Randy??Reef Advantage Calcium by Seachem...supply Mag?

[dvanacker]

Randy,

Will this product (used as the calcium pt. in a 2 part dose) really supply the magnesium needed. So I will not need to dose mag cloride or sulfate.

Here is the analysis

Guaranteed Analysis
Calcium 34.7%
Magnesium 1.73%
Strontium 0.0346%

The calcium is calcium cloride and the magnesium is mag cloride.

Is there any reason why you dont add the mag portion of your DIY 3 part into the calcium solution? Do they react with one another??

Thanks

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

By itself, that may be fine to use. It does add an appreciable amount of magnesium, but it prevents you from controlling them independently. Still, it is not an unreasonable guess as to an average ratio of magnesium to calcium.

Corals deposit magnesium in ratios to calcium that vary widely, so it may be fine for one tank, too much for another, and not enough for another. I show some ratios here:

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/oct2003/chem.htm


I do not add magnesium to the calcium part of the DIY because magnesium sulfate (Epsom salts) is not soluble in a concentrated calcium solution (calcium sulfate precipitates).

[dvanacker]

I just want to add that when I mix up a 4L of reef advantage with RO/DI after a while there is a brown sediment on the bottom. Is that the strontium out of solution or something else.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

That is probably some heavy metal precipitate, maybe iron. That happens when some folks use certain other brands of calcium chloride as well.

[dvanacker]

WOW.....fast. Thank you so much.

[dvanacker]

SO I should not allow the brown sediment into my tank then...that would be bad.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I'd avoid it, if possible, but I expect that is not a concern if it gets dosed. :)

[reefworldaq]

Randy, I'm use all chemical with one brand SEACHEM. With Reef adv calcium, reef adv magnesium, reef builder. is it enought to use that to keep all the parameter balance. i'm also use reef adv stront, reef plus. thank's.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I'd monitor magnesium once in a while to see if it is OK, if you are concerned about it. I can't say just from the type of products used whether it maintains magnesium or not.

I do not think that strontium is important, so I wouldn't worry about it one way or the other, but I wouldn't go out of my way to add any without measuring and determining that you think you need it.