Trouble Raising Mg

[spawn]

Hi everyone,

I'm having trouble raising my MG
temp 76-78
Nitrate 0
PH 8.4
CA 420
KH 9
The only test kit I don't have is for phosphate. I've been dosing with Reef advantage Mg. for almost 2 weeks. At the start the Mg was @ 1050, now it's only up to 1100. I've done 1 water change today, but have almost added a 300 gram bottle in those 10-12 days. At recommended maximum doses. Does anyone know why I might bee having trouble raising the Mg. Any help appreciated. thanks. oh yeah 65 gal setup

[nlreefguy]

Not really sure about that brand but it's possible that the maximum recommeded dosage there is for MAINTENANCE. Adjusting from low to the proper levels before you start maintenance dosing can take a LOT of magnesium.

[Seamazter]

magnesium is hard one to raise alot of points, the problem most people have after raising it is maintaining it. So now if your going to does 4 to 5 bottles to get it up high, be sure to continue to test it and keep it at the level you prefer, otherwise this will stress the animals more with having it up and down and up again.

So if you are going to raise it to the recommended level, keep it there or it is best do nothing at all.

Calcium and alk are a big factor in the changing of the magnesium its all related to each other.

If you actually raise your calcium a little bit you can see a higher increase is magnesium without dosing more mag, the same might be true for your alk.

I only know from experience that it hard to raise without increasing one of the other two, but if your other 2 are not low or is hazardous to raise, best not try that either.

If raising your mag is a constant battle try changing to one of the more high end salts.

[Seamazter]

This might help you some.
http://reef.diesyst.com/chemcalc/chemcalc.html
and the professor of all that is reef... randy.
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-07/rhf/index.php

[Canadian]

It would take 772 grams of Seachem Reef Advantage to bring the Mg from 1050 to 1300 on a 65 gallon tank. That doesn't account for any daily consumption by organisms in your tank. To bring your Mg from 1050 to 1100 using the same product requires 154 grams, again, not accounting for any consumption from day to day. So you should count on using quite a bit of Mg supplement to bring up your Mg.