Magnesium Chloride Availability

[yrema]

Hi Randy,

Had a hard time finding sources for magnesium chloride. (The only common magnesium source here is magnesium sulfate.)


I've asked a chemical company about it and they have some. (hooray!) What grade should i ask for? USP?

btw,

regarding your 2-part supplement, can i dose magnesium daily?
(for example, for a 100 gallon aquarium, i dose 40 ml. calcium chloride and sodium bicarbonate daily. can i dose 5.6 magnesium daily instead of dosing 305 ml of it after finishing a gallon of the 2 part supplement?)


thanks very much in advance. :D

cheers,
marty

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

If you can find a USP grade, that is good. ACS reagent grade would also be good. Both are likely to be very expensive. You can get MAG flake online here:

http://www.buckeyefieldsupply.com/showproducts.asp?Sub=124&showspecials=124

[yrema]

thanks a bunch! :D

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

:thumbsup:

Happy Reefing. :)

[yrema]

hi,

i've called up the chem company, the usp grade is unavailable, the only grade available is the technical grade. :(

is this worth buying? thanks again.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Technical is usually the lowest grade, and does not guarantee any useful level of knowledge about impurities.

[yrema]

hmmm, definitely a waste of money. i'll just hook up with some fellow reefers and order online. thanks, Randy! :)

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

You're welcome.

Good luck . :)

[yraveh]

Randy,
Can magnesium sulfate (10%) be used in reef tank?

thanks

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Yes, but if you use too much you'll boost sulfate too much (it has more sulfate than magnesium in it).

I discuss it as one of the options here:

Do-It-Yourself Magnesium Supplements for the Reef Aquarium
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-07/rhf/index.php

[yrema]

hi guys,

a reefer friend of mine managed to talk to the chemist of the chemical store supplying MgCl and aquired the following data on Technical Grade Magnesium Chloride:

Magnesium Chloride => 47.1%
Calcium Chloride => 2%
Sodium Chloride => 0.6%
Potassium Chloride => 0.2%
Water for crystalization => 50.1%

Is this A-OK to use? I'm still having qualms on using it, are there any impurities in MgCl that I should be aware of?

thanks,

-marty :)

[pjf]

I can't vouch for the quality but magnesium chloride is also available from here:
http://www.twopartsolution.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=67&zenid=e503ec8ba7213c5adf3bdb9dd918a6e6

If you are planning to use magnesium for bryopsis control, I recommend that you consider magnesium sulfate as well:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1113109

[bertoni]

The technical grade might be fine, but there's no way to know without expensive testing.

[Young Frankenstein]

Is it OK to use Epsom salt from the pharmacy ?

[lilchris]

You can use it but it is the least perferred from Mr. Holmes recipes. The Epsom salt alone will raise the sulfate levels up. From what I read you can use it but you need to do water changes more frequently. I suggest using the the Mag flake in conjunction w/ the epsom salt. That is what I am doing.
Here is an article on the subject: http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-07/rhf/index.php
I got the Mag Flake from Buckeye field supply for 6 bucks for a LB.