What do you use to raise magnesium?

[mskohl]

I've tested the salt mix that I use and it is great for Alk and Calcium, but is low on magnesium. With water changes, I'll actually be reducing my magnesium. So, I would like to know the preferred way of adding magnesium back into the water - either in the water change water or periodic dosing.

 

[jjmcat]

I talked a little about that in the meeting Steph.

http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chem_calc3.html

Click on the flash version.

Did you get a sample of the Red sea salt?If you did test it as well to see where you compare with your own salt.
Epson salt is by far the cheapest and easiest to get.What is your mag at now?

 

[mskohl]

I tested mixed saltwater for the combo of salt mixes that I use. Magnesium tested at 1230.
dKH 10.2
Ca 440ppm

I read that continued use of epsom salts could raise your sulfates. Have you had any experience with this side effect? I would say that water changes would make it inconsequential, but if I add the epson salt with every water change, then it's not depleting the sufates.

I have mixed up a gallon of the Red Sea Salt, but have not tested it yet - that's tonight - 24+ hrs later. BTW, for those who took some home, it uses a lot less than 1/2 cup per gallon to get 1.025. I started with 1/2 cup (b/c that's what IO and Oceanic recommend), but kept having to pull saltwater out and add ro/di back in to lower it.

 

[TulsaReefer]

Here's a great article on Magnesium suppliments: Do-It-Yourself Magnesium Supplements for the Reef Aquarium

And there are a number of commercial suppliments as well, though I'm not familiar if any one of them is better than another. Luckily that article has some great info on the subject in general and what to look for in a suppliment.

 

[mskohl]

Yep, read that article. In fact, it was one of the places siting the side effects of increased sulfates.

It's also possible to determine the effect on sulfate from one-time boosts to magnesium using Epsom salts. Epsom salts actually contain about four times as much sulfate as magnesium, so boosting magnesium gives an even larger boost to sulfate. Table 5 shows the effect on sulfate of several different increases in the magnesium level. From that table, it is clear that boosting magnesium by 100 ppm or more using Epsom salts has a substantial effect on the sulfate level. I therefore do not recommend using this method to boost magnesium by more than about 50-100 ppm. Every subsequent addition will compound the effect, although water changes will serve to reduce it over time.

 

[TulsaReefer]

Yeah, I had read it a while back too about the Sulfates. Problem is Epson salt is easy to find, where Magnesium Chloride isn't something you find at the local drug store. Short of getting something from the LFS I'm not sure there is a good quick alternative.

 

[jjmcat]

Honestly the only thing that I have done to raise the mag after I switched salts is ..................... nothing!First time my mag has stayed over 1350.You did say something that I totally agree with and that's water changes.Oh and that you will use less of the red sea salt.I learned that the first time when I made 35 gallons.Took me forever to get it right.

 

[Caragol]

I use Kent's Tech M. A gallon of it was less than $20 on drsfosterandsmith.com at the time. It works well and helped me beat bryopsis.

 

[Lightsluvr]

Tech-M

Tech-M

Just call me a coward, but I can't bring myself to add Epson Salts or that other stuff in my tank...anymore than I could add Prestone Driveway De-Icer to add calcium...

I stick with Tech-M from Kent...dosing it every other day to maintain Mag at 1250-1300.

LL

 

[TimV]

I've used Epsom salt for years with no problem at all.

T

 

[TulsaReefer]

The good thing about Epson salt is that it's typically USP (United States Pharmacopeia (USP)) so it's pure enough you shouldn't have to worry about strange contaminants. And you can get higher grade magnesium chloride (than driveway deicer) from other sources such as BulkReefSupply if you want to make your own and don't want to use only Epson salt.

 

[jjmcat]

Re: Tech-M

Re: Tech-M

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13188287#post13188287 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Lightsluvr
Just call me a coward, but I can't bring myself to add Epson Salts or that other stuff in my tank...anymore than I could add Prestone Driveway De-Icer to add calcium...

I stick with Tech-M from Kent...dosing it every other day to maintain Mag at 1250-1300.

LL

It woud take 3.125 gallons of this product to raise her mag to 1350.

 

[mskohl]

Ok, I just tested the Red Sea Coral Pro that I got a sample of at the OMAS meeting the other night. Here are my results:
salinity - 1.025
temp - 77*

Salifert Test Kits:
7.4 dkh
460ppm Calcium
1290 Mag

These are fairly consistent with the results it this comparison:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1287118

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11532087#post11532087 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Billybeau1
Here is a list of what I measured for the big three in a number of the salt mixes we use today. This is intended as a guideline and I, in no way, guarantee these figures. All I can say is they were all tested under the same conditions, with a number of different brand test kits, using the same methods for each test. I believe these numbers are reasonably what you can expect from these salts mixed at 35 ppt or 1.0264

A special thanks to Bertoni for putting it in nice form.


<table align=center><tr><td valign=top></td><td valign=top><p align=center style='text-align:center'>Calcium &nbsp&nbsp</p></td><td valign=top><p align=center style='text-align:center'>Alkalinity&nbsp &nbsp</p></td><td valign=top><p align=center style='text-align:center'>Magnesium</p></td></tr> <tr ><td valign=top ><p>Aquatic Gardens</p></td><td valign=top ><p>&nbsp&nbsp 430</p></td><td valign=top ><p>&nbsp&nbsp 8</p></td><td valign=top ><p>&nbsp&nbsp 1240</p></td></tr> <tr ><td valign=top ><p >CoraLife</p></td><td valign=top ><p>&nbsp&nbsp 560</p></td><td valign=top sp 9><p>&nbsp&nbsp 9</p></td><td valign=top ><p>&nbsp&nbsp 1380</p></td></tr> <tr><td valign=top ><p>Crystal Sea Marinemix&nbsp &nbsp</p></td><td valign=top ><p>&nbsp&nbsp 340</p></td><td valign=top ><p >&nbsp&nbsp 9</p></td><td valign=top ><p>&nbsp&nbsp 1050</p></td></tr> <tr><td valign=top ><p>Crystal Sea Marinemix Bio-Assay&nbsp &nbsp</p></td><td valign=top ><p>&nbsp&nbsp 340</p></td><td valign=top ><p >&nbsp&nbsp 9</p></td><td valign=top ><p>&nbsp&nbsp 1050</p></td></tr> <tr><td valign=top ><p>Instant Ocean&nbsp &nbsp</p></td><td valign=top ><p>&nbsp&nbsp 350</p></td><td valign=top ><p >&nbsp&nbsp 12</p></td><td valign=top ><p>&nbsp&nbsp 1070</p></td></tr> <tr><td valign=top ><p>Kent&nbsp &nbsp</p></td><td valign=top ><p>&nbsp&nbsp 540</p></td><td valign=top ><p >&nbsp&nbsp 11</p></td><td valign=top ><p>&nbsp&nbsp 1200</p></td></tr> <tr ><td valign=top ><p>Marine Environment</p></td><td valign=top ><p>&nbsp&nbsp 480</p></td><td valign=top ><p>&nbsp&nbsp 7.5</p></td><td valign=top ><p>&nbsp&nbsp 1450</p></td></tr> <tr ><td valign=top ><p>Oceanic</p></td><td valign=top ><p>&nbsp&nbsp 580</p></td><td valign=top ><p>&nbsp&nbsp 8.5 </p></td><td valign=top ><p>&nbsp&nbsp 1650</p></td></tr> <tr ><td valign=top ><p>OceanPure</p></td><td valign=top ><p>&nbsp&nbsp 510</p></td><td valign=top ><p>&nbsp&nbsp 10</p></td><td valign=top ><p>&nbsp&nbsp 1320</p></td></tr> <tr ><td valign=top ><p>Red Sea</p></td><td valign=top ><p>&nbsp&nbsp 400</p></td><td valign=top ><p>&nbsp&nbsp 8</p></td><td valign=top ><p>&nbsp&nbsp 1300</p></td></tr> <tr ><td valign=top ><p>Red Sea Coral Pro</p></td><td valign=top ><p>&nbsp&nbsp 490</p></td><td valign=top ><p>&nbsp&nbsp 7</p></td><td valign=top ><p>&nbsp&nbsp 1300</p></td></tr> <tr ><td valign=top ><p>Reef Crystals</p></td><td valign=top ><p>&nbsp&nbsp 420</p></td><td valign=top ><p>&nbsp&nbsp 12</p></td><td valign=top ><p>&nbsp&nbsp 1260</p></td></tr> <tr ><td valign=top ><p>SeaChem Marine Salt</p></td><td valign=top ><p>&nbsp&nbsp 500</p></td><td valign=top ><p>&nbsp&nbsp 10</p></td><td valign=top ><p>&nbsp&nbsp 1400</p></td></tr> <tr ><td valign=top ><p>SeaChem Reef Salt</p></td><td valign=top ><p>&nbsp&nbsp 540</p></td><td valign=top ><p>&nbsp&nbsp 10</p></td><td valign=top ><p>&nbsp&nbsp 1450</p></td></tr> <tr ><td valign=top ><p>Tropic Marin</p></td><td valign=top ><p>&nbsp&nbsp 375</p></td><td valign=top ><p>&nbsp&nbsp 10</p></td><td valign=top ><p>&nbsp&nbsp 1230</p></td></tr> <tr ><td valign=top ><p>Tropic Marin Pro Reef</p></td><td valign=top ><p>&nbsp&nbsp 450</p></td><td valign=top ><p>&nbsp&nbsp 8.5</p></td><td valign=top ><p>&nbsp&nbsp 1380</p></td></tr><tr ><td valign=top ><p>Tunze Reef Salt</p></td><td valign=top ><p>&nbsp&nbsp 420</p></td><td valign=top ><p>&nbsp&nbsp 9.5</p></td><td valign=top ><p>&nbsp&nbsp 1350</p></td></tr> </table>

 

[TulsaReefer]

From that chart it looks like what you might want to do is a couple water changes with some Oceanic. It's got such elevated levels of everything, including magnesium that it would help kick up anything without nearly as much total water change required.

 

[mskohl]

I currently mix Instant Ocean and Oceanic almost 50/50.

However, to throw another variable in the mix, I recently added a calcium reactor that I'm still trying to get 'dialed in'.

 

[jjmcat]

Try this link out as well.

http://reefsaltanalysis.googlepages.com/AWT_Salt_Analysis_0208.pdf

 

[TulsaReefer]

I think there is a type of magnesium chips that some folks are using in their calcium reactors that help keep up the magnesium levels. I saw something on it just recently, but can't find it right now, or maybe someone here knows more about it. I'll keep an eye out on it and if I find it I'll post a link. That would longer term be the really best solution if you have a reactor, get the right amount of magnesium in along with the calcium.

 

[jjmcat]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13188616#post13188616 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mskohl
I currently mix Instant Ocean and Oceanic almost 50/50.

However, to throw another variable in the mix, I recently added a calcium reactor that I'm still trying to get 'dialed in'.

I don't know if this is true or not but I have herd you want a lower ALK salt when you use a CALC reactor.

 

[Lytehouse]

Thanks for the thread Stephanie,

Exastly what I'm struggling with and I mix IO an O at about 50/50.

What levels are you trying to reach on mag?

 

[mskohl]

I think what people add to the reactors is dolomite. - I think....

Yep, read through those results as well. For sure the testing equipment would be more accurate than our at home test kits (which is what the guy I quoted used), but I think there was a bit of controversy over parent companies and that the tests were skewed. All of that is hearsay for me, though. Also, I read (and that by no means indicates fact either) that at least one of those brands has been reformulated.

I've been using a mixture of these two salts for a long time now and I may need to change that with the addition of my reactor. I'm trying to figure that out.

I would like to have parameters in these ranges:
dkh 9.5-10.2
calcium 420-450
mag 1350 - 1500

Before the reactor, I struggled with additives to keep my dkh 8+. My calcium hasn't been as big of a problem, but I also dosed to keep it above 400. My magnesium was fine with one time exception that I added a bit of the expensive liquid stuff.

With the reactor, I shocked the system with alk at 11.2 dkh. It was high, but it was stable for about a week. I have been trying to slowly bring it back down. It was at 9.9 yesterday - down from 10.2. I haven't tested tonight. I don't know my current mag either, but last time I checked (within a week) it was approx 1300.