Magnesium Chloride = Salt.....duh!!!!!

[Joshnlaura]

I have just started dosing my tank with a 2 part solution from BRS and started getting a lot of it precipitating out and not being used. Obviously my Magnesium was low and I ordered a Mag test kit. After some checks and calculations I figured I was SO LOW that I needed to add 1.7 gallons to my system. (side note I also dose live phyto that I culture in saltwater) Over Christmas I started putting in about 20 oz a day and got down to where I only needed to put about two more 20 oz bottles in. I decided to do some checks since my corals were looking a little flimsy. My salinity/sg had gotten to about 1.05 OOOHHHH ****. Needless to say I had A LOT of water changing to do and now that I have things back in check (all but still having a low Mag content) everything is starting to perk back up. Moral of the story...Magnesium Chloride is SALT. If you do not add SLOWLY and keep salinity in check you too can waste your money on chemicals that you will be doing water changes to pull back out. Just a comment from a newbie mistake.....anyone that wants to chime in I would appreciate the advice to not do something stupid again.

[d0ughb0y]

that is right. if you search for the composition of sea water, the 35 ppt is not all sodium chloride, it includes calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, potassium chloride, etc. sulphate is needed as well, that is why randy's recipe for magnesium combines 3 parts magnesium sulfate (epsom salt) and 5 parts magnesium chloride.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/22/Sea_salt-e_hg.svg/750px-Sea_salt-e_hg.svg.png

[Joshnlaura]

Well this is definetly the first BIG stupid mistake Ive made. In 8 months of doing this now I dont think I have done too horribly bad. I am definetly obsessed now and would like to turn my entire house into a tank. LOL
I guess I should have said too that it was Mag Sulfate and Mag Chloride. I used the one term as a general usuage for what I was dosing. You are correct it does contain both.

[MrKite24]

When you did your water changes, did you check the Mg levels of the new water? If you boosted those levels then you could have raised your salt levels back up and your Mg at the same time. Most salt mixes are low in Mg so you should really check the Mg, Ca and alk of your new water before doing a water change. If any of them are off, then dose the new water so everything is good, then do a water change.

[RA]

I also made the same mistake. I added about 8 cups of mg solution to my 120 not even thinking about the salinity. I checked the salinity later in the week and finally realized why it was so high. I bet a lot of people have made the same mistake.

[d0ughb0y]

how much did it increase the salinity?
I know the suggested increase is no more than 100ppm per day.
on my 60g, 1 cup will raise mg by about 50ppm, so 8 cups on 120 should raise the mg by about 200ppm.

[sslak]

Duuuuude....

*facepalm*

I added 2 cups of Mg solution last night, and I was planning to add another 2 cups tonight....

Note to self...check SG before adding any more Mag! Thanks for the tip!

[RA]

how much did it increase the salinity?
I know the suggested increase is no more than 100ppm per day.
on my 60g, 1 cup will raise mg by about 50ppm, so 8 cups on 120 should raise the mg by about 200ppm.

If I remember correctly it raised it to 1.028. I'm embarrassed to say that I hadn't checked my mg in awhile and I got a reading of 750.

[Joshnlaura]

Duuuuude....

*facepalm*

I added 2 cups of Mg solution last night, and I was planning to add another 2 cups tonight....

Note to self...check SG before adding any more Mag! Thanks for the tip!


Well im glad I saved one person so far.....LOL.

[hhaase]

Well im glad I saved one person so far.....LOL.

Ahhhh, so that explains why mine has been creeping up at times. I've been adjusting with some RO only water changes, and a confused look on my face.

-Hans