Effects of low Mag to SPS
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natebedwell06
New member
+1 also curious as my magnesium always runs about 1050-1150 in my sps tank and was curious if raising it would make a difference in growth, color etc.
Alex T.
Active member
I don't necessarily agree. This tank keeps magnesium at 1100, and so did his previous tank of the month 90 gallon:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2023909&highlight=emster
Mine is at 1230...three times the calcium level of 400-410 that I keep. I have no shortage of growth or color, and everything's fine.
The reefkeeping magazine article contradicts that. It says that once your two part solution is gone that you should just dump the gallon in. I've been doing it that way for years. Here's my tank.
I keep ALK at 9-10, CAL 420-460, and MAG 1350-1500.
Alex T.
Active member
The reefkeeping magazine article contradicts that. It says that once your two part solution is gone that you should just dump the gallon in. I've been doing it that way for years. Here's my tank.
I keep ALK at 9-10, CAL 420-460, and MAG 1350-1500.
sminker, I love your tank! It's so refreshing to see a mature tank with an owner who's patient enough to grow out a few small pieces into mature colonies. It looks so natural!:thumbsup:
Chronicj7
Member
Raising your mg won't increase sg.
I had low mg around 1100 and I increased it to 1350 in about 3 days. All corals were fine with the adjustment and are coloring and growing nicely.
MammothReefer
Active member
I've raised my mag by fairs bits at once many times. Can't say I noticed an issue, but I've never found a pressing reason to do it all at once so I've stopped. I'd rather just break it out over the week.
I find when I have low mag, my montis suffer first they tend to wash out, and almost every time I test my mag to come out low my calcium is also depleted. One of these days I'll get around to hooking up a 3rd doser. Some people (as above) say you can keep it lower, and maybe if you keep everything balanced at that level you can. Personally I've never tried I don't see any reason to go outside what is widely considered acceptable.
I find when I have low mag, my montis suffer first they tend to wash out, and almost every time I test my mag to come out low my calcium is also depleted. One of these days I'll get around to hooking up a 3rd doser. Some people (as above) say you can keep it lower, and maybe if you keep everything balanced at that level you can. Personally I've never tried I don't see any reason to go outside what is widely considered acceptable.
MammothReefer
Active member
double post
toothman
Premium Member
I will still stand by my post and mention that less delicate corals like caps and stags you can change your parameters quite a bit without much problems. It is also a fact that low mg will slow calcification not eliminate it, if a tank is doing well at 1100 ppm how do you know it would not be doing better at 1300 ppm with out trying it. Corals colonies from the wild especially deep water species as well as aqua cultured echanata, turaki, lokani do not like large swings. Since mg is the 3rd most abundant mineral in seawater the difference between 1100 and 1300 is a lot of salt to add. Why would you want to keep your reef tank with mg levels different than natural sea water? ( adding mg will also raise sg )
I also do not think it is wise to change anything in your reef tank too quickly, why take a chance? I would like to see all reefcentral members with bountiful corals with amazing growth.
By the way nice tank Sminker
I also do not think it is wise to change anything in your reef tank too quickly, why take a chance? I would like to see all reefcentral members with bountiful corals with amazing growth.
By the way nice tank Sminker
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Alex T.
Active member
You can stand by your post. That's why we post.
It's funny that you ask why I like to keep my tank at levels lower than natural seawater. All my water changes ARE with natural seawater collected on the incoming high tide from a jetty about 1/2 hour from my house. Alkalinity: 7.2, Calcium 380 - 400, and Magnesium of 1150. Those are natural seawater parameters, and what many people who run low nutrient systems (close to seawater parameters) strive for. I can't see how messing with the balance of what's working would be advantageous at all. Magnesium levels this "low" are fine. Nothing is stressed. Coralline, SPS and a growing Derasa clam are all doing very well.
I think too many people who use artificial salt mixes start believing that the levels they test for are consistent with what's found in nature. This is far from the case. All the major elements in artificial mixes are buffered and played with to offer each brand's unique blend. Since I run an SPS tank, I'm supplementing these elements anyway, so I don't see a need to have a salt mix when there's n abundance of the real thing almost at my door step.
MammothReefer
Active member
Alex come on, I'm pretty sure the water parameters where our corals come from are very different then that of New Jersey. Our artificial water strives for parameters similar to that of reefs not of the jersey shore.
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I'm pretty sure we can find a post of some one testing the levels of the important 3 in the Marshall Islands.
MammothReefer
Active member
Sure just a quick search away.
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.php
I know in San Diego Scrips water comes out to about 1200. It's going to be different depending on what part of the ocean you live next to, and what outlets are near it.
Alex T.
Active member
Not really. Even in your link to Randy's article, the average magnesium level is 1280 which is not the 1350 most recommend. Alkalinity is also listed at 7.
The Atlantic City Aquarium pumps water in directly from the bay behind the aquarium, and other than some sand filtration, it's pumped right into their reef tank during a water change. Their funds don't allow for artificial salt mix. Everything's fine, coralline is growing well, and a 15" Sohal and very well fed Moorish Idol call that 1500 gallon reef tank home. I've become friends with a few staff members and have been behind the scenes to see them do it on a few occasions. I've also met quite a few reef hobbyists out on the jetty who have been collecting saltwater there for years; one of which has a 4 year old Regal Angel and a 5 year old Moorish Idol alive and thriving. The only reason artificial salt mix is optimized in calcium, alkalinity and magnesium is to give hobbyists a buffer of safety. If you dose these elements daily (which we all probably are since we're in the SPS forum) then the need for concern is minimal. Don't knock it until you've tried it. Extremely clean, already mixed and free. The real thing. I use to notice that after a water change with artificial salt mix that my corals would close up for an hour or so. Now, their polyps are extended and they're happy. There may be some very beneficial planktonic food in the water. Whatever it is, my corals like it.
Maybe this is why people running Zeovit with lower magnesium, alkalinity and calcium than most tanks have a higher success rate with wild and maricultured corals. It might be that less of a transition in water chemistry helps them acclimate to captivity.
Just sayin'.
MammothReefer
Active member
blah double post
MammothReefer
Active member
I didn't say it wasn't possible, others said it may not be optimal. I said I hadn't tried to do it for extended periods of time I know when my mag gets low I have problems and it shows in my corals. 1280 is a far cry from 1100.
I've used NSW on many of my system for a long time when I lived in SD. The mag is 1200.
I simply was pointing out that both like the waters of New Jersey, and the water of San Diego our parameters are less then ideal when compared to that NSW from a location that supports Tropical Reefs. While I have never personally tested the water of bali, fiji, or even flordia for mag..every article, or publication I've came across seems to claim they have much higher levels then 1100.
Also are you sure the aquariums water is testing at 1100? Depending the location the water comes from and it's proximity to other sources, or depth or it can very wildly.
Off the topic a lot of the issues with wild corals imop is simply how anal people are with husbandry when you run a zeo system it requires a much higher attention to details. I've had great success with Wild & Mari pieces and some failures, but I've been able to pin point the actions results in each failure and 90% of the time it was a result of a change in alkalinity but that's a whole different topic.
I've used NSW on many of my system for a long time when I lived in SD. The mag is 1200.
I simply was pointing out that both like the waters of New Jersey, and the water of San Diego our parameters are less then ideal when compared to that NSW from a location that supports Tropical Reefs. While I have never personally tested the water of bali, fiji, or even flordia for mag..every article, or publication I've came across seems to claim they have much higher levels then 1100.
Also are you sure the aquariums water is testing at 1100? Depending the location the water comes from and it's proximity to other sources, or depth or it can very wildly.
Off the topic a lot of the issues with wild corals imop is simply how anal people are with husbandry when you run a zeo system it requires a much higher attention to details. I've had great success with Wild & Mari pieces and some failures, but I've been able to pin point the actions results in each failure and 90% of the time it was a result of a change in alkalinity but that's a whole different topic.
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