Calcium dropping, Magnesium rising why?

[lkoechle]

So, I just recently started testing since I added coral. The only additive in this tank is Seachem Reef Plus which is an amino acids and concentrated vitamins. I also run chemipure blue.

 

Saturday after a water change my levels were:

Ca: 460

Alk: 7.6

Mg: 1400

pH: 7.8

 all good.

 

Well, I am trying to see how much is being consumed, so i tested today and this is what I got:

Ca: 425

Alk: 7.6

Mg: 1480

pH: 7.7

I test Mg TWICE to rule out human and error and got the same result.

 

Tank is 78 degrees and salinity is 35 (1.026) 

 

I am using Red Sea Pro test kit.  help please?

and how does this translate when dosing any two part? (I am not dosing anything atm to be clear)

[lkoechle]

And to be clear, I do know coral consumption is why my calcium is dropping what i don't get is the magnesium.  I would expect to be the same (my last tank was very slow to consum mg for some reason) or to have dropped.  rising makes no sense based on what i know.

[lkoechle]

Just retested  third time, still 1480.  Any takers?  I thought they were suppose to drop together?

[CronicReefer]

 There are two ways carbonates can bond in water fairly easy. This is CaCO3 and MgCO3. Free floating calcium ions will replace the magnesium in MgCO3, creating magnesium ions and CaCO3, until the water reaches an equilibrium point based on natural mag/alk/calc ratios.

 

I do not believe your coral consumed any noticeable amount of calcium just to be clear.

[lkoechle]

9 minutes ago, CronicReefer said:

 There are two ways carbonates can bond in water fairly easy. This is CaCO3 and MgCO3. Free floating calcium ions will replace the magnesium in MgCO3, creating magnesium ions and CaCO3, until the water reaches an equilibrium point based on natural mag/alk/calc ratios.

 

I do not believe your coral consumed any noticeable amount of calcium just to be clear.

can we do this in lay terms please?  I understand what you said... sort of? maybe? Its definitely murky and I am having trouble seeing its application.

 

Are you saying my tank will level out on its own? what is a "noticeable amount of calcium" then?

 

I failed chemistry. Okay not really, but Cs I really worked for those Cs.

 

[CronicReefer]

2 hours ago, lkoechle said:

can we do this in lay terms please?  I understand what you said... sort of? maybe? Its definitely murky and I am having trouble seeing its application.

 

Are you saying my tank will level out on its own? what is a "noticeable amount of calcium" then?

 

I failed chemistry. Okay not really, but Cs I really worked for those Cs.

 

Lol sorry. Basically you don't want magnesium over 1350 otherwise it makes calcium and alkalinity reactions act strange. It should drop naturally on its own with water changes. Your levels are just fine the way they are.

 

You could try raising alkalinity to 8.5. This may drop your magnesium but it may affect calcium too.