Mag/Calc

[james-lee]

Quick question. Can a low mag/calc cause hydnophora to start dying? I added a large frags of Hydno a few weeks back and they looked great. I ran out of Mag/Calc last Thursday and ordered more but wont be in till tomorrow. I used to pour a set dose each day and that is the ony thing that I changed since the hydno started looking bad a few days ago. I will test them later but wanted to know if low levels could cause this. All other parameters are fine. TIA!

 

[xxtechxx]

what is consider "low" cal and mag to you? what are your parameters?

 

[james-lee]

I am going to check those in a lil bit. Last time I checked was last week Monday and calc was 500 and mag was 1450. Busy feeding the kids lol.

 

[xxtechxx]

those parameters seems really high to me haha. my hydnophora colony just kept growing and growing till i finally couldnt stand it and traded it.

 

[james-lee]

But could a week of not dosing either cause this? Thats the only thing that has changed in my tank and the previous 2 weeks they were all big and hairy.

 

[xxtechxx]

if your parameters change too fast it can happen. so its best to just know your parameters right now

 

[5ft24]

Check Phosphates as well...

 

[james-lee]

OMFG!!!! I cant believe this! I just checked Mag and its at 1750 and calcium is at a whopping 940!!! Will a water change bring this down and how the hell did it just up this fast when I havent even been adding for over a week. I did both test twice. Mag test is redsea and calcium is salifert. All other corals doing fine but these two. Man I just cant get a break lol....

Im checking DKH right now to make sure its not low.

 

[xxtechxx]

uh can calcium level even reach that high? something is wrong here.

 

[james-lee]

Aww crack nuts my KH is 18 and dKH is 322. Could stirring up the sandbed have caused this? I had my pumps on a little higher than normal and it blew the sand in the middle of the tank to form a small bowl but nothing major. I am using ro/di water with an ATO float switch. Ideas? I am getting ready to do a 25% water change right now.

 

[james-lee]

uh can calcium level even reach that high? something is wrong here.

I dont know I have never seen it that high perhaps the test kit is bad. Doesnt expire till next year and when I used it last monday it worked fine. Ill go try a third test. It doesnt make sense though as my KH and dKH is high when it should be low if my calcium is that high right?

 

[xxtechxx]

are you sure you are doing the testing correctly. you are telling me that your parameter are:

CAL: 940
MAG: 1750
ALK: 18DKH

something is wrong here.... are you testing right

 

[james-lee]

Calc: Added 5 ml of tank water and added 10 drops of solution 1. Shook vial twice and added one drop of solution 2 and capped and shook vial after each drop. It turned from pink to dark blue on the 47th drop.

KH: Added 5 ml of tank water to vial and added 1 drop of solution, capped and shook vial. Did this until it turned from blue to yellow on the 18th drop.

Mag: Cleaned test tube and added 2 ml of tank water. Added 5 drops of regeant A and shook after each drop. Added 5 drops of regeant B and shok the vial twice. Waited for a minute. Drew 1 ml of regeant C. I ended up using about 2.1 ml of regeant C until it turned to blue.

 

[5ft24]

Calc: Added 5 ml of tank water and added 10 drops of solution 1. Shook vial twice and added one drop of solution 2 and capped and shook vial after each drop. It turned from pink to dark blue on the 47th drop.

KH: Added 5 ml of tank water to vial and added 1 drop of solution, capped and shook vial. Did this until it turned from blue to yellow on the 18th drop.

Mag: Cleaned test tube and added 2 ml of tank water. Added 5 drops of regeant A and shook after each drop. Added 5 drops of regeant B and shok the vial twice. Waited for a minute. Drew 1 ml of regeant C. I ended up using about 2.1 ml of regeant C until it turned to blue.

WOW... I know API tests go bad after time, but to have both a Ca and KH both that far off would be a real stretch...
I'd mix up some water and test it, then do a LOT of smaller water changes to slowly bring the numbers down...
Another thought... what is your salinity?

 

[james-lee]

Salinity is 1.024. I am doing a 25% right now.

 

[xxtechxx]

you should test your newly mixed saltwater with your test kit to confirm that the test kit has not gone bad.

 

[james-lee]

doh! **** Ill mix a new batch and test and use that for my next WC.

 

[lurking]

I have never heard of levels that high. Not even sure how that is possible.

 

[xxtechxx]

doh! **** Ill mix a new batch and test and use that for my next WC.

what... you just mixed the saltwater how can you dump it into your tank. you should wait at least a couple of hours with newly mix water. i mix the water for 24 hours before i do the water change...

 

[lurking]

Keep in mind that if it is accurate that dropping allot and quickly can be detrimental.