High Magnesium?

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whitjl143

New Fish
#1
Dec 17, 2008
3
0
0
#1
I am at a loss. I have a Red Sea Max 130 (34 gallon). Recently, quite a few snails have died. Here are my readings:

Temp: 79
Salinity: 1.028
PH: 8.0
Alkalinity: 2.51
Calcium: 450
Nitrate: 5
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Phosphate: 0
Magnesium: 1700

Are my snails dying because the mag is so high or because other stuff is low? I can only find articles on the mag being low. I know the PH and alkalinity is low. What is the best way to bring that up? Here's what is in my tank:
1 - blue damsel
1 - 6 line wrasse
1 - neon damsel
1 - Randall's Shrimp Goby
1 - Pistol shrimp
2 - cleaner shrimp
1 - fire shrimp
lots of mushroom corals, 1 frogspawn, 1 blue xenia, 1 australian scolymia, 1 green goniopora, zoanthids, lots of snails and blue legged hermit crabs.

Any help is greatly appreciated!
Jenn
 

Lotus

Lotus

Ultimate Fish
Moderator
#3
Aug 26, 2003
15,115
13
38
Southern California
home.earthlink.net
#3
I agree your SG should be 1.025 or 1.026.

Have you been adding any supplements to the tank, such as calcium or any brand-name additives? If so, let us know what they are.

Also, have you double-checked your magnesium reading? Sometimes the tests can be tricky.

Magnesium generally takes quite a while to leave the system, once it is in there. A few water changes, assuming your makeup water has a lower mag level, should help.

Is your alkalinity measurement in m/eq or in dKH?
 

W

whitjl143

New Fish
#5
Dec 17, 2008
3
0
0
#5
Thank you...

I think my husband has been adding the B-Ionic 2 part system about once a week and also Purple Up. My temp was going to 83 degrees and about a month ago so I bought a chiller and the temp is now staying steady. I will do a small water change today with fresh water to get the salinity back to where it should be. I know how important that number is and for some reason I thought it was supposed to be at 1.028! When it is right there on my chart to see that it's supposed to be 1.026! I'll tell my husband to stop with the dosing and just do it all myself so I know what is going into it. Is it safe to bring the Alk (which is in meq) up by using baking soda or should I just use the one part of the B-Ionic?
 

KahluaZzZ

KahluaZzZ

Superstar Fish
#6
Jun 12, 2004
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Montreal, Quebec
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#6
Anthony Calfo, a reef guru, wrote this on his site :
Lastly, there are implications that difficulties maintaining calcium and alkalinity may be linked to inappropriate magnesium levels. Magnesium should be maintained at roughly three times the level of calcium. High magnesium levels are encountered by inappropriate supplementation and can be lethal to some reef invertebrates. Aquarists have most often reported sensitivity in mollusks and starfish such as "turbo" snails and brittle/serpent starfish. Low magnesium levels, as in economy brand synthetic sea salts have likewise been implicated in difficulties maintaining free calcium and alkalinity adequately. This is yet another reason for maintaining proper water quality through water exchanges and testing with supplementation.


Also, purple up has magnesium in it..you might wanna slow down/ stop using it for a while. Dosing baking soda will only help temporarily. I would make a lot of small water changes to get the numbers right
 

Lorna

Lorna

Elite Fish
#7
Mar 3, 2005
3,082
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NE Indiana
#7
good advice from Kahluazz, I would definitely quit any type of supplementation until you have your parameters in place. An sg of 1.028 is a bit high but not the main issue if you mg is so high....get that under control through water changes and the rest should fall into place at the same time......
 

C

corallover

New Fish
#8
Dec 6, 2009
6
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#8
i knew that calcium best reading between 400-450.. but mine is 480..what should i do to make it 400-450? do i need change water or add more magnesium supplement?
and my magnesium is 1500( is it ok?)
another one is my ph level going to over 8.4 but not 8.8.. is it ok or how?
 

KahluaZzZ

KahluaZzZ

Superstar Fish
#9
Jun 12, 2004
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Montreal, Quebec
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#9
480 is ok but has a relation with your high Mg. No, stop adding Mg supplement!
You already have a better reading then when you first posted :)
BTW 8.4 is pretty much the top, don't aim at 8.8 .
Water changes will help (slowly but steadily) drop those high values.
 

C

corallover

New Fish
#11
Dec 6, 2009
6
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#11
my cousin ask about seahorse.. he dont know how to feed his seahorse.. he try a lot with artermia, but they doesn't eat.. but he put them in tank size 3x2x2 with another life..
what is ur suggestion? now, 2 seahorse was dead n he painted them..hahaha..
 

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