DIY Mg additive

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

randy I will still ship some to you if you are willing to check it out

Sorry, it is a huge amount of work to test these things. The Dead Sea Works stuff came with its own analysis.

 

[robthorn]

oh ok I thought you did the work. I figured it wouldn't be easy but it didn't hurt to ask.
lutefisk I see you added the boxing charge into the shipping I didn't think of that before since I stated mine seperately I just figured you did too. my bad.

 

[Hobster]

FWIW,

I emailed harveysalt and they sent me a pdf of the MAG product specifications. It only listed then main elements and not any trace impurities:

MgCl2 46-48%
CaCl2 2.-3.
NaCl 0.5-1.0
KCl 0.2-1.0
Sulphates 0.02 typical

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

In this thread:

http://216.235.242.50/forums/showthread.php?t=3568

Greg gave the impurities of the Dead Sea Works stuff as:

Trace Element Content of Dead Sea Works
Magnesium Chloride

Element Typical(ppm) Maximum(ppm)

Mg 115000(11.5%) 125000 (12.5%)
Ca 7000 8000
Br 5000 8000
K 2500 3500
S(SO42-) 180 200
Sr 120 150
B 20 30
Li 10 15
N* 4 5
Si 9 15
Fe 3 10
P 2 3
Mn 2 3
Al 1 3
Ba 1 2
Co <1
Cr <1
Cu <1
F <1
Mo <1
Ni <1
Se <1
V <1
Zn <1
As <0.1
Hg <0.1
Pb <0.1
Cd <0.01
I n.a
Rb n.a


The numbers that you report fit that fairly well, so it may be the same material.

 

[Lutefisk]

FWIW,

I emailed harveysalt and they sent me a pdf of the MAG product specifications. It only listed then main elements and not any trace impurities:

MgCl2 46-48%
CaCl2 2.-3.
NaCl 0.5-1.0
KCl 0.2-1.0
Sulphates 0.02 typical

Did they list the producer, grade, or any other info?

Can you post a link to the pdf?

Randy, does anyone have a copy of the documentation Dead Sea Works sent on the Boston purchase they can post?



Thanks,
Paul

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I'd suggest that you check with Greg Hiller.

 

[Hobster]

The pdf from harvey salt shows that the MAG is from Dead Sea Works ltd, BUT it remains to be determined if it is the same MgCl2 that the Boston Club ordered. They might have several different brands, grades or what ever.

 

[robthorn]

hobster I think randy said it might be flake they ordered? not sure if it actually was. I would think it would be the same product contents besides maybe a moisture difference.
it is made for melting ice on roads and side walks not for human consumption. I am not sure you could ever find a grade on this product.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

The stuff we have is definitely flakes.

 

[Lutefisk]

Harvey sells both flake and pellet. I'm told that the pellet is just a different form of the same product. Like someone said earlier, it seems reasonable to assume that the pellet might store better than the flake - after all, 50lbs will take some time to work through.

The purity remains to be seen.

 

[NCNBilly]

You can my MAG at Home Depot here in Harrisburg, PA.

 

[Hobster]

hobster I think randy said it might be flake they ordered? not sure if it actually was. I would think it would be the same product contents besides maybe a moisture difference.
it is made for melting ice on roads and side walks not for human consumption. I am not sure you could ever find a grade on this product.

I have some of the "Boston" purchase in the orginal bag. It is flake.
I have now e mailed Dead Sea to see if we can get a complete breakdown of the MAG product if it is avaliable. But as robthorn stated maybe not, as only for ice melt. How then did Greg obtain a detailed list? Same product or different??????

 

[Lutefisk]

You can my MAG at Home Depot here in Harrisburg, PA.

Down here in the Sunshine state icemelt is a little difficult to come by

We're also hoping that this stuff will be of sufficient purity. I've read of people using other brands of icemelt without problems.

It is bizzare how difficult it is to find good grade magnesium chloride (let alone for a reasonable price) when the low grade product is cheap enough to throw on the ground.

 

[robthorn]

we have a waste water treatment plant I was working at today and saw a pallet of hydrated lime I wonder if this would be good? he he he a 50 lb bag of kalk sounds too good to be true

 

[robthorn]

we have all been wondering about impurities of the pellets. well at least I have been. on a site peterschemicals I found them showing the impurities of the brand they carry beeing .98% max for pellets and 1.00% max for flakes so maybe we will get lucky and it's the same

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

he he he a 50 lb bag of kalk sounds too good to be true

That's what I use. A 50 pound bag of food grade calcium oxide.

Details on purity of calcium hydroxide and calcium oxide are in this article:

What Your Grandmother Never Told You About Lime
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-01/rhf/index.htm

 

[robthorn]

randy do you have a specific brand that you order in the 50 lb bag? I am using ball pickling lime at the moment. but hey cheaper and just as good is cheaper and just as good.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Again, it was part of a bulk purchase made by many in out reef club that Greg Hiller organized. It is Mississippi Lime Company food grade quicklime.

 

[robthorn]

awesome thank you I am still waiting on mg I will post info when I get it

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

You're welcome.

Good luck!