed mysis to the corals. But maybe not enough. I feed my fish 2-3/day a nice variety. And those numbers are still low!

Feed more, what fish do you have? How often are you feeding?

 

[Carolina79]

Feed more, what fish do you have? How often are you feeding?

I have a pair of 1.5 inch sized clowns, six line, tailspot blenny, citron goby, mandarin, small yellow tang, Bristletooth tang (2.5 inches), 2 chromis, cleaner shrimp, hermits, snails. I feed reef nutrition mix of mysis, brine, ROE and the other 2 times PE pellets, seaweed extreme pellets, flake (all mixed) in an auto feeder. I’m not strict with this schedule…. Some days it’s all the auto feeder and some days all refrigerated.