hi reefers! So, I am constantly dealing with cal 500+ and mag 1600+. I’m only dosing Alk. SPS looks good and just got some more today. I know the ranges but is it harmful to coral and other life to have cal and mag that high? Thanks! Jarrett
http://www.reefedition.com/dosing-rules-dosing-101-for-your-reef-aquarium/ your already going against dosing 101 by dosing calcium and alkalinity at the same time with brs 2 part, which also happens to have magnesium in it, should it be brs 3 part?
that's better. If you are going to dose them both, it is supposed to be at different times. However, dosing the alkalinity is going to change the calcium and magnesium, either good or bad. They cant seem to make up their minds on that.
From what I’ve read those need to come down but I’m not exactly sure I understand their relationship fully. What is your SG? Have you calibrated your refractometer lately? I have a friend that realized his refractometer was off when his other parameters started going too high. Might be worth checking out.
What salt are you using? How often are you doing water changes and how big are they? What is your alkalinity? Calibrating the refractometer is a good thought. I was using Fritz until recently and my Mg+ was consistently around 1500 and my Calcium was also 500. This isn't hard on coral but it could lead to precipitation that is hard on your equipment.
"I've seen little evidence to convince me that the brand of the salt mix used makes an important difference to the apparent success of a reef tank. " I whole hardily support this statement. Just use whatever brand you want.
Agree with Brian in that I think you can be sucessful with any salt mix. Stability is the key, especially with SPS. That's where choosing a salt that's close to where you are trying to maintain you parameters can make life easier. Check your newly mixed water. Betcha the Mag and Ca are very close to where they are in your tank. I dont think its an issue with the coral. Check your pumps for signs of precipitation. If your sand is aragonite it may start to clump.