Mg consumption

[snorkeler]

Hello, I'm a little puzzled by how difficult it is to raise my tank's Mg levels. I only have one Hammer coral that consumes Ca/Mg, he isn't growing (at least not visibly) but if I don't add Mg buffer the Mg level gradually drops.

It is a ~200L tank and I've been adding the recommended amount of Mg buffer to raise Mg concentration (i.e. 50ml of Eco Magnesium) but that only keeps Mg stable around 1063 ppm. Yesterday I started adding twice the measure (100ml) and will measure during the weekend to see where I get to.

What could be consuming my Mg? Any idea? Does coraline algae aggressively eat up Mg as it covers rocks? (I've seen more red and pink coraline appearing lately)

Thx,

snorkeler

[SWINGRRRR]

It takes a ton of supplement just to raise it a small bit.

[soulsigma]

You could try a high Mag salt such as DD.

[stanlalee]

yup the typical amount of mg product required to raise it 200ppm will make you feel like your poisoning the tank. the amount to dose on the directions just about never raise mg significantly. Also if you have good coralline coverage that will eat up mg as well.

[bolo7735]

I am going through the same problem too. I am dosing Mag like crazy. Like StanLee said follow the direction and keep adding until you get desire level. I am constant testing my water each day to check all levels. I am using DD salt too. I have 90% SPS 3 Hammers, Elgance, and my coraline has taken off too.

[d0ughb0y]

if you use the reef chemistry calculator, it gives you a good estimate on how much you need to add. for example, 1 cup (8 oz, which is about 240ml) of randy's recipe can raise your mg on your tank size (assuming 50 gallons) approx 50ppm. I dose 1 cup a month and thats about how much my mg rise after dosing.

[Car147]

Rock work and substrate will take up mag until it's saturated, just be aware that suddenly consumption will drop off markedly.

[HighlandReefer]

Using the calculator like said above would be your best approach. You should not raise your mag by more then 100 ppm per day. :)

Reef chemicals calculator
http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chem_calc3.html

[tmz]

Yes coraline will use up magnesium. If I recall it has a higher level in it than coral skeletal mass.

[bertoni]

Some species of coralline can consume a fair percentage of magnesium. This article has some details:

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/oct2003/chem.htm

Raising magnesium requires a lot of supplement, as people have stated.

[snorkeler]

Thanks folks! I think it must be the coraline and rockwork consuming my Mg... As SW I use Red Sea which isn't low in Mg, but isn't high either.

Great links / articles, thanks!

Snorkeler


Sent from my Nexus One using Tapatalk

[bertoni]

You're welcome! Have fun!

[Machupicchu]

if his alk is high, cant this also be consuming mag too quickly?

[bertoni]

That's not a particularly big problem. if the alkalinity became high enough to cause precipitation, calcium carbonate would make up most of the precipitation, so the calcium level would drop a lot, though. Alkalinity generally has to be very, very high before that's an issue. 18 dKH generally is not high enough, for example.