Mag, and alk reading low.

[Notsolostfish]

My tank is 2 months, and 18 days. I use nyos salt. The first bucket was reading 8.0 alk, 1340 for mag, and 430 for calcium. Second bucket i opened 3 days ago, and did a 44 gallons water changes, on my 150G. And im reasinf 7.4 alk, mag in 1230, and calcium 450. Do i dose those? I hate my alk when it sits low on the 7s. And i hate my mag that low especially my tank is lps dominated. Im just not sure whu the second bucket reading low

 

[blaxsun]

What are you using for testing kits and did you test the replacement salt mixture before you performed the water change?

 

[hexcolor reef]

Your Alk and Mg isn’t that low, it’s not ideal but in the margin of error. Just dose magnesium and PH booster to raise Alk. Or buy a two part Calc/Alk solution or an all in 1 such as All for Reef which balances out all 3

 

[KrisReef]

Ideally you should test new replacement water and adjust the elements in it before adding it into the aquarium.

 

[Notsolostfish]

What are you using for testing kits and did you test the replacement salt mixture before you performed the water change?

Hanna, and salifert

 

[blaxsun]

Hanna, and salifert

Did you test the new saltwater mix prior to performing the water change with it? If not, this is most likely the underlying cause. That or a testing error.

 

[Notsolostfish]

Did you test the new saltwater mix prior to performing the water change with it? If not, this is most likely the underlying cause. That or a testing error.

Tested 8 times after same results. Can i dose mag all at once its at 1260. And do you dose mag first then calc, then alk.

 

[blaxsun]

Tested 8 times after same results. Can i dose mag all at once its at 1260. And do you dose mag first then calc, then alk.

Over a few days is best. Does them at least 30 minutes apart if you're going to.

 

[Rey "deep sea" Manta]

+1
I am using Nyos salt as well. I love my first bucket, though it clumps a lot. The second bucket seems trigger some issues. Send some water sample to my LFS, and I got this reading:

Salinity: 1.024
Alk: 7.11
pH: 8
Ca: 467 ppm
Mg: 1112 ppm

I guess I will start adding more salt in the future water changes, and see what is the next step.

 

[dadnjesse]

Magnesium Tests are well known to not be very accurate. Double check your Salinity. Dose Alkalinity over time if you have to raise it.

 

[Rey "deep sea" Manta]

I redo the test with my Hanna kits
LFS, $12:
Salinity: 1.024
Alk: 7.11
Phosphate: 0.3ppm <-- I will add some ClearMax.

Hanna:
Salinity: 1.026 (HI98319 just calibrated)
Alk: 10 (HI772)
Phosphate: 0.13 (HI774)

Not sure if I just wasted $12 or $200+ ? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯