hammondegge Posted April 8, 2006 Share Posted April 8, 2006 What is the relationship between PH, Alk, Calc, and Magnesium and does an elevated Magnesium contentration (1500) have any ill effects? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedude Posted April 8, 2006 Share Posted April 8, 2006 As far as I understand it, it doesn't play any real relationship with PH and alk, but most definitely does with calcium. Magnesium allows calcium to stay suspended in the water column and not precipitate out. I don't think an elevated magnesium level would cause any harm but try to drop it by about 100. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hammondegge Posted April 8, 2006 Author Share Posted April 8, 2006 thanks john, i got this from gary "Magnesium acts as an inhibitor to calcium carbonate precipitation. Magnesium loosely binds with carbonate and makes it unavailable to calcium to react with. This, in effect, provides a reservoir of carbonate and allows you to push your alkalinity and calcium concentrations higher without causing precipitation. Magnesium carbonate is much more soluble then calcium carbonate. As the carbonate concentration (alkalinity) drops, the carbonate ion is freed up from the magnesium complex and is made available to do the things that it does such as buffering pH and feeding coral growth. How was that? OK, now Richard's explanation. Calcium and alkalinity are like two different colored jelly beans in a jar. You can have so many of both color in the jar. When the jar overflows, you get precipitation. By keeping the magnesium level higher, you are basically increasing the size of the jar and allowing for more jelly beans to be added without causing precipitation. Take your pick as to which explanation you prefer." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedude Posted April 8, 2006 Share Posted April 8, 2006 Those are great explanations. Many people also don't realize that Magnesium is the second most prevalant ion in saltwater, second only to salt. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hammondegge Posted April 8, 2006 Author Share Posted April 8, 2006 i just started dosing about a week ago and it does seem to be helping. i was at 1050 and went up to 1500 (slowly) oooops. with calcium around 400 i should be at 1200 right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedude Posted April 9, 2006 Share Posted April 9, 2006 I try to keep my magnesium closer to NSW levels at 1400. I also run calcium a little higher than 400 though at 420-450. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hammondegge Posted April 9, 2006 Author Share Posted April 9, 2006 what is NSW levels? New Salt Water? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GKarshens Posted April 9, 2006 Share Posted April 9, 2006 I believe it is natural salt water Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedude Posted April 9, 2006 Share Posted April 9, 2006 Gabe got it, Natural Salt Water. One of my goals at home is to continually monitor my tank conditions and try to achieve something as natural as possible. This means for me: PH:8.0-8.3 Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate, Phosphate: 0 Calcium: 420-460 Alk: 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hammondegge Posted April 9, 2006 Author Share Posted April 9, 2006 thanks again john Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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