Calc and mag way high

[SteveZ15]

I dont know why my cal is 500+ and mag 1600+ ..I hooked up my doser like 2 weeks ago.. i lowered the cal yesterday. now i dose a un even amount. my tank always sucked up alk. tank is 60gals total about60sps 40lps.. I been doing waterchanges but the mag wont go down i never dose mag,its wierd because i dosed 35 ml to have alk 10 and cal 460 but since i hooked up the doser cal is high. it does the right amount i ran it a few days and measured the amount its on point.

 

[lnevo]

Are you using BRS or ESV 2-part?

 

[Boomer]

Who's salt are you using? Ever check its levels ?

It is either a testing error, your salt or your 2-part. Magnesium can not just increase for no reason. There is nothing in a system to do that unless you put in some decorative object that is breaking down. Also looks like your doser is off.

 

[SteveZ15]

I use the 2 part b ionic. The doser is definately not off I ran it at different doses and intervals and had the measure cups and both pumps are exactly calibrated. The mag was always in the 1500 range it just never goes down.I tested the cal all week 2 different salifert kits and both over 500. its not that it raised its why wont it come down.The cal im not too worried about its the mag that never goes down.The only different think is this batch of b ionic the gallons were already full opposed to the ones where you have to add rodi water.I am at the bottom of the bucket on the salt which is reef crystals and I mix the salt before adding to the water.I am making small adjustments on the cal so I dont mess the alk up.I am not sure about the negative affects of the mag high.I also find it strange with the cal so high there is not much coraline growing.I also add 3 cap fulls a week of amino vitamins.Its just seems something is off.I am just nervous about the mag ,I am finally recovering some corals that took damage when I made a gfo mistake.. these ones are finally encrusting and regrowing tissue where it lost and they are gaing some color.the birds nests were all white in the bone part but full polyps.IT took almost 2 months for them to start turning around I doint want to mess things up again.

 

[SteveZ15]

Can I let the cal go undosed for a day or two without dropping the alk.That was the hardest thing for me to keep stable until I got the doser it measures 10dkh anytime i test it,which I can tell the sps are better than before.I have a new bucket of rc salt ill do a small change tomorrow.

 

[Boomer]

Ok thanks Steve. Do not worry about the Mg, it will come down in time. Some reefers run it that high for days or weeks to try and control Bryopsis.


If they are not coming down then you have a low demand. Just stop the dosing of the 2-part and sup the tank with baking soda to keep the Alk in check.

 

[lnevo]

The B-Ionic also includes mag so you are probably dosing too much. 10dkh might also be too high for your tank. I would drop your dosage in half and see if it stabilizes. Alk is ok at the 7-11dkh and mine is usually around 8 even though i also use RC. You can raise it slowly if you see it still dropping.

 

[SteveZ15]

Thanks at least i know its safe at least.

 

[Boomer]

There is not enough Mg++ in B-ionic to cause this. All 2-parts have some Mg, as contaminates. That is why Bob has a B-Ionic for Mg.

E.S.V. B-Ionic Magnesium

E.S.V. B-Ionic 2-Part Calcium Buffer

 

[SteveZ15]

I know the mag in reef crystals is somewhat high, 1400+ when I first started to does I bought the mag never used it.

 

[Boomer]

Yes it is, ~ 1440, Ca++~ 490, Alk 12-13