Mag high need to get it back in Balance

Jason McKenzie · 01-18-2007, 07:15 PM

My Magnesium is quite high. I was using an old test kit (not realizing) and have adjusted my water change water to 1350. But the test kit was off. I now test my tank water and it is reading well above 1500. This has thrown my CA to 450 and my Alk to around 5dKH.

What is the best way to bring this back in balance?

Thanks
J

coral reefer · 01-18-2007, 07:53 PM

Jason, are you adding EPSOM salt to your water?
The next question is, is everything doing well? Your calcium level is fine! The only thing I see you having to do is raise your alkalinity level to 7dKH to prevent harmful pH drops at night!
Have you lowered your salinity because this will lower you alkalinity as well. Try adding a buffer to your water to raise the alkalinity. What is your nitrate level? If your nitrates are high, you stimulate coral growth which is a good thing but it will deplete your calcium and alkalinity level of your water through the formation of nitric acid. Using Kalkwasser may help to bring your alkalinity level back up.
My alkalinity level many times is lower than 7dKH but my Calcium level is over 600 but everything is fine, plus with the amount of corals(SPS, and LPS) I have also the 3 Tridacna's, I want to have a high calcium level as well as some nitrates! I know my alkalinity is low because my calcium level is high, so a buffer is what I use.
You will have more problems with a low alkalinity than you will with a high calcium level. High alkalinity level will help to maintain a highpH resulting in the ratio of calcium and carbonate ions in your water being closer to the saturation point which makes calcification more likely, thus growth of hard corals that produce a calcareous skeleton.

Jason McKenzie · 01-18-2007, 08:08 PM

Hey CR thanks for replying

I'm using magnesium chloride in my make up water.
I was looking at adding some Baking soda but the calculators say I need to add 17 teaspoons or 2.8oz. I guess I should break this into several doses over a couple of days.

I'm wondering if the high mag is contributing to the low Alk.
I have great coral growth with Ca at 400 and that is were I need it using ZeoVit

J

coral reefer · 01-19-2007, 05:07 AM

Magnesium levels in natural seawater is around 1285ppm with salinity level at 1.025 and 77 degree temp of the water. The magnesium concentration level will become less when the specific gravity is lower.
Chemistry and the Aquarium
Read this Jason, it should help you more than I can regarding this issue!
Good luck
TOM

Matt Rogers · 01-19-2007, 08:56 AM

I think CR is on to something. It's a drag to waste water but perhaps it's worth doing a batch of new water without the magnesium chloride addition to bring down the levels in the tank? I don't know a chemical solution to your problem, but I would think dilution would help and maybe doing it slowly is best.

EDIT - There is the do nothing option too. I found that magnesium dropped pretty fast in my old tank on it's own in about a week or two.

Tangster · 01-19-2007, 10:39 AM

I hate to jump into these strings but to me its much ado about nothing it will fall off and maybe use a good complete buffering agent to kick the DKH back up.. The cure would be worse then problem I continually run mine that high and seldom will it fall below 1400 this allows me to keep my Ca at 600 to 700 and sometimes higher along with very high DK levels exceeding 15 and near to 17 on average but never under 13 or I'm supplementing the Kalk with my buffer.. I think you may be hitting the nothing but arm and hammer baking soda wall ? Hence the Low DK and high mag and some what out of balance Ca. But thats just me and mine..

Jason McKenzie · 01-19-2007, 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tangster

I think you may be hitting the nothing but arm and hammer baking soda wall ?

Not sure I understand this comment. I do not usually need to use Baking Soda. But the thought of a commercial Aquarium Name brand Buffer would cost me a fortune in a 370G tank.

J

Tangster · 01-20-2007, 03:42 AM

Most use simple baking soda and the carbonates supplementation are totally derived form that only. And once the Carbonates are exhausted from the arm and hammer then whats left is an carbonate hungry salt that will pull down your P.H and then that fall off the carbonate demand increases. NSW has a average Alk of 2.5 and that is not near what we want in the aquariums and and of this value of the 2.5 borate supplies 0.01 maybe 0.03 of the carbonates . But as for a 370 gallon tank Its not that much really and I'd make my own . If you take Arm and Hammer Bicarbonate and mix that with Boraxo Laundry Booster at 4 parts A&H baking soda to one part Laundry booster aka Borate then you will have a commercial mix of buffering agent and it will not cause a huge spike in PH as just Bi Carb alone will and the mixture will make the levels far far more stable and longer lasting. I had to buffer my 750 along with the Ca reactor and Kalk additions for all top off of the system.. The 4000 gallon tank I just re plumbed and will light for a guy the other week said the same thing it cost 5.00 to make 5 labs and he had plenty left over to help out. I really don't think he will pay for any commercial buffer again (: And in you 370 add about a cup at a time with a few Hrs in between additions and test the DK levels you'll see how well it does. I use it when need be as do many I know. Works as well as any brand does.. Just mix them well when dry.

Jason McKenzie · 01-20-2007, 09:03 AM

Thanks Tangster, Matt, CR Appreciate the help

I will hunt out the balanced additives locally.

Tangster sorry for another question. Is there a brand name of the Laundry booster that would help me find it

J

amcarrig · 01-20-2007, 06:12 PM

Hey Jason. Boraxo brand laundry booster is the type that we use along with the Arm & Hammer baking soda. It's good stuff