My magnesium is too low.
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Randy Holmes-Farley
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Let's make sure it really is low. Magnesium measurement errors are common.
What value did you get and with what kit?
What is your salinity? What salt mix?
What value did you get and with what kit?
What is your salinity? What salt mix?
Randy Holmes-Farley
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That sounds too low for that product at that salinity. It would take a long time for the normal magnesium in Reef Crystals to drop that low even with high demand for alkalinity and calcium, and no magnesium supplementation.
Try measuring the new salt water.
Randy Holmes-Farley
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Have you been dosing much calcium and alkalinity, and if so, with what?
OP
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Empress
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I dose about 4 oz once a week of alk and 2 oz of calcium once a week. Using BRS 2 part ( can't remember off the top of my head), I want to say calcium chloride and soda ash. I had to throw away the magnesium package because it was hard as a rock and so I've never used it.
My total system is about 240 gallons.
My total system is about 240 gallons.
Randy Holmes-Farley
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OK, so your magnesium level is reflecting nearly exactly what is in the salt mix you are using.
Your system is consuming about 5 ppm of calcium a week, and real magnesium consumption is probably substantially less than 1 ppm per week.
Your system is consuming about 5 ppm of calcium a week, and real magnesium consumption is probably substantially less than 1 ppm per week.
Randy Holmes-Farley
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Unless you somehow got a bad batch of salt mix, or salinity is a lot lower than you think, IMO, yes.
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I'll re-calibrate my refractometer, do a water change with the new salt I just ordered and re-test everything. Thanks for all your suggestions and help.
P.S. I'm glad I didn't buy the mg. Bought fresh salt instead. [emoji16]
P.S. I'm glad I didn't buy the mg. Bought fresh salt instead. [emoji16]
Randy Holmes-Farley
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Sounds good.
Good luck and let us know what happens going forward.
Good luck and let us know what happens going forward.
