FOWLR to mixed reef chem question

[mvallee]

I am switching my 180gallon to a mixed reef and have some chemistry questions.
As a FOWLR I checked the basics Ammonia, nitrite nitrates and PH and always looked good and still do.

Now I just started checking MG, CA and Alk and am surprised at my MG level basically off the chart.

I had been using Instant Ocean Sea Salt and added nothing else while a FOWLR and here are the numbers now
SG 1.026 (just raised last weekend from 1.024) I use a refractometer.
Cal 360
DK/Alk 8.8
PH 8
MG reads above the scale which goes all the way up to 1600
This is a red sea reef foundation pro kit and I have run the test 3 times the scale at 1600 is .8 of titrant and I end up using it all so I would guess close to 2000 for a mg reading.

MY plan was to get the number where they need to be and start dosing with ESV-B Ionic two part with MG as needed but how do I drop MG, is it harmful.
I just ran out of IO sea salt and bought a case of IO reef crystals that I plan on starting water changes today with will reef crystals stabilize these numbers?

Tank has been running 6 months fishless for the last three months with a clean up crew only with at leat 200 pounds of liverock between my tank and sump. I just purchased (Monday) a fellow reefers long established livestock consisting of yellow tang two dwarf angels and some shrimp so should not be a huge load. Also included some corals two nice small-medium hammers, torch 3 brains, small medium frogspawn and 1 rock of pallys.

Ammonia nitrates and nitrites are holding so the load is ok.

Everyone actually looks healthy fish are fantastic eating and active no stress, corals have opened up and swaying beautifully and brains though not fully puffed are puffed so I think things are adjusting well just concerned with the Magnesium and would appreciate some advice.
Thanks

 

[mvallee]

update may be an issue with the test kit (or me) as the freshly mixed reef crystal is reading 1600mg Hoping Love the Reef does water tests I can bring a sample with me tomorrow and see where I am at. This is a real PITA. adding drops one at a time and shaking looking for blue before it turns violet. I did get a hint of blue at .7 which would have made it 1400 in fresh mix but turned back to pink so I do not think it counts,

Anyone use the red sea pro kit and have any tips for getting correct mg readings?

FW was definitely easier but I'll get it

 

[jason401]

I have read high magnesium issues in the past with I/O.

Do a google search, list turns up pretty hefty. Maybe try mixing the dry salt in the the bucket/box real good before mixing in water. Test fresh/newly mixed water before hand so you see what's goin on, as you did before.

 

[mvallee]

Googleing this seems to be everything from this test kit having issues with certain types of salt IO being one of them to IO being very inconsistent to being the best and most consistent salt. I assume it is a pretty poular salt hence all the conflicting info. I just watched a video on the test kit and seems like the first step of 5 drops 15 seconds apart while shaking is very important and I only guestimated the time between, going to get a timer this time and try it again.

 

[biscuit]

Googleing this seems to be everything from this test kit having issues with certain types of salt IO being one of them to IO being very inconsistent to being the best and most consistent salt. I assume it is a pretty poular salt hence all the conflicting info. I just watched a video on the test kit and seems like the first step of 5 drops 15 seconds apart while shaking is very important and I only guestimated the time between, going to get a timer this time and try it again.

I have found the 5 drops with 15 seconds in between is pretty important for getting accurate results. With that said though, I have found my regular IO salt still tests pretty high in Mg at about 1480 or so. I watched the YouTube videos from Red Sea and performed it exactly as the guy did to get my results. Oddly he doesn't do the last drops and shake for a whole 60 seconds, he shakes for about ten then says let it sit for 60 seconds.

 

[mvallee]

retested following the videos instructions and still at 1900 for MG.
I did a 25 gallon water change with the new salt but I suppose if I am getting 1600 off new salt it won't be going down much but my other numbers have come up with todays water change
PH 8.4
Alk 9
Cal 400

what if anything should i do about that 1900 for mag, I will find a place to test the water for me to validate my test numbers over the weekend and for now I just hope the test is wrong i guess.

 

[mvallee]

For future searches, I brought a sample of water to Unique Aquaria this weekend and they performed a full round of tests. Mag came back at 1200, way better than the 1900 I was getting. All my other numbers from my test kits came back inline with what I was getting.

I purchased the ELOS Mag test kit following their recommendation and am getting the same types of readings (1200) that make sense for a tank that has never been dosed with mag.

Bottom line the Red Sea Reef Foundation test kit for MG did not give accurate readings whether it is the test kit or incompatibility with IO salt the numbers were consistently in the 1900 range. The CA and ALK seem fine in the kit so not a total waste but be aware and glad we have places we can go to second opinions.