manual adding magnesium

[steamboatreef]

I need to add a stand alone magnesium product to get my magnesium from it's current level of 1150 to 1350 and keep it around 1350 long term.

Would Magnesium sulfate by itself be fine for raising magnesium levels? I will soon start using calcium chloride and sodium bicarbonate to raise calcium and ALK when needed.

I don't want to buy and use magnesium sulfate and chloride when I can just one use. Once my magnesium levels reach the 1300 range I will only need small amounts periodically.

My ALK is close to where I want it and my calcium is getting there but I don't think my magnesium will reach 1300 with just two little fishes two part that I'm currently using.

Once I run out of the two-little fishes two-part product, I want to switch to the basic powder form ingredients.

I'm also using regular instant ocean and will start using regular tropic marin once IO is used up.

thanks in advance

[bertoni]

Using both magnesium chloride and magnesium sulfate will keep the ionic balance closer to natural seawater, but using only magnesium sulfate likely is acceptable. Using only magnesium chloride probably is good enough. The ratio when using both is 10:1 magnesium chloride to magnesium sulfate.

[steamboatreef]

Originally Posted by bertoni

Using both magnesium chloride and magnesium sulfate will keep the ionic balance closer to natural seawater, but using only magnesium sulfate likely is acceptable. Using only magnesium chloride probably is good enough. The ratio when using both is 10:1 magnesium chloride to magnesium sulfate.

I read somewhere that you don't want to use just magnesium chloride if you're already using calcium chloride.

Could I use just magnesium chloride instead of magnesium sulfate if I'm using calcium chloride since the suggested ratio is 10:1?

[Potatohead]

Most people just use mag chloride. If you have some epsom salt sitting around, you can add a bit of sulfate. Personally I would not use only sulfate if you need to raise it that much.

[steamboatreef]

Originally Posted by Potatohead

Most people just use mag chloride. If you have some epsom salt sitting around, you can add a bit of sulfate. Personally I would not use only sulfate if you need to raise it that much.

I will probably purchase some Dr Foster and Smith mag chloride then, it's cheaper than BRS product.

I'm also switching to regular Tropic Marin salt from instant ocean with weekly 10% water changes.

My magnesium is probably low from the instant ocean salt since my tank is 5 weeks old. I hope the tropic marin water changes will also improve my magnesium situation.

I only have two small soft corals right now, so 1150 is not a big concern but I want to reach 1300 and keep it there.

[bertoni]

Using magnesium chloride only should be acceptable even if you're dosing a 2-part, but I would consider using the chloride and sulfate combination from this article:

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/index.php#12

That formula would be used only for maintaining the magnesium level. For raising it, calcium chloride alone should be okay.

[steamboatreef]

Originally Posted by bertoni

Using magnesium chloride only should be acceptable even if you're dosing a 2-part, but I would consider using the chloride and sulfate combination from this article:

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/index.php#12

That formula would be used only for maintaining the magnesium level. For raising it, calcium chloride alone should be okay.

Thanks for the link, in your last sentence did you mean to say magnesium chloride rather than calcium chloride?

I don't have any espom salts. I will probably purchase some dr foster magnesium chloride for the short term to raise it, then later get dr foster magnesium sulfate to form a ratio for maintaining the magnesium in my maintenance schedule.

Is Arm and Hammer baking soda cheaper than a $10 3.5LB bottle of calcium bicarbonate from Dr fosters?

[bertoni]

Yes, I meant magnesium chloride. Sigh!

I don't know what the shipping charges are for Dr Fosters sodium bicarbonate. That'd be a significant issue. Baking soda is inexpensive at the grocery store.

[outssider]

I believe the ratio that randy suggests (when dosing calcium chloride) is 5/3 mag chloride / mag sulfate.....10/1 when using a calcium reactor

[bertoni]

That's correct when dosing for magnesium consumption. When raising the magnesium level due to an issue with the salt product, there's no corresponding ionic shift from the two-part, so using the 10:1 ratio is correct, well, assuming the salt product has a reasonable chloride to sulfate ratio.