Magnesium at 450!

Yikes, I just tested for Magnesium for the first time on my tank. I hit 450 once and 400 a second time so I am sure It is correct! No wonder Purple Coraline algae hasn;t been catching on! What is the safest way I can get this up? I leave for about a week tomorrow on vacation, this is no bueno!

 

You need to get a Mg supplement and add it at 100ppm per day until it reaches 1280. If you have no animals in the tank you can add it all in at once. You will need to watch your SG as adding this much in will cause it to raise substantially.

 

Might be worth taking in a sample to lfs

 

The LFS is a jerk and not to competant here. The other one is only open Saturday and Sunday. I will have to handle it when I get back. Will dosing mg effect my calcium?

 

It might cause it to rise. Why I don't know but it has been known to happen. Your alk may go down.

 

Geez, this is my first experience with something being off by much except for salinity.

AM i right in assuming this is why I don;t have purple coraline? I seem to be growing a different type

 

Yes, coralline love Mg.

 

may i ask which type of test kit you used

 

Salifert

 

Just double checking with you Tom

on the Salifert kit - your results are based on what amount of fluid you used
and not what amount of fluid is left in syringe?

Thus if the syring is empty when you finish - your Mag level is 1500 or more
For a Mag reading of 450 that would mean you only added 0.3 mils into the file before it changed color? and the syringe read 0.7 mils ?

450 sounds awful low to me. so if you can get this double checked using a different test kit that would be ideal before making any adjustments

check your test kit expiry date
also check your test kit on a batch of new saltwater as it should give you a significantly higher result , and if it does not, that would indicate to me, test kit is questionable on the result

Steve