My username is DepthofReef and my name is Alex, I have a 15g Nuvo Fusion and a 20g long.

[DepthOfReef]

Now that everyone is here, I couldn't find anything related but I am having so much trouble with Mg and Calcium dosing, I have IO Reef Crystals, I mixed 5 gallon with 3 cups of salt. Waited 1-2 hours and couldnt get any readings from the salt. I waited +24 hours and I got around 1300-1350 mg. My 15g tank had around 400mg, did one WC and somehow (hahaha) got 0mg. I asked Chatgpt how to raise Mg, and compared the BulkReefSupply calculator and checked that from 0 to 1200mg I need 692.3ml to get to 1200mg. Chatgpt answered my question by telling me this. Can someone confirm this or should I open a new thread?

 

[WalkerLovesTheOcean]

Welcome!

 

[Fish Fan]

So just a couple things from your last reply, you mentioned mixing a number of cups to a volume of water. Do you have a refractometer or a hydrometer to test your salinity? You really want to mix your water by specific gravity or salinity, and not trying to mix by volume.

And what are you using to test your Magnesium? If you've mixed Reef Crystals to the correct salinity it should not be reading 0 Mg when first mixed.

 

[DepthOfReef]

So just a couple things from your last reply, you mentioned mixing a number of cups to a volume of water. Do you have a refractometer or a hydrometer to test your salinity? You really want to mix your water by specific gravity or salinity, and not trying to mix by volume.

And what are you using to test your Magnesium? If you've mixed Reef Crystals to the correct salinity it should not be reading 0 Mg when first mixed.

Yes I have a refractometer. It showed me 1.030. I am using Salifert test kit. I used a heater and wavemaker to mix the salt and it showed 0, because I tested after 1 hour I mixed the salt with the water. I was out of my house for one day and when I got to my house I tested and it showed 1300-1350mg and 1.031 salinity. BRS calculator says that I need 692ml and from Chatgpt it shows 592ml I would trust more BRS but my question here is when I add the water mix into my reef tank, the mg lvls doesnt go up. I keep testing and I keep getting 0 mg. Salinity when up to 1.029 from 1.024.

 

[Fish Fan]

I guess I'm not sure, the Salifert is a solid kit, but your results still seem a bit flaky to me. Maybe someone else would have a better idea what's going on? Or possibly your LFS could test your water for you, just to confirm?

 

[1112-425XL]