Improved DIY Two Part Recipe

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Specifically, for the magnesium part.

If you can obtain magnesium chloride hexahydrate, use the exact same total volume of magnesium solids (equal to about 8 cups), but instead of using all Epsom salts (1 64 oz package), use:

63% (5 cups) magneisum chloride hexahydrate
37% (3 cups) Epsom salts

Use this exactly as otherwise described. This improved recipe will not cause any significant increase of sulfate, chloride, sodium, or magnesium when used with my two part recipe:

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/april2004/chem.htm

I'll be putting together a whole article on it for February Reefkeeping.

I'll also have a recipe there for part Epsom salts and part ESV or Kent magnesium supplements for those who cannot get the mag chloride but who want ionic balance.

Happy Reefing.

 

[herefishyfishy2]

Use this exactly as otherwise described. This improved recipe will not cause any significant increase of sulfate, chloride, sodium, or magnesium when used with my two part recipe:

Randy,

I hope it will increase Magnesium. Was that a typo?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Semantics, probably, but it maintains magnesium where it is. Not using it allows magnesium to decline

 

[herefishyfishy2]

ahhh....gotcha. It can be used to increase as needed correct? Say from 1100ppm to 1250?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

If you were not using calcium chloride to supplement calcium, I'd use something more like 9.7 parts by volume magnesium chloride to 1 part Epsom salts. That's because there is no chloride excess to offset by the extra Epsom salts.

EDIT: I changed the value above slightly.

 

[herefishyfishy2]

Understood......once again thank you sir!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

:thumbsup:

Happy Reefing.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Note: I edited my posts above with slightly different values.

 

[BeanAnimal]

can you suggest a good source for the magnesium chloride hexahydrate

 

[PatMayo]

Randy I am new to this chemistry thing. I am using your type 1, 2 part recipe.
I don't quite understand the ionic balance portion and how the improved verson using the chemical above differs from the original. For a newbee like me could you be real basic and give me the low down for #1, the reason for part 3 and #2, exactly how the new version of the 3rd portion is better, and finally exactly what does that 3rd portion do? I see that none is added until after you have done through a gallon of the part 1 and 2.

Regards,

Pat

(Sorry for being so niave.)sp?

 

[herefishyfishy2]

Beananimal,

I found a 50lb bag of it at Costco (being sold as ice melt) a few weeks ago after searching around Denver for a long time. Just keep your eyes open and look at the ingredients on the back carefully. This one I got I believe is from nasalt? HTH

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

can you suggest a good source for the magnesium chloride hexahydrate

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=742838

 

[Whaledriver]

I have ordered from Harveysalt.com with no problems at all.

 

[ostrow]

That's per one gallon of water, right?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Yes, for the magnesium part of my DIY additive, the 8 cups total solids is put into 1 gallon of fresh water.

 

[pwilk20]

Hi, I was able to find Mag pellets (Dead Sea, Israel) ice melt at my local HD. Is your formula of 63% (5 cups) magneisum chloride hexahydrate for pellets or flakes? Thanks.

Paul.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

It is for flake. I do not know the bulk density for the pellets. It may be similar.

 

[Whaledriver]

I think for calcium pellets are about 10% more dense than flake so the same should go for magnesium??? Just an idea to toss out.

 

[ostrow]

Randy the harveysalt stuff is pellets. At least, what I got is pellets.

 

[mbbuna]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6429873#post6429873 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Randy Holmes-Farley
Yes, for the magnesium part of my DIY additive, the 8 cups total solids is put into 1 gallon of fresh water.

is that INTO one gal. of water or to MAKE one GAL. total?