Magnesium levels

cdineen0823 · 06/10/2012, 04:24 PM

I have been dosing some magnesium chloride that I got from BRS and it seems like it hasn't moved at all. My levels are currently at 350ppm and that seems where they were before I started dosing. I use salifert test kits. I was just wondering if you guys think I should stick with this and start dosing more heavily or if I should get some of the magnesium sulfate and start dosing both via the solution? All my tank inhabitants are doing fine. Corals are doing great, probably not seeing as much growth as I would like thus me trying to get numbers in order.

ecvernon · 06/10/2012, 04:37 PM

350 ppm of magnesium is extremely low. What size tank do you have. I use the BRS calculator to determine how much solution I would have to use to bring my levels up to 1350. IMO when using BRS magnesium solution to achieve a little increase in ppm it takes a hell of a lot of solution. If your magnesium is truly that low I would do large water changes it may be easier

Randy Holmes-Farley · 06/10/2012, 05:00 PM

Do you mean 1350 ppm?

Magnesium is never, ever at 350 ppm in seawater systems, so if a test says it is, you have a test error, not low magnesium.

cdineen0823 · 06/10/2012, 11:13 PM

I have salifert test kits which I heard are some of the better ones. I just did some research and I use Reef Crystals which from my research should come out to 1440ppm according to a thread by bertoni back in 09. So unless it is user error, which it could be, I have faulty test kits from salifert. So in that instance do I contact Salifert who makes the test or do I contact BRS where I got the tests from?

cdineen0823 · 06/10/2012, 11:33 PM

Just did another test and literally followed instructions word for word, still reading extremely low. So I guess I need to contact one or the other for another test.

reefling · 06/10/2012, 11:49 PM

my reef crystal batch I tested came up low on mag but not that low lol... the test kit is faulty. i am not sure corals would handle that low of a level. I would say 600-700 is on the low end and those people just use lime water and do not add magnesium. it does take monumental amounts of additive to move your mag level. you do not want to move it more than 25ppm if I am not mistaken. I honestly thing if you are low on mag by more than a couple hundred ppm then water changes are the best way to bring it up.

in this case the test kit has to be wrong tho.

Randy Holmes-Farley · 06/11/2012, 05:06 AM

Just be sure you are reading the syringe correctly. To get 350 ppm, most of the fluid would remain in the syringe when you found the color change. Is that what happened?

I'd contact BRS and see what they say. Maybe they can guide you through it or discuss a replacement. The owner of Salifert is sometimes around to RC to deal with such issues, but not all the time.

yellowRubi · 06/11/2012, 05:53 AM

350 is super low, how old is your Mg test?

bnumair · 06/11/2012, 06:15 AM

how much fluid #3 are u using out of 1ml syringe? before it turns blue

cdineen0823 · 06/11/2012, 03:55 PM

Ok I'm thinking I may be an idiot. Sooooo... after reading some of these posts I think I might have extremely high levels of mag now. I read the table as if I put in 0.9ml I went and looked at the 0.9ml level and came up with something crazy low. I am supposed to be reading it as how much is left in the syringe to give me my Mag#. So in that instance if I used 0.9ml of solution #3 should I read that as 0.9ml = 150ppm or do I read it was 0.9ml used leaving 0.1ml = 1350ppm. I have a feeling I might have egg on my face. Can somebody give me answer?!

bnumair · 06/11/2012, 04:13 PM

lol thats what i thought (not the idiot part).. that why i asked how much fluid u were using. i did not wanna assume before asking.
yes u got it right now. u check the level what is NOT used portion.
1350 is ideal. acceptable range is 1300-1450
good luck happy reefing

06/10/2012, 04:24 PM	#1
cdineen0823 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 89	Magnesium levels I have been dosing some magnesium chloride that I got from BRS and it seems like it hasn't moved at all. My levels are currently at 350ppm and that seems where they were before I started dosing. I use salifert test kits. I was just wondering if you guys think I should stick with this and start dosing more heavily or if I should get some of the magnesium sulfate and start dosing both via the solution? All my tank inhabitants are doing fine. Corals are doing great, probably not seeing as much growth as I would like thus me trying to get numbers in order.

06/11/2012, 05:06 AM	#7
Randy Holmes-Farley Reef Chemist Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Arlington, Massachusetts Posts: 86,233	Just be sure you are reading the syringe correctly. To get 350 ppm, most of the fluid would remain in the syringe when you found the color change. Is that what happened? I'd contact BRS and see what they say. Maybe they can guide you through it or discuss a replacement. The owner of Salifert is sometimes around to RC to deal with such issues, but not all the time. __________________ Randy Holmes-Farley Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef

06/11/2012, 05:53 AM	#8
yellowRubi Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Streamwood,IL Posts: 677	350 is super low, how old is your Mg test? __________________ 48x36x20h tank & 40x20x16h Sump - NanoSeaCreations 2x MP40 Quiet Drives, SKIMZ SM161 , Water Blaster HY-7000 Return ATI T5/LED 48"Powermodule, Apex with all the goodies,2 BRS Reactors

06/11/2012, 06:15 AM	#9
bnumair Dr. Reef at ur service Join Date: May 2009 Location: Tulsa, Ok, USA Posts: 7,751 Blog Entries: 15	how much fluid #3 are u using out of 1ml syringe? before it turns blue __________________ Water Quality: NO3 0,Phos 0,Cal 440,Alk 7.5,Mag 1300 "Reef Fast, You Crash, Reef Slow, You Pass" Mike's Reef 3:16 Current Tank Info: 350g DT,95g sump, 50g Frag tank, 4800gph return 4x Sea swirls. 6x AI Vega Color. 200# Pukani rock, dual recirculating skimmer, Biopellet, GFO Carbon rx's, Cal rx. Closed loop. 1.5hp chiller, genesis renew. Apex & RKE

06/11/2012, 04:13 PM	#11
bnumair Dr. Reef at ur service Join Date: May 2009 Location: Tulsa, Ok, USA Posts: 7,751 Blog Entries: 15	lol thats what i thought (not the idiot part).. that why i asked how much fluid u were using. i did not wanna assume before asking. yes u got it right now. u check the level what is NOT used portion. 1350 is ideal. acceptable range is 1300-1450 good luck happy reefing __________________ Water Quality: NO3 0,Phos 0,Cal 440,Alk 7.5,Mag 1300 "Reef Fast, You Crash, Reef Slow, You Pass" Mike's Reef 3:16 Current Tank Info: 350g DT,95g sump, 50g Frag tank, 4800gph return 4x Sea swirls. 6x AI Vega Color. 200# Pukani rock, dual recirculating skimmer, Biopellet, GFO Carbon rx's, Cal rx. Closed loop. 1.5hp chiller, genesis renew. Apex & RKE

06/10/2012, 04:37 PM	#2
ecvernon Premium Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: brooklyn,ny Posts: 84 Blog Entries: 2	350 ppm of magnesium is extremely low. What size tank do you have. I use the BRS calculator to determine how much solution I would have to use to bring my levels up to 1350. IMO when using BRS magnesium solution to achieve a little increase in ppm it takes a hell of a lot of solution. If your magnesium is truly that low I would do large water changes it may be easier

06/10/2012, 05:00 PM	#3
Randy Holmes-Farley Reef Chemist Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Arlington, Massachusetts Posts: 86,233	Do you mean 1350 ppm? Magnesium is never, ever at 350 ppm in seawater systems, so if a test says it is, you have a test error, not low magnesium. __________________ Randy Holmes-Farley Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef

06/10/2012, 11:13 PM	#4
cdineen0823 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 89	I have salifert test kits which I heard are some of the better ones. I just did some research and I use Reef Crystals which from my research should come out to 1440ppm according to a thread by bertoni back in 09. So unless it is user error, which it could be, I have faulty test kits from salifert. So in that instance do I contact Salifert who makes the test or do I contact BRS where I got the tests from?

06/10/2012, 11:33 PM	#5
cdineen0823 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 89	Just did another test and literally followed instructions word for word, still reading extremely low. So I guess I need to contact one or the other for another test.

06/10/2012, 11:49 PM	#6
reefling Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Posts: 153	my reef crystal batch I tested came up low on mag but not that low lol... the test kit is faulty. i am not sure corals would handle that low of a level. I would say 600-700 is on the low end and those people just use lime water and do not add magnesium. it does take monumental amounts of additive to move your mag level. you do not want to move it more than 25ppm if I am not mistaken. I honestly thing if you are low on mag by more than a couple hundred ppm then water changes are the best way to bring it up. in this case the test kit has to be wrong tho.

06/11/2012, 03:55 PM	#10
cdineen0823 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 89	Ok I'm thinking I may be an idiot. Sooooo... after reading some of these posts I think I might have extremely high levels of mag now. I read the table as if I put in 0.9ml I went and looked at the 0.9ml level and came up with something crazy low. I am supposed to be reading it as how much is left in the syringe to give me my Mag#. So in that instance if I used 0.9ml of solution #3 should I read that as 0.9ml = 150ppm or do I read it was 0.9ml used leaving 0.1ml = 1350ppm. I have a feeling I might have egg on my face. Can somebody give me answer?!