Need Help With Low Mg and calcuim

LUDE98 · 01/12/2010, 11:06 PM

I can not get my Mg above 850 and calcuim above 300 i use an deionize filter and use red sea salt mix at sg of 1.0235 i have used kent tech cb and tryed ions to raise mg but it will not raise at all my kh is at 12 po4at 0.5 ph 8.3 i do a weekly water change of about 10 gal to try to get my levels up. my filtration is a fluval 305. i have 50 lbs of live rock and 1.5in live sand bed. no corals yet . i just have 2 clowns and a yellow tang in the tank.

bertoni · 01/12/2010, 11:39 PM

I would raise the SG to 1.0264 over a week or so, which will help. That's more like the canonical average saltwater.

It will take a lot of supplement to raise Mg and Ca. This calculator should help:

http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chem_calc3.html

Personally, I'm not sure that your test kits are working, and I'd get a second opinion. How does some freshly-mixed saltwater measure?

dots · 01/13/2010, 01:11 AM

Most Mg supplements are like 8% Mg....the rest is salt. Adding Mg will raise your SG at the same time.

Looks like you might have an out of balance situation, I might suggest this:

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-06/rhf/index.php

Kent Tech AB looks to be a 2-part system for "supplementing" daily losses. Because its in a diluted form for more precise control and smaller amounts needed for you, you should be using something like a Liquid or Powdered Calcium in addition to a Mg supplement.

I agree, double check your kits...make sure they are quality and your correct. Are you using a refractometer.....if not get one.

Ca is limited by low Mg.....so get the Mg up first.

Don't add any more "Alk" and let it fall on its own.....which will take a while with no corals....but coralline does use a lot......

01/12/2010, 11:06 PM	#1
LUDE98 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Huntington , NY Posts: 4	Need Help With Low Mg and calcuim I can not get my Mg above 850 and calcuim above 300 i use an deionize filter and use red sea salt mix at sg of 1.0235 i have used kent tech cb and tryed ions to raise mg but it will not raise at all my kh is at 12 po4at 0.5 ph 8.3 i do a weekly water change of about 10 gal to try to get my levels up. my filtration is a fluval 305. i have 50 lbs of live rock and 1.5in live sand bed. no corals yet . i just have 2 clowns and a yellow tang in the tank.

01/12/2010, 11:39 PM	#2
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	I would raise the SG to 1.0264 over a week or so, which will help. That's more like the canonical average saltwater. It will take a lot of supplement to raise Mg and Ca. This calculator should help: http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chem_calc3.html Personally, I'm not sure that your test kits are working, and I'd get a second opinion. How does some freshly-mixed saltwater measure? __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

01/13/2010, 01:11 AM	#3
dots Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 6,258	Most Mg supplements are like 8% Mg....the rest is salt. Adding Mg will raise your SG at the same time. Looks like you might have an out of balance situation, I might suggest this: http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-06/rhf/index.php Kent Tech AB looks to be a 2-part system for "supplementing" daily losses. Because its in a diluted form for more precise control and smaller amounts needed for you, you should be using something like a Liquid or Powdered Calcium in addition to a Mg supplement. I agree, double check your kits...make sure they are quality and your correct. Are you using a refractometer.....if not get one. Ca is limited by low Mg.....so get the Mg up first. Don't add any more "Alk" and let it fall on its own.....which will take a while with no corals....but coralline does use a lot...... __________________ ~Doug