High magnesium

debarmay

New member
I have a 90 gal salt water reef tank in existence for about 9 months. For the last several months my Mg has been off the scales. I use Red Sea to measure and it is showing my Mg to be 1800-1900. I have also been having trouble with high phosphate and nitrate and so have been dosing vodka per Nathaniel Walton method. Im into week three and still no difference.
Ph 8.0
Nitrates 20 ppm
Alk 7.4
Ca 250 (low-I know)
Mg 1800
salinity 32-33 ppt
I'm scared to do anything. I've heard that the reef salt u use can increase MG. I use Reef Crystals. I need to buy salt and was wondering if the type of salt I'm buying has something to do with the Mg problem. I have a 40 gal sump with three socks, refugium, red octopus skimmer. I also have a block of marine pure in my refugium. Can anyone help? I have a 2 inch sand bed and do weekly 20 gal water changes where I siphon the sand. I also have a MP 40 and 10 connected to my apex system. Thanks
 
Elevated mag hasnt been shown to really cause any problems..
It could just be testing error too..
 
If your not dosing MG, I would agree, testing error, especially with the RED SEA kit, you got to have the plunger on the mark, each and every time or easily you can get results 100pm or so off.
In addition, you MUST shake the vial for 15 seconds after each A drop, or again, bad result.
Carbon dosing generally takes much more time than 3 weeks.
I use NoPox and it took about 3 months to get N from 50 to 5ppm.
While carbon dosing can lower phosphate as well, it does not do much for P.
Using an LC with a fine sock or GFO s best to manage phosphates.
 
Reef crystals mixing up at 1800 mag. right out of the bag is extremely unlikely.....I would double check your test kit and testing method....
 
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