Magnesium and water change......

[Gwitness]

I know one of the best things you can do for a reef tank is keep your parameters as stable as possible....I do that with my calcium and alkalinity, etc. BUT I was wondering if it mattered to keep magnesium around its same number all the time or could I dose once a week as long as it stays within the range it is supposed to be.....Example, at beginning of week have magnesium be at 1380 and then don't dose again all week until my weekly water change is done?? As of now my magnesium goes down about 10 points a day!! I know kalk brings magnesium down, but it is annoying to keep it up because I have to dose every day about 30 ml just to keep it at the number it is at!! I do 10 gallon weekly water changes on my 180 and it drops my magnesium levels every time I take out the 10 gallons because my salt mix never has enough in it! I used to use reef crystals and now I am trying Aquavitro salinity and hopefully that can match where I need it to be.....Any advice or comments would be appreciated!! Thanks!!

 

[SaltyReefer]

You could try going to 20g per WC per week and see if that helps hold Mg level.
If the extra amount of WC does not work for you, than i don't think letting the Mg gettting a little low is to big of an issue. It is mostly there to help keep other levels stable.

Are you dosing Cal. Alk. and Kalk? or am I reading this incorrectly?

 

[Gwitness]

No I was just all over the place in that thread! Haha sorry.....I use kalkwasser and it keeps everything perfect....I use aquavitro ions for magnesium and I dose 30ml everyday to keep it at 1320...I just think it's ridiculous that I have to dose 30 ml every day to keel my magnesium at 1320! I guess I was looking for an easier way to do it or keep it up.....as for water changes, the salts I havd tried in the past end up having lower than the recommended magnesium level so it ends up lowering my overall parameters instead of keeping them the same or raising them

 

[SaltyReefer]

Maybe try dosing SW mix before changing the water, kick it a little high.
Maybe put Mg at about 1375 or so in new water, do your change and 3 days later check level, and see where your at.
Not always, but sometimes adjusting ALL levels in your new SW mix, can help with the dosing process.
Just a thought.
But to your ?....I think trying a once a week dosing of Mg and monitor, would work fine.
If you are burning through that much, you may have issues with Cal. also. Have you noticed an increase in your dosing for that?

 

[Gwitness]

That's a good idea and I think I will try that for sure! Thanks a lot.....as for calcium and alkalinity, my parameters barely change at all because I am dosing the kalkwasser through my ATO system and it's been incredibly stable since I started that....only thing that fluctuates is the stupid magnesium....water changes annoy me too because there is no salt that you can get exact and consistent measurements of the chemicals....it's almost like my parameters ate super consistent until I do a water change and then I test my water and they are diffferent from what they were before the water change....not crazy different but still...hahaha guess I'm being unrealistic about it! Haha

 

[SaltyReefer]

Another thought...Make sure all your levels are good..ie. baseline....just do kalk and nothing else for a while, take measurements and record, like every other day, see what you come up with.
Then cut out your Kalk and just dose your Cal. and Alk. and see what your Mg levels stay at...I bet your Kalk with the Cal. and Alk. dosing are screwing up your Mg levels.

 

[Gwitness]

I didn't even think comparing the different methods of dosing like that....that's another good idea! Alright thanks a lot for the responses...really appreciate it

 

[SaltyReefer]

No problem, your welcome. I am not giving you scientific advise here, LOL, just observations and research.
Let us know what you get for results....post them...it helps everyone if we see actual numbers. Good luck. I am sure you will get it figured out.

 

[beaslbob]

To me the diy two part is the way to go.

Use that with kalk.

Magnesium cam be maintained with magnesium chloride and magnesium sulfate (epsom salts). Again per the diy procedures.

with the diy after 1 gallon if calcium and kalk are used up (they are dosed equally), you then add 300ml of the magnesium mixture. In my limited experience that amount is right on.

my .02

 

[Gwitness]

Okay thanks for the response....this might sound stupid, but no matter what I use for magnesium I will have to dose on a daily basis still right?

 

[Joker79]

I am chasing mag as well. PITA!!!

 

[NanaReefer]

Strange as mag is usually the last & least needing to be dosed. What mag test are you using? May try a different kit.

 

[Gwitness]

Yeah that's what I've heard but not in my tank....I use salifert and it's not the test kit, I've tried two different ones and same result....again I know kalkwasser makes magnesium drop quicker than normal and also a lot of people replenish magnesium through water changes, but I haven't found a salt that is already whers magnesium needs to be....I've tried reef crystals forever and never had a high magnesium read on it....I recently just switched to aquavitro salinity and hopefully that helps out....I just don't want to be dosing magnesium everyday just to keep it where it needs to be...i mean I will if I need to, but I don't want too lol

 

[beaslbob]

Okay thanks for the response....this might sound stupid, but no matter what I use for magnesium I will have to dose on a daily basis still right?

no.


the 300ml (or whatever) is dosed after 1 gal dosing of the calcium and alk. Inmy old 55l tank that was weeks not days.

Of course you could try to figure a daily does.

I just find it more reliable to dose calcium and alk when alk drops down, the the 300ml wfter using up a gallon of dosing.

and BTW don't add the magnesium to the calcium. I got a big white block of stuff. LOL

my .02

 

[Joker79]

Salifert as well with me. Alk and cal are spot on at 9dkh and 450 cal. Mag was 1230 the other day.

 

[Joker79]

FYI. Using kent marine salt.

 

[Gwitness]

I literally have exact numbers

 

[Joker79]

I dosed 800 ml BRS mag and today it is 1440. Spot on

 

[Gwitness]

And how often do you plan to have to dose that? Are you going to just let it go until it gets to about 1300 and then dose again so it gets back up to 1400 again?

 

[Joker79]

Still tinkering with the whole mag dosing. Never had to dose mag before now. I would like for my params to be
Alk 9DKH
Cal 450
Mag 1440
Consitantly...

And how often do you plan to have to dose that? Are you going to just let it go until it gets to about 1300 and then dose again so it gets back up to 1400 again?