Magnesium

[FRANK48]

What has your salinity been increased to now? Hopefully it fixes your magnesium issue, you will probably see an increase in cal and alkalinity as well die to using more Salt..

Magnesium would be the least consumed of the 3 but alkalinity and calcium work with and against each other. Depending of what corals you have, generally at the start every water change is enough to keep levels at a good point.

But when you start adding life and corals they will start to be consumed and will need to dose every day to keep it at a good level without large swings in your parameters.

My salinity is now 30ppt I did a water change yesterday. When should I be seeing results

 

[Uncle99]

If your just fish and rock, 30ppt is fine and low MG is not important.
If your keeping Stoney type corals, you need to increase salinity to 35ppt (1.026).
Some salts low on MG.
I run MG at 1400ppm.
I was surprised how much product was necessary to bump this up.

 

[DDenny]

And just to make sure your refractometer is calibrated with calibration solution not RODI or distilled water?

 

[FRANK48]

If your just fish and rock, 30ppt is fine and low MG is not important.
If your keeping Stoney type corals, you need to increase salinity to 35ppt (1.026).
Some salts low on MG.
I run MG at 1400ppm.
I was surprised how much product was necessary to bump this up.

I want to start keeping soft corals

 

[NeonRabbit221B]

Frank, as we have stated a few times. Unless you calibrate your refractometer with a reference solution then you are guessing at your salinity. Slow down. Try googling things before asking, the search function on R2R has hundred of threads. Im out for now as I don't feel like I can give you any more knowledge in this thread.

 

[Uncle99]

I want to start keeping soft corals

That’s easy.
Just bring that salinity up to 35ppt or 1.026 and make sure it’s stays right on point. That’s the secret man, stability, over months, over years.
The easiest way is to use an ATO.
Any reef salt is fine.

 

[FRANK48]

That’s easy.
Just bring that salinity up to 35ppt or 1.026 and make sure it’s stays right on point. That’s the secret man, stability, over months, over years.
The easiest way is to use an ATO.
Any reef salt is fine.

Thanks

 

[Uncle99]

Pleasure!