Mag too high? Don't think it is the salt brand

[powderbluu]

My mag has alway been consistently high... Way above 1500 for the last few years. I stop testing for mag on a regular basis. Always use IO and doing a 10 gallons water change every week for the last 2 years. I have been dosing just cal and Alk, but also top with lime water as well as having a cal reactor in place(rarely kick in)

I don't think it is the salt brand cause I know other reefers are having to dose mag. It is not the test kit also, because I test it with other people test kits and water.

So what has been keeping my mag constant? Tank is heavily stock with sps and a few sorties. All corals are growing like crazy, so I shouldn't be complaining. Just that since I don't know what keep it there and afraid one day it start dropping when I change something I am not aware of.

Any thoughts?

 

[djrice69]

Well topping off with limewater will not add any Magnesium. While using limewater and CaCO3/CO2 reactors together, would cause both strontium and magnesium to depleted over time. The reactor media are better at delivering magnesium than settled limewater, since the lime starts out about the same as the reactor media, but then looses its magnesium to precipitation. I think your small waterchanges are keeping up with your mag level. I would just stick to the A &B & CaCO3 reactor and ditch the limewater unless your trying to get your pH to go up.

 

[xxtechxx]

hmm if you are dosing cal and alk your mag should drop as corals need mag to intake cal and alk. i would recheck your test kit especially when you have sps.

 

[djrice69]

Corals don't use up much Mag compared to Calc and Alk. The ocean can incorporate between about 0.1% and 3.5% by weight magnesium in their skeletons aka corals, coraline algae, etc... Coralline algae also incorporate a considerable amount, typically more than 1%, and as high as 4.4% by weight. Which isn't a lot. Mag is more of a buffer between Calc and Alk. Mag shouldn't change to fast to mess up anything other then your Calc and Alk which is used up by corals and coraline algae. So unless your Calc. and Alk is off then your Mag is off.

 

[wickedfish]

I also would say the 1500 mag is fine and the cool thing is if it's pretty constant you don't have to dose it. I wish my tank was like that.

I know a few people that run Magnesium in that range.

I read it makes chalices look better to run Magnesium higher. To each his own.

 

[coral diver]

I say if your parameter has been constantly like that for years leave it alone, and like you said everything is growing and healthy due to your corals have acclimated then self into that condition.

 

[Laker]

I read somewhere that snails move more slowly with high mag levels, but I'm not sure if that's true or not. In your case, since everything is looking good I wouldn't change anything either.