What levels should cal, alk, and mag be?

[Miami Reef]

Im currently only dosing Cal and Alk, but I’m not really seeing any coralline algae like I want. I don’t test for Mag, but I want to know what levels Cal, alk and mag need to be to support LPS and Coralline algae. I’m going to get my water tested by the LFS, and I’ll respond with the results. I just want to know what they should be in case my levels ARE good but they say it’s not to try to sell me something that I don’t need.

Thanks!

 

[Crabs McJones]

I keep my alk at 8-8.5 and my calcium around 450 and magnesium between 1300-1500 and I have coraline growing like crazy

 

[pdxmonkeyboy]

I second the levels around 440-450 cal and low 8's for alk. my mag is around 1400-1600. mag changes very very slowly.

I would recommend against high alk levels. people do it successfully but it is an order of magnitude higher than seawater and can cause issues.

don't worry, in no time you will be cursing all the coraline growing on the glass and gear.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

My recommendations are here:

Optimal Parameters for a Coral Reef Aquarium: By Randy Holmes-Farley
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/o...-reef-aquarium-by-randy-holmes-farley.173563/

 

[Bob Weigant]

I keep my alk at 8-8.5 and my calcium around 450 and magnesium between 1300-1500 and I have coraline growing like crazy

Mine is almost identical to these numbers.

 

[Greenstreet.1]

8-8.5 Alk
425 CAL
1360 MAG
35 salinity
I try to stay in-line with Randy’s chart.

 

[Djhype97]

Keep in line with the levels as other members have suggested here. A healthy stable system should produce coralline in time.

 

[Superd513]

Mine is no where near that.
Ca 400
Mg 1200
dkh 11.2
Ph 7.8
Salinity 1.023
Temp 78 I’m in the process of buying a nano hob skimmer with an Co2 scrubber