Magnesium dosing ppm

[DepthOfReef]

Now that everyone is here, I couldn't find anything related but I am having so much trouble with Mg and Calcium dosing, I have IO Reef Crystals, I mixed 5 gallon with 3 cups of salt. Waited 1-2 hours and couldnt get any readings from the salt. I waited +24 hours and I got around 1300-1350 mg. My 15g tank had around 400mg, did one WC and somehow (hahaha) got 0mg. I asked Chatgpt how to raise Mg, and compared the BulkReefSupply calculator and checked that from 0 to 1200mg I need 692.3ml to get to 1200mg. Chatgpt answered my question by telling me this. Can someone confirm this?
Thanks in advance.

 

[Jasonak]

What are you using to test your MG ?

 

[KStatefan]

Your salt mix is not 0 ppm mg i would bet testing error.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Now that everyone is here, I couldn't find anything related but I am having so much trouble with Mg and Calcium dosing, I have IO Reef Crystals, I mixed 5 gallon with 3 cups of salt. Waited 1-2 hours and couldnt get any readings from the salt. I waited +24 hours and I got around 1300-1350 mg. My 15g tank had around 400mg, did one WC and somehow (hahaha) got 0mg. I asked Chatgpt how to raise Mg, and compared the BulkReefSupply calculator and checked that from 0 to 1200mg I need 692.3ml to get to 1200mg. Chatgpt answered my question by telling me this. Can someone confirm this?
Thanks in advance.

You have a measurement problem, not a low magnesium problem.

 

[DepthOfReef]

Thanks for your reply and time. When I add the water into my tank, the mg raises but not to the level that I want to reach. Can you explain a litle bit further, what test kit should I use. What can I do to do correct measurements.

 

[DepthOfReef]

What are you using to test your MG ?

I am using Salifert test kit. I used a heater and wavemaker to mix the salt and it showed 0. I was out of my house for one day and when I got to my house I tested and it showed 1300-1350mg and 1.031salinity from the mix. I added like 1-2 gallon from the mix in to my reef tank and I got 0 mg level. I was thinkg for a moment I could dose mg into my reef tank. (Thats why I went to search from multiple resources.
BRS calculator says that I need 692ml and from Chatgpt it shows 592ml I would trust more BRS, but my question here is when I add the water mix into my reef tank, the mg lvls doesnt go up. I keep testing and I keep getting 0 mg. But the 5g saltwater mix has 1300-1350 mg. It may sound a dumb question, but how can I proprely add the saltwater mix into my reef tank. Should I just do a big water change and add the 5 gallons (saltwater mix) into my tank? Because I am thinking it may not raise that much based on the volume of my tank with just 5 gallons. Salinity went up to 1.029 from 1.024 in my reef tank.
Thanks in advance.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Can you describe the tank? Assuming it is reasonably new, the magnesium is perfectly fine and you are just getting worried about test problems.

Stop all magnesium testing, take a breath, and worry about something else.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Magnesium is not ever anywhere close to zero.

I’d suggest this method:

Just say NO to magnesium testing: RMM is born

OK, this thread has been many years in the making, and I'm posting it here since folks in the chem forum are probably already tired of all the threads relating to problematic magnesium testing. I'm going to propose a method, let's call it the Randy Magnesium Method, or RMM for short. All good...

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