My tank uses way too much Magnesium...

[HulaDad]

Does anybody else's tank use more Magnesium than Calcium or Alk... I was just curious, I have a Red Sea Mag. test kit and from my testing log my tank uses 60ppm per day... Is that normal? I have no problem keeping my Calc. at 440 and my dKH at 10-11, just keeping the Mag. up.... Oh and my test kit is good until Feb. 2011 and it jives with the LFS test kit too. Friday Mag 1320, Sun Mag 1220, Tue. Mag 1100, that just doesn't seem right to me.... Any help would be greatly appreciated... Thanks

[stanlalee]

From what I understand mg uptake is in direct proportion to calcium used (as are carbonates) but at a much lower rate so unless you are using a butt load of calcium and carbonates your test results are likely not accurate. I initially used the redsea mg test and found it VERY inconsistant (more accurate would be nearly impossible to administer with consistant precision). Try the elos kit or any kit that doesn't require the end user to repeatedly measure and add .03ml or however amount of tank water over and over to get a reading.

[HighlandReefer]

Your mag. level may drop significantly with a large water change using a low mag. salt, like the old Instant Ocean. Other than that, a 100 ppm drop over night does not seem possible too me even with a precipitation event. FWIW, mag is used at a much slower rate then alk or calcium. Either you are misusing the mag. kit or it is faulty IMHO.

[HulaDad]

Ok maybe I should try the Elos kit. What about Salifert? Is that a good test kit for Mag... Are there any other kits that you would suggest? Thanks

[Iron Mike]

Salifert is all i ever use.

[sjames]

Ok maybe I should try the Elos kit. What about Salifert? Is that a good test kit for Mag... Are there any other kits that you would suggest? Thanks

FWIW, ive had terrible luck with the elos mag kit, it reads all over the place for me, i got 1500 last week, and 1650 this week, where salifert read 1350.

(no mag was added during the week between tests)

[HighlandReefer]

Salifert or Elos should work fine, depending on your preference in determining color changes. Personally, I use Salifert and am happy with the results.

I have yet to get what I feel is a faulty Salifert kit when purchasing them from a trusted source. Meaning some kits can remain on shelves for too long.

[HighlandReefer]

FWIW, it is not uncommon to get a bad test kit when using the more expensive ones like Salifert, LaMotte or Elos, but the Red Sea Mag. test kit does not appear to have a good track record from what I have seen in this forum.

:lol:

[HulaDad]

Cool thanks, Salifert it is.... Thanks everyone.....

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I agree that such magnesium drops are not possible. :)