Magnesion P

[JWClark]

Been using Brightwell's magnesion-P to raise my mg and when I make the stock solution and let it settle there is brown dirt/sludge that settles out of solution--I'm assuming it is dirt from the manufacturing process (dissolving in RODI). I lose a good bit of the solution sucking the stuff out of the container. Is this normal or something I should worry about? Do I really need to remove it?

Also, thought I had my mg up to 1320 but it dropped back to 1290 two days later. Been adding the stock solution to the tank at the rate of 70ml per day (140g system) but my level seems stuck around 1290-1300. According to the instructions 1ml of stock solution will raise mg 6ppm in 1gal of water.

The tank is new so could there really be a demand for mg right now or am I just filling the sink, so to speak? Based on my dosing and test results I would guess the demand is about 3ppm per day right now.

[bertoni]

I would ignore the contaminants, and just try to avoid adding them to the tank. Some sludge is normal. 3 ppm of magnesium is a bit high, but might be believable if there's a lot of coralline algae growth. What magnesium test kit are you using? You're probably near the accuracy limits of the kit with those numbers.

[JWClark]

Using Salifert. Not to sure on the actual # as the increments in the test kit are 15ppm per 0.1 ml change in syringe level.

Today is testing day so if I am still at 1290ish then there is definitely a draw somewhere. I don't have much coralline growth yet--just starting--but I have a lot of maroon colored things on the rocks that have begun to grow. I thought they were sponges that survived the shipment but am starting to think they could be some kind of SPS. From what I understand, sponges don't survive exposure to air. Also, these things appear to have little polyps at the growing tips but they are too small to tell for sure--but they are growing. Liverock is the fiji from liveaquaria.

[Piper27]

I always have trouble keeping my magnesium up in a new tank. Not sure why but every time I set one up it takes a lot of magnesium to get the levels up and stable. After a while the tank goes back to normal and the dosing slows down.

[JWClark]

Thanks. Was getting worried as I have gone through half the container or more--way more than I expected. Would suspect the test kit had I not seen the level go from 1260 to 1320 (first test was actually 1050 or so but figured out I had a technique error--the stir time sequences are important!). My last tank I never measured mg so was oblivious and lucky.

[JWClark]

Mg still 1290. Ca and Alk drop too if I don't add the b-ionic--35ml per day seems to hold it steady right now. Pretty sure those maroon things are SPS--saw polyps w/ a magnifying glass. Will have to take a pic and post sometime.

[bertoni]

Lots of tanks require daily calcium and alkalinity dosing, so that's normal. Actually, that's a low dose for that size tank. I'm not sure yet about the magnesium.

[JWClark]

Tank has only been running four weeks so little demand right now. Just didn't expect to be playing w/ the mg so much.