raising/stabilizing Mg?

[DMK]

i was wondering what anybody out there uses, if anything, to raise and stabilize their Mg levels, WITHOUT a Mg reactor. i have no room for anything else. i don't even use a Ca reactor, just BIonic daily which maintains my Ca and Alk fine. my Mg is at 1200, want it around 1350 before starting zeo. i use BIonic Mg once in awhile but raises it veeeery slow. once i stop it, Mg seems to did down to around 1180-1200 where it goes no lower. i recently slowly switched over from crystal seas salt to IO/oceanic mix. not sure if this will help raise it enough. what Mg additive raises it best and, if anything, stabilizes it once i get it where i want?

[kmagyar]

Just tagging along on the thread to see if it goes anywhere. I have the same problem and pretty much have always had this problem. My tank will eat esv MG. Some people use epsom salts but there is some type of detrimental effect that I cannot recall.

[Ramble On Rose]

I use epson salt, but if you read Randy's new improved 2 part recipie he suggests epson salt and mag flake. I haven't been able to find any mag flake yet, so I'm still using the old recipie.

[spoon25]

you should check out dr ron shimek study on the salts.. id ont know how to add links yet but i know you can find the study in the reefnest forum

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

There are many suitable magnesium supplements, including MAG Flake from Home Depot.

Actually, Ron never studied the composition of salt mixes, but Craig Bingman did:

http://web.archive.org/web/20001215070800/http://www.animalnetwork.com/fish2/aqfm/1999/mar/features/1/default.asp

[spoon25]

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2005/11/aafeature1

dr ron did this study i dont think magnesium is in there but manganese is....i think it has alot of the metals rather than nutrients....cool study though...i feel like im killin my tank with oceanic.lol...

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

FWIW, Ron Shimek had nothing to do with that Inland reef salt study.

[kmagyar]

Can anyone point me to a link on the mag flake solution?

[raynist]

http://www.harveysalt.com/

50lbs shipped to Pgh is $37

--Ray

[DMK]

i'd rather use something meant for reef tank use.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

i'd rather use something meant for reef tank use.

Even if all they do is repackage it and bump the price? That's a fine choice, if you believe that the companies add value by screening out unsuitable material.

[kmagyar]

Why would I want unsuitable material in my product? Or was that worded incorrectly? Are there detrimental affects to the MAG flake as an MG supplement, either in short or long term use?

Is mag chloride and epsom salt = to MAG Flake?
Dissolve Epsom salts (3 cups) and magnesium chloride hexahydrate (5 cups) in enough purified freshwater to make 1 gallon total volume. This solution is added much less frequently than the other two parts. Each time you finish adding a gallon of both parts of Recipe #1, add 305 mL (1 ¼ cups) of this stock solution. You can add it all at once or over time as you choose, depending on the aquarium's size and set up. Add it to a high flow area, preferably a sump. In a very small aquarium, or one without a sump, I suggest adding it slowly.


Keith

[kmagyar]

Never mind. It would have helped if I continued to read :)

Is there anyone reading this that can say they have been using this method for an extended amount of time and have had no issues?


Keith

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Many people have used Dowflake for years as the calcium chloride supplement, and it analyzes to look EXACTLY the same as sold by ESV and Warner (different than Kent, but not "worse"):

Purity of Calcium Chloride
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/mar2004/chem.htm

Along with the Dowflake, many people have been using Epsom salts to supplement magnesium, since about April 2004 when my first recipe came out (and some used it before that):

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

Experience with the MAG flake is much less extensive since the recipe only recently came out, and the purity analysis provided by the Dead Sea Works was only widely circulated a few months ago. Still, I think the benefits of the new recipe outweigh the reduced experience with it.

[DMK]

what will maintain mg, if anything, other than a reactor? i have NO room for anything else.

[NoSchwag]

DMK In my case it's not something I really need to dose. It seems that once I got it where it's supposed to be, I don't have to dose often. Maybe once every month or 2.

I have a 120 and use IO salt (low in mg)

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

what will maintain mg, if anything, other than a reactor? i have NO room for anything else.

If you are dosing an appropriately formulated two part system, that will maintain magnesium. So will simple magnesium supplements as necessary.