Two part and magnesium

[insanefishguy]

Ok, I dont get much time on here to do research, so Im gonna ask the experts here....l What is everyone using for two part and their magnesium supplements? I have been getting my stuff from bulk reef supply, but I need to cut costs a little bit. I was buying the sodium carbonate (soda ash) and calcium chloride and their mag mix is magnesium sulfate and magnesium chloride.

If I am not mistaken, dowflake has been deemed not suitable anymore and preston driveway heat is now being used for calcium chloride. Mag flake is being used for magnesium chloride and epsom salts I know are magnesium sulfate. Is this correct? A local feed/farm supply store says the sell mag chloride pellets and flakes but need to get back to me on brands. As far as alkalinity, baking soda can be used but according to BRS that is for ppl who run a calc reactor. Can I buy sodium carbonate anywhere?

Also, for magnesium, I know there are pellets that can be thrown in with your calcium reactor media and dosed that way. Can the pellets just be thrown somewhere in my tank so I dont need to dose it?

Thanks in advance, Joe

 

[tnyr5]

bake the baking soda at 300F for an hour to 90 mins on a baking sheet to convert it to soda ash.

 

[x2uranium]

....which makes sodium bicarbonate, raises pH but I sell it in 50lb bags for $32.00 a bag (picked up)

 

[PerezAF01]

maybe you can get a little more feedback on the reef chemistry forum and if you do please send me a link because I am interested in finding out the answers too.

 

[rigleautomotive]

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.php

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/index.php

The Dow is OK to use as long as regular water changes are done to minimize bromide.

 

[Sanjay]

You can add some Dolomite in your reactor, but I prefer to use Mag flake. You get more control over the additions doing it your self. Also, your mag should not be dropping much. I mix epsom salt with mag flake in the ratio given my RHF.

I just use good old ARM and Hammer backing soda for fixing alkalinity issues. You can bake it in the oven to make it into Sodium Carbonate if you want, I never do.

I use Pedlow from Lowes, and given the small amounts i use to occasionally fix Ca, the bromide is not a big deal.

sanjay.