Few questions About Calcium/Mag

Ok guys im really trying to keep my calcium/Mag levels just right here and its kinda confusing me cuz both are always high. Im starting to think this is why im having problems with coraline growing. So was looking to get some answers from you guys about why it might be high all the time.

Right now my im at
Phosphate 0
Nitrite 0
Ammonia 0
Nitrate .5 < Water Change Today
PH 8.0
ALK 9 DKH
Calcium 580
Magnesium 1650

Now with all these numbers my Calcium/Mag never move from this number so I dont dose anything to bring them up. Other than what is in my salt mix. Currently im using coralife salt mix and of course 0 TDS Ro/DI water. So well in a nut shell im just trying to figure out what lowers them and why is that not happening.

Are these numbers ok? What can I do to lower them>? Or what could be Causing This?

Any help would be great I want the purple rocks ;D

 

With those levels you should not have any issues with coriline algae - it should be sucking the cal out like crazy.
What is your PH at night vs the day? is the 8.0 at night after light go off? how long do you have your lights on?
I am not an expert by any means - I actually have the opposite issue (keeping my cal up)

 

Right now that 8 was lights on about 1:30pm mid photo period. I set my lights right now on 6 Hours of halide 8 Hours of actinics. My Fuge light runs when everything else is off

Let me say that I do have some coraline popping up here and there but its growing very slowly. Like months

As far as night and day ph ill have to test cuz I usally test the same time every time

 

I think you're right OP. IME, Mg levels over 1600 will indeed stunt coralline growth (IMO, a reason to keep Mg high!!!).


You can use a salt mix with low Mg (like IO, it's around 1100) and use this to in a WC to lower your Mg reading (I'm doing this currently). It'll have same effect on your Ca too.

 

Any ideas on what salt mix this would be ? Personaly Id rather dose calcium and mag than have way too much.

 

I would double check your test kit values against another test kit, and test your water before mixing salt into it.

You should not be seeing a value of 580 for calcium if you are not dosing anything.

 

One step ahead of ya forgot to mention that. With RO/DI water there is nothing. Test comes up 0

So I tested my freshly mixed salt water it comes in at about 500. This is with 2 diffrent test kits. Right now im using salfert or however you spell it. My results also match my LFS when he tested all 3

Also the reason I switched to coralife salt is due to reading that it has lower calcium in it.

 

Cool

 

I do not understand your question... I said IO in my post... Do you mean something else?

It has been shown that having Mg readings over 1600 will give false Ca readings. Your Ca test is useless till your Mg is down.

Steve Wright did some tests to prove it after I came to this conclusion with my own tests.

 

Srry missed the IO (Only on my second cup of coffie) maybe ill give that a shot and see what it gives me.. Lowering the mag would be my first start. And if Instant Ocean does that maybe thats my best bet from here and see what it gives. Think my biggest problem is what is in there now and how long it will take to remove that from the system. I got about a quater of a bucket of Coralife left so im gonna use it up and then maybe switch. IO is cheaper anyway so maybe thats the best bet.

I have seen that salt mixes can be loved or hated dependant on the tank so as it is right now im only on my second salt. At first it was Oceanic and that had way way too much calcium. So switched to Coralife and seems that it has just a little bit too much calcium and alot of mag. So let me try IO and see what the results are for that.

Also how long do you think it will take for the system to deplete that mag and will adding new salt lower it in it self or will this be something that Will be a slow process? Or is there some trick to bringing mag down that I dont know about?