Magnesium dropping and calcium

[alexanderthefishlover]

Hello,

So basically I found my magnesium had dropped to 1200 ppm. I dosed it back to 1340ppm over a course of 3 days.

I left it for a day and just tested and it dropped by 20 ppm in a day? Is this normal? This not a large aquarium and I have soft corals and a few LPS that are not large.

My calcium was at 340 ppm and I’ve got it to 440ppm and that also dropped by 20 ppm in a single day.

I do not have a lot of corraline algae only some on shells and on live rock (want to grow more)m desperately think it’s beautiful!)

I can’t get my hands on a strontium test however I began dosing a small amount the other day. I also began dosing iodide. Really trying to get more corraline algae growing.

Are these drops in magnesium and calcium normal?

 

[SomeHappyFish]

When was the last test before getting a results of 1200ppm ?
20ppm in a day is a test kit usage "error", don't sweat it.

What you are looking for is a trend of the magnesium over time.

"Real magnesium consumption is very low, like 1 ppm per day. It is not more than about 1/10th of the calcium consumption. Anything substantially larger is testing error of some sort."

-Randy Holmes-Farley

 

[KrisReef]

Likely testing challenges for these elements vs actual uptake or loss to the environment

 

[SomeHappyFish]

Magnesium usage

Hello R2R, I have connected my doser it’s been running for about a month or so. I have 310 display total 380 volume. Alk seems to be for the most part pretty stable from 8.4-8.9. Cal has been fluctuating but I feel it’s the test but I notice one day I’m using only 25ppm the next day it can be...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[SomeHappyFish]

Really trying to get more corraline algae growing.

Many reefers actually like not having corraline algae since it's a pain to scrape and it grows everywhere. No harm not having any.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Hello,

So basically I found my magnesium had dropped to 1200 ppm. I dosed it back to 1340ppm over a course of 3 days.

I left it for a day and just tested and it dropped by 20 ppm in a day? Is this normal? This not a large aquarium and I have soft corals and a few LPS that are not large.

My calcium was at 340 ppm and I’ve got it to 440ppm and that also dropped by 20 ppm in a single day.

I do not have a lot of corraline algae only some on shells and on live rock (want to grow more)m desperately think it’s beautiful!)

I can’t get my hands on a strontium test however I began dosing a small amount the other day. I also began dosing iodide. Really trying to get more corraline algae growing.

Are these drops in magnesium and calcium normal?

Those changes are test error. In most cases, magnesium is not worth testing due to likely errors. Just dose it based on measured calcium consumption.

 

[alexanderthefishlover]

Those changes are test error. In most cases, magnesium is not worth testing due to likely errors. Just dose it based on measured calcium consumption.

Sorry can you explain what you mean? So you mean dose it to the same ppm usage as calcium?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Sorry can you explain what you mean? So you mean dose it to the same ppm usage as calcium?

This has the details:

Just say NO to magnesium testing: RMM is born

OK, this thread has been many years in the making, and I'm posting it here since folks in the chem forum are probably already tired of all the threads relating to problematic magnesium testing. I'm going to propose a method, let's call it the Randy Magnesium Method, or RMM for short. All good...

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