Low mg and Ca

[D.Blaine]

I just did a test on these last night havent tested in a month guess I should test more often:) Anyways my Ca tested at 310 ppm and Mg tested at 780 using Salifert tests .I was obviously concearned I used the reef calculater and it appears I will nedd an enormous amount of supplement to correct this. So question is can I do a massive water change to correct this I currently have about 30 gallons of SW mixing will this be to much to change on a 55?

[Boomer]

WOW, low ;) I would do the water change, all 30 gals you have and re-measure and go from there. A 15 gal change then another 15 gal change the next day or two. Then we will have to bump things up with sup's. Who' salt mix do you have first ?

[D.Blaine]

Thanks Boomer I am currently using Tropic Marin Pro but have thought about switching to reef crystals do to price, but anyways I have a half a bucket of Tm to go before I worry about that. Also I have recently started to drip limewater I have it on a 24/7 drip replacing evaporated water, the only other supplement I have been adding is C-balance. What am I doing wrong maybe need to up the doses?

[Boomer]

It looks like that is what you are doing wrong, to low a dosage. Do water changes anyway, that way we are starting fresh.

[D.Blaine]

Ok sounds like a plan I will do the water change tomorrow after water is mixed, then do a series of tests and get back to you.

Appreciate the help Boomer

[D.Blaine]

Ok today I did about a 30 g water change. Corals seem happy:) Although my test results show pretty small change. Although I am going to slowly raise my SG up to 1.025 I was a little off with the water change.

Test results:
dKH = 12.2
Ca = 340
Mg = 900
SG = 1.023
I am currently filling up 32g bucket with RO/DI will mix salt tonight and do another water change tommorow.

How does this look?

[Billybeau1]

You already know you specific gravity needs to be raised. Thats a start.

Your calcium is quite low as well as mag. I'm not familiar with C-balance. If its a 2-part stop dosing the alk and just dose calcium for awhile. If its just calcium, your need to dose until you get up to the low 400's.

As for the mag, if its really that low it will take a bunch to get it up to 1300 or so. Epson salts is the cheapest. If not most of the commercial suppliments work well. The nice thing about mag is once you finally get it up you wont need much to maintain it.

You already know where the calculator is so plug in your numbers and follow the recommendations.

[bertoni]

The C-Balance is a 2-part supplement like B-Ionic, so using just the calcium part will work well. I'd do a series of 25% water changes first, and also measure some freshly-mixed water, just to be more sure about what is really going on in the system.

[Boomer]

Baline, been gone so what is going on now ? Is the SG up ? Have you sup'ed anything yet for Calcium and Magnesium t get them up ?

[D.Blaine]

The water change was done today and I am still mixing a fresh batch of saltwater. I did not dose anything today except for my normal dosing of limewater which I have dripping 24/7. I was going to try and do two more water changes as suggested by Boomer( currently I have another 30 g of Ro/DI mixing) to get my Ca and Mg a little closer to optimal levels. Once I do that I figure I should than start dosing and try and figure out how much of a demand I have for the supplement. The way it is looking now it looks like I will be going through alot of the two part supplement so I will probably be looking for cheaper alternatives. I have heard that dripping limewater can lower Mg is this true?
thanks for the help everyone comments and suggestions are very much appreciated
:)

Also tommorow I will test a fresh batch of saltwater and see what the water perimeters look like before I do the water change as I have yet to do this on the Tropic Marin salt.

[D.Blaine]

forgot to mention I do have SG up to 1.025. Wont have time to test water parimeters tonight have a geology test tommorow. :)

[Boomer]

Need help on geology test :D


Lime water is more on the order of to much. When you do or if one gots a precip, it is usaully magnesium hyroxide, which wll go right back into solution.

[D.Blaine]

As a matter of fact I did have a couple of questions now I know who to ask:) next time I will ask that way I can get an A instead of a B:D .

Now that the test is over back to reefing :D I am testing water now and will do another water change will let you know what happens.

[Boomer]

:thumbsup:

[D.Blaine]

Ok A fresh batch of water is testing Ca 360 and Mg 960 at SG of 1.026 this seems pretty low to me I tested 3 times to be sure. Needless to say I wil probably be switching to Reef crystals or back to IO after this bucket of Tropic Marin is gone.

[D.Blaine]

After a few days water in tank is reading:

Ca 410
Mg 1350
dKH 14.1
SG 1.025

In order to get the Mg where it is now it took the entire 1 Kg bottle of Mg supplement is this normal? Ca was easy to raise only took a few Tb of calcium chloride. also my alk seems pretty high what to do next? I wonder if I got a bad batch of salt.

[Billybeau1]

Things are looking better. Alks a little high but it wont kill ya. Now that Cal and mag are in check, stop supplimenting anything for a week and let the Alk fall on its own.

BTW - how do your animals look ?

[D.Blaine]

All animals are doing great My bubble coral has never opened up this much in the last few months since I bought it as it has in the last couple of days.

I will just top off with RO than and no limewater and keep an eye on perimeters.

Also do you think switching back to IO would be a good idea? Using a whole 1 KG bottle of Mg every time I do a water change seems like alot.

[Boomer]

:thumbsup:

[Billybeau1]

D, Mag doesnt fall that fast. Now that you got it up it should stay there with minimal suppliments. That initial rise is the killer. :D

I'm glad your livestock is looking better. :)

Also about IO. Its a fine salt. Reef Crystals is good too. Your preference. RC has a little more calcium and mag then IO. Might be a better choice for your tank.

[D.Blaine]

Ok sounds good I will decide whether to switch salts when this bucket gets a little lower although probably will. Another thing the only abnormal effect in my tank is that I seem to have gotten an outbreak of brown algae. Could this be because of having the higher lvls of Ca Mg and Alk?
appreciate the help guys:)

[Billybeau1]

I dont think so D. Could be your phosphates are a little high. Do you have a Po4 test kit ?

This hobby dont get any easier :lol: Solve one problem, get another. :D

[bertoni]

Magnesium chloride and Epsom salt can be bought in bulk if cost is an issue. Together, they will make a good magnesium supplement. The amount you mentioned doesn't seem too unreasonable for that low a Mg result.