Advice? Levels

So i decided to start dosing my tank i want my parameters around this
CA 420
MG 1400
Kh 7-9
Salinity 1.026

Now iv been testing and dosing. All my tests have been red sea. I started dosing useing red seas ABC+ powder but i wanted to control each level individually so I bought the brs 2 part kit. I dosed accordingly last night and my mg and alk dropped like a rock what gives? My alk has always been low since I started dosing. Just wanted to open it up to you guys always and see your thoughts. The last test is 11-26-15

 

Looks OK to me.
I run my DHK 7-8
Calcium 400-420
MG 1340-1400
I dose BRS 2 part. I just dial in my alkalinity where I like and dose same amount of calcium evert time and holds steady at 410. I rarely test calcium or mag. If your alkalinity is good and your dosing same amount of calcium part it will be good also. Don't chase perfect numbers or you will be swinging up and down. Stability is key. Dose calcium to get around 440 then do same amounts of DHK and CA and you will be good.
MG don't take much to hold levels

 

But what im curious about is why my mag is dropping? I dosed mag so it should go up right? @jeremy

 

It should. How much you dosing at a time?

 

In the pic it says my parameters were
CA 370
MG 1300
Kh 9.0
So i went to the brs calculator and said to dose
CA 230 ml
MG 362.9ml
I tested again 2 hours later to see what it raised my parameters to and this is what i came to
CA 435
MG 1340
Kh 8.85
I checked again this morning and this is what i got for results
CA 435
MG 1140
Kh 7.3
So how did my mag and Kh drop that fast overnight? That's why I'm confused @jeremy

 

If your numbers get too high, it can actually precipitate out on surfaces.

What is your coral load like? How do they look?

I would send in a sample to AWT to see how their results compare to yours.

Dont chase a number, like Donny said, stability is the key.

I always test 3 times to make sure you get close to the same number each time.

Stable alk is the key. Get that in a good range and stable.

 

My red sea expired last month. Tested (from memory)
Dkh 16
Cal 540
Mag 1900

Api:
Dkh 11
Cal 400
Mag - no kit.
I'd check the dates. Also, use a quality syringe to get your sample volume consistent.

 

Well. I am confused also. Not sure why everything dropped out that fast.
When your dosing are you splitting that up over the day? And make sure you spread at least 5 minutes before you add the next part
Otherwise it will parcipiatate out.
Mag you can raise 100 ppm per 24 hours with no I'll effects. Alkalinity .5 per day. And calcium I think is 50 per day.
If you don't have any corals you can dose whatever just do it slow or it will parcipiatate out. That looks like that's maybe what's going on.

--- Auto-Merged, Nov 26, 2015, Original Post: Nov 26, 2015 ---

What test kits?

 

I chased similar issues and found I was trying to dose too much too fast and loosing out to precipitation. I finally got some brs dosing pumps. I dose Alk by dividing the dose by 6 and dosing a little every hour over six hours during the night and split my calcium into two half size doses in the afternoon. I was seeing precipitation in my sump around the heater before doing that, now my numbers stay fairly stable.

 

That's a picture of my tank its nothing huge except that bigish sps chunk. Yea it could be precipitating out that makes sence. I'll try to add it in slower and see if that helps. I'm just amazed it dropped 200 mag after adding enough to raise it 100ppm. @abower just checked the date on my kits it isn't out of date I still got a year left. I really not trying to chase a number im just trying to get my numbers alittle higher than they are and figure out why everything is dropping while it should be going up because I'm dosing.

 

Remember, only bad things happen fast in this hobby, I bet if you dose a little every day you'll be where you want in e couple weeks.

 

Ok ill give that a try that might be whats going on ill add alittle and see what happens! Lol

 

Honestly, you have a very light coral load. I bet most of the numbers you need can be maintained by water changes.

Higher numbers are not necessarily better.

Think of your tank as a big bowl, and the elements as marbles. Your bowl can only hold so many marbles, if you add to many, they are going to fall out onto the ground (Precipitation)

 

Honestly the reason I'm dosing is because I would like to go two weeks between water changes. I have no nitrates. So dosing makes sence to me.

 

I dose small doses every hour. Alk is dosed top of the hour.
Calcium 5 minutes later and mag 5 minutes after that. And I have a power head pointed where it's being dosed.
When I had the brs dosers. I did Alk top of hour and calcium on the half hour and manually dosed Alk every 2 weeks.
Sounds like you have a good plan. And sounds like everything is precipitated out.

 

I would really test and see how much you are using in a two week span. With that few of corals, I doubt if it is very high.

Your tank would be a good candidate for dripping in some kalk wasser during the night. I did that for years and had a killer tank. Drip in some mag too if you want, but I bet you barely use it.

 

Chiming in on the water change deal. Best my corals have ever done is with weekly water changes. Skimmer, filter socks, rock filled sump, carbon dosing... Great, but still not able to extend water changes. It's not the nitrates or phosphates, but something there that just has a strange impact. Something you can't test. Every now and then I do two a week. The first indicator I've seen on organic buildup in water is growth of micro algae and cyano. Never get much of a nitrate or phosphate reading because the micro algae is sucking it up

 

i agree with the water changes..no need to dose until you get more corals or larger colonies. try not dosing for a week test everyday and figure out how much alk u are using everyday..don't worry so much about mag till u get your alk stable. Hope this helps you

 

What test kit you using with the Mag? If you are running the red sea pro, make sure to add the drops/reg slowly or this will through off the results majorly.

 

I use the red sea mag kit. Lastnight I went to Bronson fish store here in iowa city and he tested my water with a api test kit and results were the same so I know my kit right. I must have just dosed to much at once. Imma try to spread it out through out the day and see what i come up with.