Low Alkalinity

[jpjones]

Every thing was going good until I got a magnesium test. When I tested it was off the chart maybe somewhere around 1500 or 1600. So I did a 5 gal water change every 3 days and is still high and now my alk has dropped. here are my last results

SG=between 1.024-1.025
Ammonia=0
Nitrate=0
Temp=78
PH=8.2
Cal=475
Mag=1300 to 1400
Alk was 3meq or 8.4 dkh
Now is 2meq or 5.6

I use C-Balance once a week. Seems like with the corals I have I should be using more? I do have some pro buffer by Kent should I use that to bring the dkh back up? then what should I do with the mag?
Correct me if I am wrong but the mag should be 3 times the cal.
So to sum it up what can I do to get the mag down and the dkh up to 10 or 12?

[Oscarsdad608]

On reef cenral people have been raising their Mag evels to 1700 or higher to rid problem algae, with no prolems to their livestock. If your calcium is still in the right range I would raise alk seperate until both are in the right range. I would retest the alk first to make sure you got a good testing. Good luck the magnesium will lower on its own and coraline algae will grow very fast with it alittle higher.

[yote]

I like to keep mag levels at 1400.It wont hurt anything.Like Osceas said,you may get a coralline explosion but that not exactly bad either.
Just use the buffer to bring your alkalinity up.Other than that your params look good to me.