Low mg

[ming69]

Just tested my water this morning and here's the results:

Ph 8.5

Kh 13

Ca 380

Mg 1080

Salinty 1.021

Is the low salt level the cause of low mg?

Any advise as to how to raise the mg? Or is it ok to leave it low?

[MbmC]

I doubt the low SG is the cause of low Mg. You're using salt mix? Might be that the Mg concentration not high?

Use additives, but be careful not to raise Mg too fast. Can't remember the rate (google it), but you shouldn't bring it up overnight.

My Mg levels are maintained by my CR as well. ARM media, if I remember correctly, contains adequate Mg.

[ming69]

I doubt the low SG is the cause of low Mg. You're using salt mix? Might be that the Mg concentration not high?

Use additives, but be careful not to raise Mg too fast. Can't remember the rate (google it), but you shouldn't bring it up overnight.

My Mg levels are maintained by my CR as well. ARM media, if I remember correctly, contains adequate Mg.

Used to use NSW for water change, recently change to salt mix. Last major change was about 450L using 1 bag of ME and 1 bag of left over Coral Life. (that about a 50% water change, about 1mth ago) Yesterday changed about 60L, using TM salt.

My mg levels was around 1300 b4, maintained by CR using ARM media and Grotech mg stones. But the SG used to be at 1.025.

Not really sure why the sudden drop. I have also been dosing 150ml of KentMarine M Tech almost every other day, for the past 2 wks.

As for trying to raise it too fast, yes, I did that too and most of my zoas bleached. Raised from 1150 to 1300. But the mg levels dropped again in about 2 days, back to 1100+. Can't remember the exact no...

[thomas_lim]

Used to use NSW for water change, recently change to salt mix. Last major change was about 450L using 1 bag of ME and 1 bag of left over Coral Life. (that about a 50% water change, about 1mth ago) Yesterday changed about 60L, using TM salt.

My mg levels was around 1300 b4, maintained by CR using ARM media and Grotech mg stones. But the SG used to be at 1.025.

Not really sure why the sudden drop. I have also been dosing 150ml of KentMarine M Tech almost every other day, for the past 2 wks.

As for trying to raise it too fast, yes, I did that too and most of my zoas bleached. Raised from 1150 to 1300. But the mg levels dropped again in about 2 days, back to 1100+. Can't remember the exact no...

Ming,

Trying to raise your salinity to about 1.024. It does help to hold the parameters better from my own experience.

Others might have different opinion/experience.

[ming69]

Ming,

Trying to raise your salinity to about 1.024. It does help to hold the parameters better from my own experience.

Others might have different opinion/experience.

Thanks Bro. Reason why I drop the SG level is mainly to control a slight case of ich for the new fishes. Once they are stablised, will bring it back up.

U think this is a case of ionic imbalance?

[FuEl]

You might want to lower your kH to below 10 and see if you still face problems in raising your Mg levels.

[piero]

Salinity does have an effect on yr MG levels and are not as easily boosted like ALK and CA.

Try raising salinity to 1.025, it will increase MG levels greatly.

Trying to pump MG up using additives can be super costly.

[ming69]

You might want to lower your kH to below 10 and see if you still face problems in raising your Mg levels.

How to lower the KH? Is there some additives that can do that?

[FuEl]

How to lower the KH? Is there some additives that can do that?

Either let it drop naturally or change water using a salt mix which is low in kH. If you are running a CR you might want to slow down the drip rate or lower the bubble count.

[thomas_lim]

Thanks Bro. Reason why I drop the SG level is mainly to control a slight case of ich for the new fishes. Once they are stablised, will bring it back up.

U think this is a case of ionic imbalance?

Don't think is ionic imbalance. Probably it is cause by moving your SG level down too quickly.

How to lower the KH? Is there some additives that can do that?

Try dosing more CA, this will bring down the KH. But do it gradually.

[ming69]

Thanks Bros for the advise.

Will try to adjust the levels gradually this time. Don't want another round of bleached zoas.

[ambystoma82]

i tink u use same salinity for the tank loh..as original

else u compromise the zoas for salinity for fishes..

just hv to use abit more salt..

zoas do better in higher salinity

little higher than e higher side of e hydrometer..

i read b4 a article for good bacteria to maintain in reef tank the PH shldnt fall below 6

Mg drop mayb due to absorbtion by corals or reacted with other additives tht u added..

[dachkie]

How to lower the KH? Is there some additives that can do that?

sis use soda water, dose and test every 30mins , for ur tank i think half a can for each dose, anyway mg can be frustrating, i use to be crazy about maintaining it at 1400ppm, now i dun even bother testing it, just to raise it 200mg can easily cost $80 using instant mg

[FuEl]

sis use soda water, dose and test every 30mins , for ur tank i think half a can for each dose, anyway mg can be frustrating, i use to be crazy about maintaining it at 1400ppm, now i dun even bother testing it, just to raise it 200mg can easily cost $80 using instant mg

Use epsom salt..won't cost you $80.

[dachkie]

Use epsom salt..won't cost you $80.

but to increase mg drastically , epson salt wont be a gd choice as it contains too much sulfate or something, epson salt for maintaining mg would be more suitable, by the way do not increase more then 25ppm per 24hrs to prevent shocking the LS

[ming69]

sis use soda water, dose and test every 30mins , for ur tank i think half a can for each dose, anyway mg can be frustrating, i use to be crazy about maintaining it at 1400ppm, now i dun even bother testing it, just to raise it 200mg can easily cost $80 using instant mg

Bro, u mean the soda water that we drink?

[ambystoma82]

e snake grass water ???

wow erm.. any practical results after u try ?

haha who would thought of adding soda water to their fish tank sia.z..

[Thexder]

e snake grass water ???

wow erm.. any practical results after u try ?

haha who would thought of adding soda water to their fish tank sia.z..

Who would have thought of adding vodka either

[dachkie]

e snake grass water ???

wow erm.. any practical results after u try ?

haha who would thought of adding soda water to their fish tank sia.z..

maybe if u add enuff the fishes will burp

i googled last time and found this method in some us marine forum when my kh was off the roof at 16dkh