Help!!! Magnesium is over 1500

[itsmeraja86]

My 30 G FOWLR Water Parameters,

I ve been testing with API Saltwater master test kit and also with API REEF master test kit and MG with Salifert

Ammonia - 0
nitrite - 0
nitrate - 5


Phosphate - 0 (Not sure if API would be a good test kit)
Calcium - 520
Alkalinity - 12 dkh
Magnesium - >1500 ppm

Salinity - 1.026

Wanted to know if the parameters are good or should i need to adjust any of the parameters , there are lots of forums and blogs abt Alk, Cal and Mg however all says ideal is 400 - 420 for Cal , 1350 for Mg and 8-10 for Alk.

obviously my water parameters are way above those standards so i am seeking experts opinion on this.

On a side note its a 4 months old tank already dealt with few Cyano's(Not really bad breakout).

lights are off for past 3 days to control hair algae's(Not too much of those as well).

dealt with few bubble Algae's(Siphoned using 1/4" tube with rigid tube)

On going maintenance is scrapping glass to remove the film algae's on my glass.(Will this go off eventually or will this one a ongoing maintenance) ?

Live stocks:
2 occillaris clown fishes
2 yellow tail damsels
1 fire goby
1 blood red fire shrimp
1 scarlet skunk cleaner shrimp

Filter:
SWC HOB Protein skimmer

 

[TylerHaworth]

Perfectly fine for fish, if you decide to do coral down the road you may want to use more accurate kits and aim for slightly lower Alkalinity and Calcium... The Magnesium is 100% fine at 1500 regardless of what you intend on keeping.

The Nitrite is more bothersome than anything else, however... I would aim for an absolute zero ASAP.

 

[itsmeraja86]

my BAD small confusion nitrite is 0 and nitrate is 5

 

[itsmeraja86]

Thanks TylerHaworth,

I did lots of research on test kits.. and it looks like Phosphate is not something that is tested on weekly basis / some of the reefers not even use phosphate test kit.

Alkalinity - Hanna Checker
Calcium - Salifert
MG - Salifert

please advise if my research resulted in correct test kits?

 

[davocean]

Salifert and elos are usually very accurate kits, and agree 1500 for mag is harmless, it should drop on it's own.

 

[jason2459]

Assuming the Mg test is right snails might be sluggish at that level but everything else should be ok

 

[jason2459]

Thanks TylerHaworth,

I did lots of research on test kits.. and it looks like Phosphate is not something that is tested on weekly basis / some of the reefers not even use phosphate test kit.

Alkalinity - Hanna Checker
Calcium - Salifert
MG - Salifert

please advise if my research resulted in correct test kits?

Those should be just fine.

 

[Mark9]

I find it a bit odd that all 3 are high, ca/kh/mg.
Have you verified your salinity?
What do you use to check?
Swing arms can be way off.
Take some water to your fish store and have them take a sg reading.

 

[itsmeraja86]

my Salinity is 1.026 and i use Refractometer as i dont trust the swing arm.

i use D+DH2Ocean Pro salt

 

[homer1475]

With a FOWLR system you might want to switch salt brands to something that doesn't have all the "extras" we need in our reef systems.

Parameters when mixed to a S.G: of 1.025 @ 25°C = 35.5 ppt

Parameters Level Range Units
pH 8.3 8.2-8.4
dKH 9.3 8.7-9.8
Calcium (Ca2+) 440 430-460 mg/l
Magnesium (Mg2+) 1340 1300-1380 mg/l
Chloride (Cl-) 19550 19960-20130 mg/l
Potassium (K+) 410 380-420 mg/l

Seems like there is a lot of "extras" in that salt that isn't needed for a FOWLR system.

 

[jason2459]

my Salinity is 1.026 and i use Refractometer as i dont trust the swing arm.

i use D+DH2Ocean Pro salt

What kind of refractometer, what are you using to calibrate, and how? It'll also then be important to use the same light source you used for calibration to do the readings and let the ATC of the refractometer adjust to the solution sample.

 

[Mark9]

my Salinity is 1.026 and i use Refractometer as i dont trust the swing arm.

i use D+DH2Ocean Pro salt

Have you calibrated the refractometer with pinpoint?
And I concur with homer1475, you can use a cheaper salt with fowlr.

 

[MD Aquatic]

is this a new tank? I got similar readings when my tank was cycling

 

[TylerHaworth]

I use Salifert and Hannah testers, FWIW

 

[homer1475]

Could also be false readings.

We all know how notoriously inaccurate the API test kits are.

 

[jason2459]

Could also be false readings.

We all know how notoriously inaccurate the API test kits are.

I've never had an issue with API calcium and alk. Has always been consistent for me. People generally don't like it's lack of resolution/precision but I aim for a range and they both accurately enough test with in that target range.

 

[CStrickland]

I've never had an issue with API calcium and alk. Has always been consistent for me. People generally don't like it's lack of resolution/precision but I aim for a range and they both accurately enough test with in that target range.

Samsies. The only time mine has been off is when I lose count of the drops
I'll prolly buy fancy ones after I run out the kit I got when I started testing, reefmaster or whatev. But it's fine for now. If I got a weird reading the first thing I'd do is bring a sample to the lfs and see what their test said.

 

[jason2459]

I've been using API for CA and alk since I started in 2006 or 7 can't remember as they're cheap and accurate enough. But pH and PO4 API is certainly not really good for our saltwater needs as we do require much higher resolution then API is capable of.

 

[itsmeraja86]

Have you calibrated the refractometer with pinpoint?
And I concur with homer1475, you can use a cheaper salt with fowlr.

I calibrated my refractometer with the small calibration screw driver came along with the Refractometer.

This tank is 3 months old. i am in the ugly algae phase and my lights are off for the past 3 days which reduces my hair algae's .

I am planning to add corals after 6 months to ensure stability in water parameters. Do i still need to change my salt?

Any advise to eliminate the film algae's on my glass(I am just scraping once a week) not un controllable its just on the corners and behind.

I do see lots of algae on my HOB Protein skimmer do i need to clean it with Vinegar or let it run?

I removed all my HOB UV sterilizer(Aqueon) as well as my Aqueon Quiet flow HOB and replaced those with HOB SWC Protein Skimmer.

Is it worth if i just put my Aqueon UV sterilizer at lowest flow ? to fight against any algae or parasites? will this create any problem if i start adding corals?

 

[jason2459]

I calibrated my refractometer with the small calibration screw driver came along with the Refractometer.

This tank is 3 months old. i am in the ugly algae phase and my lights are off for the past 3 days which reduces my hair algae's .

I am planning to add corals after 6 months to ensure stability in water parameters. Do i still need to change my salt?

Any advise to eliminate the film algae's on my glass(I am just scraping once a week) not un controllable its just on the corners and behind.

I do see lots of algae on my HOB Protein skimmer do i need to clean it with Vinegar or let it run?

I removed all my HOB UV sterilizer(Aqueon) as well as my Aqueon Quiet flow HOB and replaced those with HOB SWC Protein Skimmer.

Is it worth if i just put my Aqueon UV sterilizer at lowest flow ? to fight against any algae or parasites? will this create any problem if i start adding corals?

What did you use as a solution(liquid) on the refractometer to calibrate it?