Optimal calcium, alkalinity, and magnesium levels?

Praben · 09/15/2010, 07:56 PM

What is the consensus, or anybodies opinion, on the optimal levels to try and keep calcium, alkalinity, and magnesium at (for a mixed soft/LPS/SPS reef) Also, what is a suitable range for each?

Mine are currently:
Ca: 400
Alk: 7 dkh
Mag: 1410

drcarr · 09/15/2010, 08:26 PM

"optimal" will vary upon who responds but average range for my mixed reef tank is
Ca: 400-425
Alk: 9-10 dkh
Mag: 1375-1450

Sugar Magnolia · 09/16/2010, 07:19 AM

Bookmark for future reference - http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.php

3skitch3 · 09/16/2010, 08:07 AM

Same thing dr said.
Cal-400-425
Kh 9-10
But ultimately if you want the best growth you can get it's about maintaining those levels the best you can. The more stable your alk and cal are the better your growth. That's why people spend more money on reef crystals because after the mix the water comes out almost exactly the same alk and cal as their water in there tank. Hope this helps.

Praben · 09/16/2010, 01:10 PM

Thanks for the good reference info. I've been up and running 9months (125gal mixed reef). About a month ago I got the mag test kit (only test kit i didnt have) and it tested about 1100, I brought it up slowly over last month to 1400. I had virtually no coraline growth before but it is popping up nicely now. I'm working on raising my dkh up now, very slowly (was getting 6, recently 7-8). I just wanted to confirm what my targets should be. Thanks!

outy · 09/16/2010, 01:13 PM

alk 8-10 not 7 not 11
cal 400-450 not 375 not 500
mag 1375-1450 not 1300 not 1500

the idea is to mimic natural sea water

thirst · 09/29/2010, 12:55 PM

what if your alk and calcium are out of balance? let's say your alk is at 12, but ca is at 390. Could that happen? How does that happen? and how do you fix it?

Flems · 09/29/2010, 01:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thirst

what if your alk and calcium are out of balance? let's say your alk is at 12, but ca is at 390. Could that happen? How does that happen? and how do you fix it?

You could allow the ALK to drop over time and dose Calcium to slowly bring it back into proportion.

Sysco · 10/20/2016, 10:16 PM

Ok so I've been reading lots of threads and tested today since my acros where not to happy . Alk is 9 dkh
Cal. Is 425
But my mag is the problem. Thought it was 1500 but as I'm typing this the color keeps changing so I keep adding more Titrant . And I'm past 1600 .
My question is how do I drop mag slowly

Ron Reefman · 10/21/2016, 05:11 AM

Ok so I've been reading lots of threads and tested today since my acros where not to happy . Alk is 9 dkh
Cal. Is 425
But my mag is the problem. Thought it was 1500 but as I'm typing this the color keeps changing so I keep adding more Titrant . And I'm past 1600 .
My question is how do I drop mag slowly

First you should probably try to find just how high your Mg is.

High Mg isn't a serious issue even up to about 2000. I'm unsure beyond that. You can just let it come down naturally but unless you have a LOT of sps and lps corals it will take a long time (months?). Water changes will lower the Mg level. Just do more frequent smaller changes and the reduction will be slow, although rapid changes in Mg are a serious issue IMHO.

homer1475 · 10/21/2016, 05:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by outy

alk 8-10 not 7 not 11
cal 400-450 not 375 not 500
mag 1375-1450 not 1300 not 1500

the idea is to mimic natural sea water

Really? Because NSW is no where near those levels.

NSW:
CAL - 420
ALK - 7
MAG - 1280

We tend to keep our tanks for optimal growth and color, hence the numbers you suggested. But they are no where near NSW.

tkeracer619 · 10/21/2016, 08:35 AM

Our reefs are not the ocean. Anyways the numbers themselves aren't really that important as long as you are somewhere in the range of 8-420-1260 as others have described. Keeping them stable and non fluctuating IS the most important thing here.

Many people including me have ran alk ranges in the 11 or 12 but that isn't something I would suggest unless you have a good reason.

Timfish · 10/21/2016, 02:55 PM

Calcium above 360
Alkalinity above 5.5
Magnesium above 1200 (I feel hypocritical saying this as this system is only 1040)

09/15/2010, 07:56 PM	#1
Praben Registered Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Daytona Beach, FL Posts: 148	Optimal calcium, alkalinity, and magnesium levels? What is the consensus, or anybodies opinion, on the optimal levels to try and keep calcium, alkalinity, and magnesium at (for a mixed soft/LPS/SPS reef) Also, what is a suitable range for each? Mine are currently: Ca: 400 Alk: 7 dkh Mag: 1410

09/16/2010, 07:19 AM	#3
Sugar Magnolia Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Northern VA Posts: 17,691	Bookmark for future reference - http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.php __________________ Adrienne The only thing to fear is fear itself....and spiders.

10/21/2016, 05:11 AM	#10
Ron Reefman Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Cape Coral, FL Posts: 10,431	Ok so I've been reading lots of threads and tested today since my acros where not to happy . Alk is 9 dkh Cal. Is 425 But my mag is the problem. Thought it was 1500 but as I'm typing this the color keeps changing so I keep adding more Titrant . And I'm past 1600 . My question is how do I drop mag slowly First you should probably try to find just how high your Mg is. High Mg isn't a serious issue even up to about 2000. I'm unsure beyond that. You can just let it come down naturally but unless you have a LOT of sps and lps corals it will take a long time (months?). Water changes will lower the Mg level. Just do more frequent smaller changes and the reduction will be slow, although rapid changes in Mg are a serious issue IMHO. __________________ The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it. (Neil deGrasse Tyson) Visit my build thread http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2593017

10/21/2016, 08:35 AM	#12
tkeracer619 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Westminster, CO Posts: 17,289	Our reefs are not the ocean. Anyways the numbers themselves aren't really that important as long as you are somewhere in the range of 8-420-1260 as others have described. Keeping them stable and non fluctuating IS the most important thing here. Many people including me have ran alk ranges in the 11 or 12 but that isn't something I would suggest unless you have a good reason. __________________ Hobby Experience: 9200ish gallons, 26 skimmers, and a handful of Kent Scrapers. Current Tank: Vortech Powered 600G SPS Tank w/ 100gal frag tank & 100g Sump. RK2-RK10 Skimmer. ReefAngel. Radium 20k.

10/21/2016, 02:55 PM	#13
Timfish Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 1,985	Calcium above 360 Alkalinity above 5.5 Magnesium above 1200 (I feel hypocritical saying this as this system is only 1040) __________________ "Our crystal clear aquaria come nowhere close to the nutrient loads that swirl around natural reefs" Charles Delbeek

09/15/2010, 08:26 PM	#2
drcarr Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 105	"optimal" will vary upon who responds but average range for my mixed reef tank is Ca: 400-425 Alk: 9-10 dkh Mag: 1375-1450

09/16/2010, 08:07 AM	#4
3skitch3 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 77	Same thing dr said. Cal-400-425 Kh 9-10 But ultimately if you want the best growth you can get it's about maintaining those levels the best you can. The more stable your alk and cal are the better your growth. That's why people spend more money on reef crystals because after the mix the water comes out almost exactly the same alk and cal as their water in there tank. Hope this helps.

09/16/2010, 01:10 PM	#5
Praben Registered Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Daytona Beach, FL Posts: 148	Thanks for the good reference info. I've been up and running 9months (125gal mixed reef). About a month ago I got the mag test kit (only test kit i didnt have) and it tested about 1100, I brought it up slowly over last month to 1400. I had virtually no coraline growth before but it is popping up nicely now. I'm working on raising my dkh up now, very slowly (was getting 6, recently 7-8). I just wanted to confirm what my targets should be. Thanks!

09/16/2010, 01:13 PM	#6
outy Moved On Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: auburn CA Posts: 4,021	alk 8-10 not 7 not 11 cal 400-450 not 375 not 500 mag 1375-1450 not 1300 not 1500 the idea is to mimic natural sea water

09/29/2010, 12:55 PM	#7
thirst Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 1,907	what if your alk and calcium are out of balance? let's say your alk is at 12, but ca is at 390. Could that happen? How does that happen? and how do you fix it?

10/20/2016, 10:16 PM	#9
Sysco Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2016 Posts: 2	Ok so I've been reading lots of threads and tested today since my acros where not to happy . Alk is 9 dkh Cal. Is 425 But my mag is the problem. Thought it was 1500 but as I'm typing this the color keeps changing so I keep adding more Titrant . And I'm past 1600 . My question is how do I drop mag slowly

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Alkalinity, Calcium, and Magnesium Level for Tropic Marin Pro	Scissorhand	Southern California Reefers	12	08/20/2007 08:46 PM
Instructions for adding calcium, alkalinity and magnesium	neuroslicer	West Tennessee Marine & Reef Aquarium Club	2	05/16/2007 12:33 PM
What are the best, easy and accurate test kits for Calcium, Alkalinity or Magnesium?	vtrieu88	The Reef Chemistry Forum	4	04/27/2007 01:54 PM
DIY: Calcium, Alkalinity, and Magnesium suppliments for Sale.	itz frank	Florida Marine Aquarium Society (FMAS) - Miami/Ft. Lauderdale	5	02/09/2007 12:07 PM
Calcium, Alkalinity and Magnesium Additives	powerplay	The Reef Chemistry Forum	6	08/28/2006 08:39 AM