How to lower mag?

dougers31 · Nov 1, 2013

So I tested my tank and for some reason my mag is 1700+. My guess is that my salt mix is high in mag as I really don't dose it. My question is how can I lower it without doing water changes(assuming the salt might be part of the problem). I haven't tested a fresh batch of water yet as it's a new bag but will test it in a day or so when I have some free time.

Edit: It only took me 3 tries(and reading instructions and not going by pics) to finally figure out that I was not doing the test correctly. Apparently I'm way to used to salifert and have to adjust to Red Sea instructions.... Such a dope

dougers31 · Nov 1, 2013

I should say I dose kalk 1/2 teaspoon per gallon and approx 1 gallon of topoff a day. Is it possible that mag might be(even trace amounts) added with kalk dosing?

mike007 · Nov 1, 2013

Hard to believe it would be salt mix. If your are not adding i would think your test are incorrect. Can you test with another brand test? If you do have high mag. i would suggest water change with a different salt mix but if you leave it alone it should come down on its own.

bct15 · Nov 1, 2013

That high of mag will cause problems. I highly doubt your mag of your salt mix is that high...verify you have done the test kit right, then compare to another kit if you can.

Tahoe61 · Nov 1, 2013

Just out of curiousity what salt mix?

Reefing Madness · Nov 2, 2013

Don't know of any exact thing but to use like Instant Ocean for a bunch of water changes, dose the other elements up once you've gotten the mag down that way.

dougers31 · Nov 2, 2013

mike007 said:
Hard to believe it would be salt mix. If your are not adding i would think your test are incorrect. Can you test with another brand test? If you do have high mag. i would suggest water change with a different salt mix but if you leave it alone it should come down on its own.

Reefing Madness said:
Don't know of any exact thing but to use like Instant Ocean for a bunch of water changes, dose the other elements up once you've gotten the mag down that way.

I will try an old salifert test later today. Don't have access to other salt as I'm an hour away from the closest lfs. I'm thinking maybe its the test kit or me but my tank is looking strange as it has almost no algae growth(caused by high mag?) and instead has this slimy looking tan colored bacteria looking stuff that seems to be taking its place.

dougers31 · Nov 2, 2013

Won't mention the brand of salt untill I know for sure it's the problem.

backpack · Nov 2, 2013

what kalk are you using? some like brightwells adds strontium and mag. But I doubt its that.

dougers31 · Nov 2, 2013

backpack said:
what kalk are you using? some like brightwells adds strontium and mag. But I doubt its that.

Brs kalk

NanaReefer · Nov 2, 2013

I run my mag at 1600 without issues. Yes it does inhibit algae growth

Personally I would allow your mag to drop naturally, if in fact it is that high.

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cromag27 · Nov 3, 2013

bct15 said:
That high of mag will cause problems. I highly doubt your mag of your salt mix is that high...verify you have done the test kit right, then compare to another kit if you can.

What kind of problems?

beaslbob · Nov 3, 2013

For high Mag I would basically do nothing and just let it drop down

bct15 · Nov 3, 2013

tatuaje08 said:
What kind of problems?

It will cause the flesh of acros to start bubbling, then they will RTN if not corrected.

cromag27 · Nov 3, 2013

bct15 said:
It will cause the flesh of acros to start bubbling, then they will RTN if not corrected.

I have cured bryopsis many times over the years by raising my mag to 1800. never a problem for any of my livestock, including sps. I have mainted that level of mag for a few months, even.

bct15 · Nov 3, 2013

tatuaje08 said:
I have cured bryopsis many times over the years by raising my mag to 1800. never a problem for any of my livestock, including sps. I have mainted that level of mag for a few months, even.

That is great, but it is very well documented that high mag causes the bubbling of acros...you can find several accounts of it even on here. People ask what's wrong with their acro and post a pic, somebody says test your mag with a different test kit, and low and behold their mag is over 1700. It even happened to me and two other people I know. Not all acros have it happen though, when it happened to me it was only on one colony but the colony and all frags of it had the same thing. Also the two other people I know.

NanaReefer · Nov 3, 2013

Same or different suppliments?

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bct15 · Nov 4, 2013

NanaReefer said:
Same or different suppliments?

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Are you asking me? Different magnesium supplements, I personally use brs but my salifert kit had gone bad. It kept reading 1200 or so, I kept adding and would get it up to 1300. Next day back down to 1180-1200. After the whole gallon of mag supplement over a few weeks, and posting a pick of my awkward looking coral on here...I was told by other people that have seen similar bubbling had high mag from overdosing mag from similar reasons. I ordered a new salifert mag test kit and it took a syringe and a half to turn colors meaning my mag was way high. The bubbled coral died, even the frags I had cut a couple months before the problems as back ups (they all started bubbling around the same time). It took several months for my magnesium to come down, i just let it come down naturally. Only that one coral was effected though, but all pieces of it...and it was my favorite coral too. One of the other two people I know use a different mag, not sure on the other one.

It could be a coincidence that the two people I know an my self saw these symptoms had high mag (over 1700)...but the 5 or 6 threads I've seen on here with similar issues the reefer had high mag as well...so i conclude it is related. My purples in all of my sps really looked good with the high mag though, and the acro that had the issues was mostly purple.

dougers31 · Nov 5, 2013

bct15 said:
Are you asking me? Different magnesium supplements, I personally use brs but my salifert kit had gone bad. It kept reading 1200 or so, I kept adding and would get it up to 1300. Next day back down to 1180-1200. After the whole gallon of mag supplement over a few weeks, and posting a pick of my awkward looking coral on here...I was told by other people that have seen similar bubbling had high mag from overdosing mag from similar reasons. I ordered a new salifert mag test kit and it took a syringe and a half to turn colors meaning my mag was way high. The bubbled coral died, even the frags I had cut a couple months before the problems as back ups (they all started bubbling around the same time). It took several months for my magnesium to come down, i just let it come down naturally. Only that one coral was effected though, but all pieces of it...and it was my favorite coral too. One of the other two people I know use a different mag, not sure on the other one.

It could be a coincidence that the two people I know an my self saw these symptoms had high mag (over 1700)...but the 5 or 6 threads I've seen on here with similar issues the reefer had high mag as well...so i conclude it is related. My purples in all of my sps really looked good with the high mag though, and the acro that had the issues was mostly purple.

You might have accidentally answered my next question.... I just re-tested my mag with my newer red sea pro test kit and got 1600+, then I tested with my old salifert kit and got 1170... Still not a 100% sure on the 1600+ but at least I have some more confidence in the 1170 being incorrect. Will test some new water next.

dougers31 · Nov 5, 2013

Just tested a fresh batch of saltwater(sal.= 1.024) and the mag is over 1600. Either my red sea pro test kit is off or I have a bad batch of Reef Crystals salt