How to dose Magnesium (B-Ionic) with Dosing pump

[CDMSeaLife]

Hello everyone, I'm currently dosing Alk & Calcium with a Bubble-magus doser and was just occasionally dosing magnesium but now it's getting harder and harder to keep up with. I just got it back (slowly) to 1350 and would like to keep it there. Any suggestions about where to start dosing? I was thinking about 10 ml a day and see where to go from there. I have RSM 250C.
I do have a lot of hard coral.

I dose with liquid B-Ionic 30/32 ML Alk/Cal each day.

Last numbers (I added 2 ml a day to calcium so it may be slightly higher)
Salinity. 1.026
Alk. 9.69
Calcium 400
Magnesium 1350
Nitrate 0
Phos .004
PH 8.1
I use Instant Ocean Reef Crystals
Thanks!

 

[Danreef]

Hi Cheryl

With that SPS bioload you need to dose Mg ?

My tank has a bigger SPS bioload and, as of today, I didn't have the need to dose Mg. with the ~ 15 G water change I do every week Mg is stable. I use also reef crystal and have a RSM 250 with a 20 G refugium.

I am dosing 67 ml B-ionic of Ca and the same for Alk to keep my Alk at ~6.5-7 dkh and Ca at ~440. I really only pay attention to the Alk levels and the 2 part solution does his job to keep the Ca level

Cheers

Ps : I read again the post and saw you dose different volumes of part 1 and 2. Is that a typo ? You should dose equal volumes of each. They are equilibrated to dose equal volumes. That is why I only care about the Alk levels, as I mentioned.

 

[CDMSeaLife]

Hi Dan, I do a 6- 7 gal water change every week. It's not a typo but it's only a couple ml and it could be the difference in the dosing pump lines, etc. (I can tell because the Cal line on bottle is slightly higher then the Alk when using the same amount.) I'm checking numbers again today.
I guess I could do large water change but 15 gal is more then I can easily handle.
I know you don't like to chase numbers but do you know where your mag level is? I've followed you for about a year and know you have an amazing tank!
Thanks for your help

 

[Danreef]

Hi Dan, I do a 6- 7 gal water change every week. It's not a typo but it's only a couple ml and it could be the difference in the dosing pump lines, etc. (I can tell because the Cal line on bottle is slightly higher then the Alk when using the same amount.) I'm checking numbers again today.
I guess I could do large water change but 15 gal is more then I can easily handle.
I know you don't like to chase numbers but do you know where your mag level is? I've followed you for about a year and know you have an amazing tank!
Thanks for your help

THANK YOU CHERYL !!! for such nice words. But it is still FAR AWAY !!! of being amazing. I am still fighting the excess nutrient crash. But I have to accept that the tank is in a positive trend. All growing, slowly, but growing healthy. I am very happy.

Your tank looks great too !!!

Now to the Mg.

These are values I posted last weekend in my thread with a lot of new pictures. The values are now 2 weeks old, but they provide you an example. As I said, the only one I measure more than one time during the week, is the Alk and adjust the pumps accordingly (increasing 1-2 ml the dosing). I did not hav any need to change the dosing volume in the last 2 weeks. At ~ 8-9 PM the value has been ~ 6.5 dkh.

OK... here we go: (2 weeks old values)

Measured at 6 PM. Dosing pumps (alk/Ca) stop at 5 PM

Alk 6.88 dkh Salifert
Ca 425 ppm. Salifert
Phosp. 0.05 ppm Hanna
Nitrate. 0 ppm Red Sea
Mag. 1480 ppm. Red Sea

Salinity. 1025

In your situation, PLEASE !! do not change anything. Stability is the most important thing for these SPS, of course together with good water quality.

Based on your posted parameters, I do not see anything that needs to be changed. If you need to supplement Mg to keep your ~ 1350 ppm continue doing it. Remember that your tank is different than mine and that there aren't 2 equal tanks. Take a look every day to your SPS and if they are happy.....continue as you are.

Mine was just a question (more a curiosity) , not a suggestion that you need to change what you are doing.

Your question was : With what dose of Mg I start to dose ? (correct ?)

If I were you, I will be measuring Mg today and wait 2-3 days to measure again and if there is no big change, measure again after a week. Like you did, to know your Alk use and start to dose B-Ionic. Well, now you need to know your Mg depletion in XX Days.

When you have that data you add accordingly. Let say you need to add 10 ml/week, then I will divide it in 5 days of 2 ml.

Sorry if this was too basic, but I hope this helps !!!

Cheers
Daniel

PS: I measured Mg 2 weeks ago because a Reef Central member asked me the same question as you after I posted "I do not have any idea what my Mg levels are". I can't remember when it was the last time I measured Mg (many months ago for sure )

 

[melvis]

Glad I read this post, even if Danreef thinks it's basic....it's just what I needed right now lol.

Your tank looks fantastic CDMSeaLife!

 

[Oxylebius]

Dan provides a good way of testing your tank to see how much is used, thus determining how much is needed to add to the tank. One thing to note, as a precaution avoid raising magnesium levels more than 100 ppm per day. If necessary, you can spread out dosing over the course of the day, not all at once, but I'd avoid raising the level higher then 100ppm per day to not shock the corals. You mentioned in your first post that you took time to raise the levels to 1350ppm, so you are probably already familiar with this.

 

[Danreef]

Dan provides a good way of testing your tank to see how much is used, thus determining how much is needed to add to the tank. One thing to note, as a precaution avoid raising magnesium levels more than 100 ppm per day. If necessary, you can spread out dosing over the course of the day, not all at once, but I'd avoid raising the level higher then 100ppm per day to not shock the corals. You mentioned in your first post that you took time to raise the levels to 1350ppm, so you are probably already familiar with this.

As always, excellent point Oxy !!

I didn't know the 100 ppm max/day tip ...... Thanks !!!!

Daniel

 

[Oxylebius]

As always, excellent point Oxy !!

I didn't know the 100 ppm max/day tip ...... Thanks !!!!

Daniel

Thanks Dan. It is something that the BRS calculator cautions. I use BRS brand Alk, Ca, and Mg. When using their calculator they always caution on not over doing the amount you add. Raising levels slowly over a week is always better then raising levels in a day. Corals can tolerate lower levels over time better than drastic changes in levels in a 24 hour period.

 

[CDMSeaLife]

THANK YOU CHERYL !!! for such nice words. But it is still FAR AWAY !!! of being amazing. I am still fighting the excess nutrient crash. But I have to accept that the tank is in a positive trend. All growing, slowly, but growing healthy. I am very happy.

Your tank looks great too !!!

Now to the Mg.

These are values I posted last weekend in my thread with a lot of new pictures. The values are now 2 weeks old, but they provide you an example. As I said, the only one I measure more than one time during the week, is the Alk and adjust the pumps accordingly (increasing 1-2 ml the dosing). I did not hav any need to change the dosing volume in the last 2 weeks. At ~ 8-9 PM the value has been ~ 6.5 dkh.

OK... here we go: (2 weeks old values)

Measured at 6 PM. Dosing pumps (alk/Ca) stop at 5 PM

Alk 6.88 dkh Salifert
Ca 425 ppm. Salifert
Phosp. 0.05 ppm Hanna
Nitrate. 0 ppm Red Sea
Mag. 1480 ppm. Red Sea

Salinity. 1025

In your situation, PLEASE !! do not change anything. Stability is the most important thing for these SPS, of course together with good water quality.

Based on your posted parameters, I do not see anything that needs to be changed. If you need to supplement Mg to keep your ~ 1350 ppm continue doing it. Remember that your tank is different than mine and that there aren't 2 equal tanks. Take a look every day to your SPS and if they are happy.....continue as you are.

Mine was just a question (more a curiosity) , not a suggestion that you need to change what you are doing.

Your question was : With what dose of Mg I start to dose ? (correct ?)

If I were you, I will be measuring Mg today and wait 2-3 days to measure again and if there is no big change, measure again after a week. Like you did, to know your Alk use and start to dose B-Ionic. Well, now you need to know your Mg depletion in XX Days.

When you have that data you add accordingly. Let say you need to add 10 ml/week, then I will divide it in 5 days of 2 ml.

Sorry if this was too basic, but I hope this helps !!!

Cheers
Daniel

PS: I measured Mg 2 weeks ago because a Reef Central member asked me the same question as you after I posted "I do not have any idea what my Mg levels are". I can't remember when it was the last time I measured Mg (many months ago for sure )

Thanks Dan, I just got back from vacation and read your posts. Very helpful as usual.