Clams and Magnesium?

[Ephraim]

I noticed my magnesium had gotten quite low, like around 1000ppm so i dosed to increase it to 1500 over a week. Now somethings going wrong with my clams all of a sudden and i wonder if the change in mag has something to do with it. A maxima and derasa have died quite suddenly (they have been in the system for about a month). My crocea and other maxima are looking quite stressed. They are not extending thier mantles like they usually do and are not quick to react to shadows passing over them. Is this a typical response to increased mag? Should I have increased it slower? I used MgCl to increase the mag.

Help!!

 

[a4twenty]

Re: Clams and Magnesium?

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10914313#post10914313 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Ephraim
I noticed my magnesium had gotten quite low, like around 1000ppm so ...

magnesium works closely with you Ca / Alk levels, could you post the results from all you water tests please.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10914313#post10914313 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Ephraim
A maxima and derasa have died quite suddenly (they have been in the system for about a month).

one month isn't a very long time and it can actually take several months for clams to perish from unfavorable conditions with very few symptoms.


clams like stability so changes should be made slowly. how did you dose the MgCl? what is the products brand name? and how much / how fast did you add it to the tank? how are you maintaining Ca / Alk and Mg in the system?

for a better idea of your tank could you post your water params / lighting / and fish / invert list. i see some potential nippers in your tag, have you sat back and watched for a nosey fish?

did you or have you inspected the clams for pyramid snail?

and if possible could you post a few pics?

 

[jmaneyapanda]

quickly raising magnesium will likely upset your water chemsitry. I lost many of my older acros because I miscalculated my magnesium dosing about 6 months ago. My clams didnt get bothered too much (as far as I could tell), but it burnt all the acros and they RTNed. Make small increases only.

 

[Ephraim]

pH 8.0-8.1
Ca 450ppm
Mag 1500ppm
Alk 8 dKh
Ammonia 0
Nitrate 0
Nirtite 0

The product I used was just MgCl that i purchased in bulk from a Canadian supplier. It was added to the tank by first dissolving in distilled water (4cup:1gallon) I then added it by dripping over a period of 7 days until I hit 1500 ppm

Before I dosed the Mg, my Ca was very low, 300pm, i increased it by using CaCl. Dripped as well over 2 days until where it reads now @ 450ppm.

One other thing that may be causing a problem is that i fragged a Plexaurella sp. (Gorgonian) around the same time. I did not add fresh carbon to the tank. The mother colony and frags are in the same tank. Would these release chemicals that would be doing this? The snails, shrimps, corals are all fine as of right now.

I am sure nipping is not a problem, none of the fish even look at the clams, let alone nip.

Lighting is T5HO, clams are within 6" of water surface. Derasa was 12" down.

No pyramid snails, performed a good inspection when I added the clams in and when the ones were removed at death.

 

[a4twenty]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10915842#post10915842 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Ephraim
It was added to the tank by first dissolving in distilled water (4cup:1gallon) I then added it by dripping over a period of 7 days until I hit 1500 ppm

Before I dosed the Mg, my Ca was very low, 300pm, i increased it by using CaCl. Dripped as well over 2 days until where it reads now @ 450ppm.

you have not mentioned if you dosed for Alk?

i would think this is a big part of your problem. if you are using a a DIY two part for Ca and Alk, it should be dosed in small amounts daily or even multiple daily doses. i am using two part and dose Ca and Alk twice a day, Mg is dosed twice a week. the amount of Mg you used in a week lasts me several months, the amount of Ca would last me a month maybe. if one of these params is off it is very hard to make changes to the others as they work together.


as i said before clams need stability and dosing large amounts of chems will cause fluctuations that will surely have a negative affect on the clams.


here is a link to a really good article that better explains the relationship between Ca / Alk / Mg and Ph

here is another link to an article about DIY two part Ca / Alk / Mg that could be helpfull.

 

[Ephraim]

Before I noticed there was a problem with my mag I was dosing my top off with a bit of kalk. Alk has held steady around 8 for months now.

 

[seapug]

Were you doing the Mag boost to kill of Byopsis? A lot of people have been doing this, me included. I dosed the crap out of my tank for a month and didn't lose any of my 4 clams (croceas, maxima, derasa), so it might have been your Magnesium source or the way you dosed it. From what people have reported in the "Easy Solution to Byopsis" thread, it seems that Mag. Sulfate is the critical ingredient, not Mag. Chloride (what you used-- basically commerical de-icer). It seems that Kent Tech-M (mostly mag sulfate has yielded the best results. I poured 10-12 capfuls of Tech-M in sump 2X day in my 90 for a week. Killed the bryopsis and didn't have any effects on the critters. If you want a cheaper method, use Epsom Salts. Some people have reported success with epsom salts, others haven't. The vast majority of Tech M users have killed off the bryopsis and not lost anything else.