Magnesium deficiency

[robitreef]

What are the tell tale signs/symptoms of low magnesium in a reef aquarium?

[Percula9]

Low mag usually brings low calcium levels with it. If theres not enough mag to compete with calcium for carbonate, the calcium grabs all the remaining carbonate and the calcium levels drop rapidly.

[bertoni]

I agree that abiotic precipitation is the most noticeable sign. Often, a white film develops on heaters or inside pumps, or alkalinity dosing leads to a "snowstorm". Low alkalinity is also a sign, since the precipitation takes out more alkalinity, proportionately, than calcium or magnesium.

[Bri Guy]

Truth or Tale, Coraline algae starts to bleach out as Mg levels decline?

Ive heard this, is there any truth to it?

[aquarius77]

I think it would bleach if the mag was severly out of wack, because as stated before, it throws off the alk and cal when it is depleted.

[gws3]

Inability to maintain Ca and Alk levels. Dosing with Ca and seeing precipitate and no rise in Ca levels after testing. Coralline not growing. But why wait for symptoms, buy a test kit.

[bertoni]

I don't know how coralline would react to low magnesium levels.

[Scissorhand]

low mag = low calcium = coralline reacting in negative manner like turning white?

not sure, I'm just asking.

bertoni, this is completely off course, but do you have the most posts on RC? lol.

[Nanz]

I have low Mg but my Alk is dropping not my Ca.. My pH is 7.75 - 7.95 and nover gets higher. I dose Kalk at night by dripping a solution from a DIY Neilson Kalk reactor.

Last night Mg seemed to be just on the border of good.. 1250 with Sechem's test kit. Ca was 440 and Alk was 8dkh. I tried to dose some Alk and the pH shot up to 8.1 then dropped back down like a rock and its at 7.75 this morning.

Im using Kent Mg, Seachem Carbonate and Seachem Complete as my dosing solutions. I rarely use Seachem Complete because Ca is always over 400.

I know the Alk at 8dkh is not extremely bad but my pH is low and I wish I could keep it constant around 8.00 - 8.10.

I did the pH test for CO2 and it showed no change when bubbling the water in the house as well as outside. I calibrated the ph kit with fresh solutions so Im sure the meter is working correctly. Im kinda at a loss here of what to do to raise my ph. The only thing that seems to be effective is dosing Carbonate but that only lasts a few hours before its back to low pH.

When I dose the carbonate I do see a milky color in the water.

Please help if you can..

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10673957#post10673957 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Nanz
I have low Mg but my Alk is dropping not my Ca.. My pH is 7.75 - 7.95 and nover gets higher. I dose Kalk at night by dripping a solution from a DIY Neilson Kalk reactor.

Last night Mg seemed to be just on the border of good.. 1250 with Sechem's test kit. Ca was 440 and Alk was 8dkh. I tried to dose some Alk and the pH shot up to 8.1 then dropped back down like a rock and its at 7.75 this morning.

Im using Kent Mg, Seachem Carbonate and Seachem Complete as my dosing solutions. I rarely use Seachem Complete because Ca is always over 400.

I know the Alk at 8dkh is not extremely bad but my pH is low and I wish I could keep it constant around 8.00 - 8.10.

I did the pH test for CO2 and it showed no change when bubbling the water in the house as well as outside. I calibrated the ph kit with fresh solutions so Im sure the meter is working correctly. Im kinda at a loss here of what to do to raise my ph. The only thing that seems to be effective is dosing Carbonate but that only lasts a few hours before its back to low pH.

When I dose the carbonate I do see a milky color in the water.

Please help if you can..

what did you use to dose your alk?

I had the same problem as you all summer until the last week I was able to open all the basement windows where the sump and refug are
my co2 shot up over night from 7.68 to 7.84 and by evening is was 8.19--all week is runs 8.09-8.04 from evening till dawn.
I also really cranked my skimmer up after i realized I was getting better air.

[Nanz]

I use seachem Carbonate to dose the Alk.

I know the CO2 in the house is not a factor since I did the bubble water test a couple times inside and outside with no change in pH.

[robitreef]

I started this thread originally because I don't have a lot of coralline algae growth (though I am running MH's) and my coral growth is very slow to none. Tested the water and here are the parameters:

Mg: 1400
Ca: 410
Alk: 8 dkH
Po4: 0.05

Tank is 29 gal (2'x2'x1') running for 1 1/2 years.

Running 1 150w 14k Pheonix (changed bulb after 10-11 months).

Added a powerhead that offers good laminar flow.

Only thing I can think of is to try feeding. I have fish that I feed daily, but will now try to feed phyto, oyster eggs, etc.

Some corals grow (M. digitata, pocillopora) but little to no growth of my acros. Colors are really nice though.

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10675309#post10675309 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by robitreef
I started this thread originally because I don't have a lot of corraline algae growth (though I am running MH's) and my coral growth is very slow to none. Tested the water and here are the parameters:

Mg: 1400
Ca: 410
Alk: 8 dkH
Po4: 0.05

Tank is 29 gal (2'x2'x1') running for 1 1/2 years.

Running 1 150w 14k Pheonix (changed bulb after 10-11 months).

Added a powerhead that offers good laminar flow.

Only thing I can think of is to try feeding. I have fish that I feed daily, but will now try to feed phyto, oyster eggs, etc.

Some corals grow (M. digitata, pocillopora) but little to no growth of my acros. Colors are really nice though.

crank up your alk to 12 dkH and you will get lots of corraline growth but keep your eye on the calcium levels

[David Grigor]

1250ppm is nothing to be concerned about and likely not low enough to see any physical changes with the tank inhabitants. Usually start to get concerned when nearing 1100 and it's pretty serious when it falls below 1000s.

If everyone would test there Mg, I highly suspect that most are not even at 1250ppm since some salts test out around 1250-1280 Mg to begin with.

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10674065#post10674065 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Nanz
I use seachem Carbonate to dose the Alk.

I know the CO2 in the house is not a factor since I did the bubble water test a couple times inside and outside with no change in pH.

try using Kent dkH reef builder--it will bring up your pH and alk levels--you can afford to be at a happy 10.6 alk or even higher if you don't mind corraline algae growth so you are in a good position to dose now

[robitreef]

I would prefer more coral growth, which I subsequently hope will happen if there is coralline growth. What would you recommend I try to increase alk? I am currently using B-ionic.

[Aquarist007]

kent dkH

http://www.mops.ca/cgi-bin/SoftCart.exe/products/WTKE-SB500.htm?L+scstore+bfhy6609ff08d408+1188587710

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10675476#post10675476 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by robitreef
I would prefer more coral growth, which I subsequently hope will happen if there is coralline growth. What would you recommend I try to increase alk? I am currently using B-ionic.

that's a catch 22 if corraline is growing it is using the carbonates out of the water column leaving less for the corals.

so if you want both keep an eye on calcium levels (and mag but yours is 1400, a good margin over 1300) but it will fall also because sometimes coral can use magnesium carbonate rather then calcium carbonate for growth

[Nanz]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10675309#post10675309 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by robitreef
I started this thread originally....

Sorry to hi-jack your thread.. I just seem to have a similar problem and thought I would post. :)

[robitreef]

No problem. You had a related issue, so the input helps.