Affordable source for magnesium?

[earwicker7]

I've noticed that a lot of things sold to reefers are much, much cheaper if you buy them from other sources. I run a CO2 scrubber, and LFS prices on the media are insane. Instead of getting it in a container with fish pictures on it, I source it through veterinary supply stores and pay about 1/5 of the price.

I'm wondering if anyone has an idea of how I would go about doing this with magnesium? That stuff is really expensive in the hobby version. Should I go through chemistry suppliers, or are there other industries that use it that sell it cheaper?

 

[AlSimmons]

I just use regular old Epsom salt. This isn't very expensive and can be found at Target, Walmart, Rite-Aid etc.

 

[earwicker7]

I just use regular old Epsom salt. This isn't very expensive and can be found at Target, Walmart, Rite-Aid etc.

My only worry about that is possible impurities... I was hoping to find something that is lab grade. Am I over thinking this?

 

[basser1]

I buy my Mag mix from bulk reef supply....

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/magnesium-mix-for-general-adjustments-bulk-reef-supply.html

 

[AlSimmons]

My only worry about that is possible impurities... I was hoping to find something that is lab grade. Am I over thinking this?

I'm not really sure if your overthinking this or not, but I have used Epsom salt to adjust my Magnesium for a long time now and have never experienced any problems that I can attribute to this. Then again I don't really have to fiddle with my Magnesium that often either, so if they're are some impurities in this product they're not manifesting themselves.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-07/rhf/index.php

 

[jda]

Dr. Holmes-Farley has posted a lot about Epsom Salt... it is fine to use.

You can also find Mag Chloride as a deicer if you are anywhere near cold weather.

 

[five.five-six]

Epsoms salts

 

[Sisterlimonpot]

1. Epsom salts (USP grade magnesium sulfate heptahydrate) is readily available in drug stores and is fairly inexpensive. The problem is that if this were used to raise magnesium by a large amount (or a small amount several times) the aquarium water would become enriched in sulfate. This enrichment may not be a problem for some aquaria, especially those using salt mixes already deficient in sulfate, or those that employ frequent water changes. Nevertheless, Epsom salts alone is not an ideal magnesium supplement.

Randy has laid out some concerns as well as other alternatives to epsom salts, read the whole article posted by AlSimmons

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-07/rhf/index.php

 

[DesertReefT4r]

BRS for me, its pretty cheap. Dollar Tree sells epsom salt $1, pretty cheap. I woul not use the de icer products, BRS did a video that backed up my feeling for de icer.

 

[BruceWayne]

BRS magnesium super affordable and easy