Why is my Mag so low, I am dosing it- almost DAILY!

Hello all you chemists out there,

I have been dosing about 2tsp of MgCL- BRS, and even some Epson salts,
almost daily.
Also CaCL- BRS, and Calc- Pickling lime= Daily.

I had thought the the Mg is used slower and it stays in solution longer, thus having to dose it less than the Mg.

Todays Stats:
SG- 1.025- refractometer
Alk- 9- API
Ca- 430- Salifert
Mg- 1230 - Salifert
Phos-0- API
Temp- 80F

So my point of my post and question is, why is my Mg being consumed about the rate of my Ca, and Alk?

 

Todd please do yourself a favor and use the dosing calculator provided by BRS. Also, you should be dosing magnesium in the form of magnesium chloride and magnesium sulfate if you are going the BRS 2 part route. It will take alot of buffer. Ditch the epsom salts and use a supplement for the intended purpose man! I have more magnesium buffer if you need it. Just let me know.

 

I'm not sure why, but I was under the impression a few teaspoons/tablespoons of mag was almost useless and that it would be on the order of cups to see real change. Maybe I'm thinking of something else.

 

You would be correct. Magnesium supplements are low in concentration typically in comparison to calcium or alkalinity. For example here are the directions from BRS' site for their magnesium buffer. "Add 5 level cups of Magnesium Chloride and 3 level cups of Magnesium Sulfate to a one gallon jug and mix with RO/DI or distilled water. Let sit before use." Thats 8 cups total to make a gallon of mag buffer as opposed to 2 cups for alkalinity buffer and 2.5 cups for calcium buffer.

 

Also the first dose of Mag you use the whole gallon if I remember right(on my 55 at least), then you dose to keep it up.

 

What brand salt are you using, and how often do you do your WC's? I spent a lot of time fighting with my levels, up and down, up and down. I switched from IO to reef crystals, and bought a calendar to mark my water changes and forced myself into regimen of 5% every +/- 10 to 14 days and no problems since. I don't even hardly dose. It may sound more than necessary but if the main levels are fine I dual water swap it into my aggressive tank.

 

OK Norg, I'll make a mix and use their calculator-Soon

 

Solid advice there, Todd. Make sure your salinity doesn't creep up from using a lot of mag.

 

And knowing that the hydrometer I'd been using all along was reading about .025 higher than my refractometer I now have will help too.

But basically, the BRS, was it Anthony Calvo's method, or Steve holmes farley?, Anyways, it's basically making a concentrated solution to add to keep it in check.

My current daily method is keeping my Alk and Ca in range and stable.
I started increasing my concentration of the MgCl (from BRS) I'm using today and see how that goes.

It's either mix up a certain molar of the solution and dose, or add a set amount to some water and dose.
I feel the end result is the same. The Elements get in the water column.
I'm pretty close now with the others like I said, and just need to increase the Mag some until I hit the sweet spot.

And, I will get some suitable gallon jugs, etc., like the website suggensts, and start doing it that way- soon.

Basically all is well at Todd's reef atm.

 

You need to add a lot to raise the mag level, but the tank does not use a lot compared to Ca and alk, so it's not necessary to do daily dosing.