Aqua Medic Reef Salt - Low Mg... HELP!!!

[lyz77]

I'm using Aqua Medic Reef Salt for mixing salt water and my tank is only abt 2mth old. I'm using Salifert test kits and I notice my Mg level is very low. Avg 950 to 1000. I had been dosing using salifert, seachem and Tropic Marin Mg and the Mg level just could not maintain at the desire level.

I only hv 1 damsel, 1 blenny, 2 goby and 3 shrimp in my tank. Is there any thing wrong with the salt that I'm using or due to other reason? I had already spend alot $$$ for dosing Mg and this is not going to solve the problem!!!

Tank - 3x3x2.5ft

My Ca is ard 410, KH is 9, PH is 8,1.

Pls HELP....HELP......

[Rocky99]

what is ur mg level?

as mg varies linearly with sg, raising sg is another method to bring up mg, a cheap way too

[lyz77]

Mg level is ard 1000. My sg is 1.022 and hw high shd I increase my sg? Will adding espom salt help in this case?

[lyz77]

Juz got the espom salt yesterday and I had already use up 1 pack within 2 days. Will they be any side effect if I use espom salt as a supplement for Mg?

My Ca is pretty constant, between 400 tp 410. Why is my Mg dropping so fast?

Pls advise!!!

[morish!dol]

how long have u been dosing ur Mg?

[bawater]

Juz got the espom salt yesterday and I had already use up 1 pack within 2 days. Will they be any side effect if I use espom salt as a supplement for Mg?

My Ca is pretty constant, between 400 tp 410. Why is my Mg dropping so fast?

Pls advise!!!

yes, epsom salts are magnesium sulfate = too much too often without regular water changes will leave behind high sulfate levels. And if you do regular water changes, magnesium is replenished from the new water anyway.

your calcium is 410- so in balanced ratio magnesium levels should be 3x that (ard 1230 or 1280 range) and then only if you want to push that level up to 1300-1400 you use additives. Some people prefer higher levels but you only need to run elevated levels if you have lots of animals(e.g corals/algae) stripping it from the water 24/7. Currently@ 2 months with a few fishes- you should not worry.

- SG, if you use a needle hydrometer (those plastic needle types) they are calibrated at 25c- so if your temp is higher than this- so is your SG. Most probably your real sg will be 1.023-1.024. Which is fine, 1.022 is also fine.

so what to do then? - you are in no danger and the fishes will not be bothered by mg levels at 1000ppm, you have time to track back the source.

Salt source? is there something wrong with the test kit? are the glass walls of the tank using magnesium to grow bigger? are the fishes constipated and need laxatives?

1) Mix half cup of salt in 1gallon(3.75ltr) of water in a container. adjust to 1.022 (same as tank). Test magnesium using test kit.

if the reading is the same - try a small pack of another salt brand. (still cheaper than a new mg test kit).Small packs of salt cost less than $10

2) if the salts still give you low mg levels not beyond 1000ppm, then if you wish you can change test kit.

so what to do with all those leftover epsom salts? hmmm, they can be used to treat pop eye as a medication or you can use it yourself to exfoliate.

Epsom salt as fish medication

Beauty care 13 ways of using epsom salts

[lyz77]

how long have u been dosing ur Mg?

Been dosing for at least 2 weeks and juz buying the Mg additives had already cost me more then $100 in less then 2 weeks!!!

[lyz77]

yes, epsom salts are magnesium sulfate = too much too often without regular water changes will leave behind high sulfate levels. And if you do regular water changes, magnesium is replenished from the new water anyway.

your calcium is 410- so in balanced ratio magnesium levels should be 3x that (ard 1230 or 1280 range) and then only if you want to push that level up to 1300-1400 you use additives. Some people prefer higher levels but you only need to run elevated levels if you have lots of animals(e.g corals/algae) stripping it from the water 24/7. Currently@ 2 months with a few fishes- you should not worry.

- SG, if you use a needle hydrometer (those plastic needle types) they are calibrated at 25c- so if your temp is higher than this- so is your SG. Most probably your real sg will be 1.023-1.024. Which is fine, 1.022 is also fine.

so what to do then? - you are in no danger and the fishes will not be bothered by mg levels at 1000ppm, you have time to track back the source.

Salt source? is there something wrong with the test kit? are the glass walls of the tank using magnesium to grow bigger? are the fishes constipated and need laxatives?

1) Mix half cup of salt in 1gallon(3.75ltr) of water in a container. adjust to 1.022 (same as tank). Test magnesium using test kit.

if the reading is the same - try a small pack of another salt brand. (still cheaper than a new mg test kit).Small packs of salt cost less than $10

2) if the salts still give you low mg levels not beyond 1000ppm, then if you wish you can change test kit.

so what to do with all those leftover epsom salts? hmmm, they can be used to treat pop eye as a medication or you can use it yourself to exfoliate.

Epsom salt as fish medication

Beauty care 13 ways of using epsom salts

Thks for the advise! Most of the time, my Mg is ard 1000 which is not proportion to the 3x ratio as stated. Shd this be the case? Will try the test kit tonite!!!

[Rocky99]

Mg level is ard 1000. My sg is 1.022 and hw high shd I increase my sg? Will adding espom salt help in this case?

i'd advise to bring up ur sg to 1.025-1.026. that is the nsw level.

and ur mg will rise to around 1200.

[lyz77]

Been after a week, still the Mg is droping. Since I can dose using espom salt, can't be buying the Mg from LFS as pretty costly 2 dose so much everyday!!!

Any other way out?

[lyz77]

No one????

Guess I will hv to pray tat everything goes rite!!!

[lyz77]