Adding Mg causes cloudy water?

JosefDevaty · 02/05/2010, 08:03 PM

The last 2 times i have added Mg to my tank it has made the water cloudy for a few days. I am using bulk Mg pellets from a local reefer that sells them. Here are my parameters
Sg 1.026
Cal 430
Alk 12
Temp 78.5 - 80 (on ACJr controller)
MG 1380 - This is why I added Mg to get it up to 1440

All of the corals are looking normal and growing but the cloudy water looks like crap. It seems to me that something is precipitating out in the water but im not getting any buildup anywhere. I just tested everything again and got those readings above.
More details - SPS dominated barebottom tank. Vertex skimmer. 60 gallon display 30gal long sump with mangroves and cheato. I feed flake and mysis. Dose Aminos about once a week and feed brightwells microvore 3 times a week.
So, any ideas? Just seems weird that its happened twice after I dosed Mg, yet the Mg isnt through the roof or anything.

bertoni · 02/05/2010, 09:39 PM

The problem might be a contaminant in the supplement. I can't think of anything that would precipitate otherwise. Maybe Randy can help.

I think Mg at 1380 is more than high enough, FWIW.

JosefDevaty · 02/05/2010, 10:32 PM

agreed. Its the same Mg I have been using for months. I bought it in bulk. Maybe that is the answer though. Can it go bad?

bertoni · 02/05/2010, 11:18 PM

Neither magnesium chloride nor magnesium sulfate can go bad, but maybe some contaminants have changed.

JosefDevaty · 02/06/2010, 12:22 AM

I think im just going to junk the stuff I have and do a decent sized water change tomorrow. Get some new 2part and see if that helps. Like I said the corals dont seem affected at all by the cloudiness. Its just ugly to look at.

Randy Holmes-Farley · 02/06/2010, 08:37 AM

What brand?

02/05/2010, 08:03 PM	#1
JosefDevaty Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Oviedo, Fl Posts: 363	Adding Mg causes cloudy water? The last 2 times i have added Mg to my tank it has made the water cloudy for a few days. I am using bulk Mg pellets from a local reefer that sells them. Here are my parameters Sg 1.026 Cal 430 Alk 12 Temp 78.5 - 80 (on ACJr controller) MG 1380 - This is why I added Mg to get it up to 1440 All of the corals are looking normal and growing but the cloudy water looks like crap. It seems to me that something is precipitating out in the water but im not getting any buildup anywhere. I just tested everything again and got those readings above. More details - SPS dominated barebottom tank. Vertex skimmer. 60 gallon display 30gal long sump with mangroves and cheato. I feed flake and mysis. Dose Aminos about once a week and feed brightwells microvore 3 times a week. So, any ideas? Just seems weird that its happened twice after I dosed Mg, yet the Mg isnt through the roof or anything.

02/05/2010, 09:39 PM	#2
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	The problem might be a contaminant in the supplement. I can't think of anything that would precipitate otherwise. Maybe Randy can help. I think Mg at 1380 is more than high enough, FWIW. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

02/05/2010, 11:18 PM	#4
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	Neither magnesium chloride nor magnesium sulfate can go bad, but maybe some contaminants have changed. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

02/06/2010, 08:37 AM	#6
Randy Holmes-Farley Reef Chemist Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Arlington, Massachusetts Posts: 86,233	What brand? __________________ Randy Holmes-Farley Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef

02/05/2010, 10:32 PM	#3
JosefDevaty Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Oviedo, Fl Posts: 363	agreed. Its the same Mg I have been using for months. I bought it in bulk. Maybe that is the answer though. Can it go bad?

02/06/2010, 12:22 AM	#5
JosefDevaty Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Oviedo, Fl Posts: 363	I think im just going to junk the stuff I have and do a decent sized water change tomorrow. Get some new 2part and see if that helps. Like I said the corals dont seem affected at all by the cloudiness. Its just ugly to look at.