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Do I need to worry/adjust this? My Ca and Mg is high


SChrisEV

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I finally got around to testing for PO4... I know having my tank up for around 8 months and just now testing is not the smartest... but it is what it is. I decided to do all my tests.

My Ca and Mg seems pretty high. I'm basing this on an article I read some tie back indicating that a good range for Mg in the reef aquarium is 1250-1350 ppm and for Ca is 380-450 ppm.

My Mg is about 1700 ppm and my Ca is 490 ppm

PO4 .04 ppm

Ca 490 ppm
Mg 1700 ppm
KH 2.5 Meq/L
dKH 7.0 - Is this too low? My pH seems ok
Ammonia .0 ppm
Nitrite .0 ppm
Nitrate .0 ppm
pH 8.69
Should I worry about any of the parameters? Everything in the tank seems to be doing pretty well. I've only done the Ca and Mg tests a few times so it's possible that I did not ready something right. I may test again.
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Your alk is probably a little low if you're keeping a bunch of sps. I wouldn't try to alter your ca of mg by diluting, your stock should take it up until the excess is gone. Just cease dosing and test every few days until it levels out.

Ca is a little higher than ideal (might get some abiotic ca precipitate).

As for Mg, I would double check your kit. You'd have to be dosing a pretty crazy amount to get up there.

Are you using the Red Sea mg kit ?

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Ok, so.... I'm not dosing at all. smile.png And yes Red Sea test kits that are only about 2 months old. I'm thinking maybe I need to test again? I only have a few SPS, well about 7 main , and a few frags.

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Make sure on that Mg test that in the beginning that you are doing 5 drops of reagent a with 15 seconds of mixing between each drop. Also, you check the amount of titrant used, not the reading on the syringe.

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Also, you check the amount of titrant used, not the reading on the syringe.

?? You mean if I start at 1ML and end with say .90 ml (end with .01 left, that was my test... if I did it correctly) I use that value, correct?

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Yep, I did not do the test correctly, at least not the Mg. I did not swirl for 15 seconds between each drop of A. With Ca, I ensured there was no air in the small syringe, rereading directions, not supposed to do that. So my updated readings for Mg and Ca are as follows:

Ca 425 ppm
Mg 1360 ppm

Mg, might be a slight bit high (may also just be my reading of the amount used) but it is a light year better than 1700. :)

@Juiceman, I'm not dosing any thing right now to the tank. Just doing monthly (or close to it) 10 - 15% water changes. I have a pretty light SPS/LPS load I guess.

I guess if I wanted to be anal about this, the next time I do a water change, run the tests, then right before I change water again test, then get a basic depletion ratio. But that would mean no additions, and growth would offset that number. .... So, I'll just enjoy it until I see I have a downward trend then worry about the need to dose.

Thanks for all your help!

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Keep an eye on your syringe tips too. The red tip I normally use for my alk had developed a crack which was leaking titration liquid into the plastic handle giving me a very false high. I keep mine at 8 dkh and one week it read 10.5. Performed it twice. So I stopped all dosing and tested a week later. At that point I discovered the broken tip and did a correct test and alk was down to like 6.5. So originally it probably was at 8 and needed no adjustment.

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Yep, I did not do the test correctly, at least not the Mg. I did not swirl for 15 seconds between each drop of A. With Ca, I ensured there was no air in the small syringe, rereading directions, not supposed to do that. So my updated readings for Mg and Ca are as follows:

Ca 425 ppm

Mg 1360 ppm

Mg, might be a slight bit high (may also just be my reading of the amount used) but it is a light year better than 1700. smile.png

@Juiceman, I'm not dosing any thing right now to the tank. Just doing monthly (or close to it) 10 - 15% water changes. I have a pretty light SPS/LPS load I guess.

I guess if I wanted to be anal about this, the next time I do a water change, run the tests, then right before I change water again test, then get a basic depletion ratio. But that would mean no additions, and growth would offset that number. .... So, I'll just enjoy it until I see I have a downward trend then worry about the need to dose.

Thanks for all your help!

Those specs sound perfect. Carry on!

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How did you do a "correct test", did you have to replace the syringe?

No I bought the Red Sea Pro kit that came with the Ca, Alk, and Mg tests which came with three syringes so I just stopped using the broken tip. I rinse them all pretty well so I just used one of the other three. Performed the test correctly, i.e. without a broken syringe tip. I've only got about 1/4 of my alk tester left though, so i'm hoping they send another syringe when you order the replacement titration fluid.

BTW I agree with Victoly. Those parameters are bullseye spot on. I don't think 1360 is high at all for Mg. That's the number I personally target anyway.

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