How to Raise MG in a 550 gallons of water.

[Ashish Patel]

I have been using BRS Magnesium for years and it was fine in a smaller tank, In the past a gallon packet lasted a few years. In my new tank I have been using reef crystal to save on cost on topping of removed water from skimming and have not been testing MG up until this week - It was at 1050.

I had 1 gallon of MG packet from at least 5 years ago and it was very pasty (surprised since it was sealed but moisture got it somehow). I used BRS calculator and would need a gallon to raise my MG by 80ppm. BRS sells those MG packet for $20 now and I am not trying to spend $60 to raise my MG up to close to 1400.

I have now decided to go back to Frtiz salt, which I know has a higher concentration of MG then Reefcrystal and while I dont do frequent waterchanges I did enough in the past 4 months where my MG would have been 1300+ had i used Fritz only.

What are good way to bump up my MG without spending a fortune? I am not trying to spend fortune helping BRS and other top companies for simple things like MG.

 

[Saltyreef]

Use randys or brs's recipie to mix these two. Much cheaper than buying the premix packets for large water volume.

Buy Bulk - Magnesium Chloride - Salts & Minerals - Salts & Sweeteners | Jedwards International

We supply conventional and organic natural ingredients in bulk to the cosmetics, soap, candle, apothecary, chocolate and food & dietary supplement industries. Our products include essential oils, specialty oils, butters, waxes, extracts, salts, sweeteners, oleochemicals, emulsifiers, cocoa...

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https://www.walgreens.com/store/c/dr.-teal's-epsom-salt-soaking-solution-magnesium-sulfate-usp-unscented/ID=prod6362916-product

 

[MnFish1]

first - make sure your tests new correct!!


mg - certain tests are hard

 

[rtparty]

I’d make sure your magnesium really is that low. 1050 is super low and unlikely IMO. Is the tank massively loaded with coral?

 

[gbroadbridge]

I have been using BRS Magnesium for years and it was fine in a smaller tank, In the past a gallon packet lasted a few years. In my new tank I have been using reef crystal to save on cost on topping of removed water from skimming and have not been testing MG up until this week - It was at 1050.

I had 1 gallon of MG packet from at least 5 years ago and it was very pasty (surprised since it was sealed but moisture got it somehow). I used BRS calculator and would need a gallon to raise my MG by 80ppm. BRS sells those MG packet for $20 now and I am not trying to spend $60 to raise my MG up to close to 1400.

I have now decided to go back to Frtiz salt, which I know has a higher concentration of MG then Reefcrystal and while I dont do frequent waterchanges I did enough in the past 4 months where my MG would have been 1300+ had i used Fritz only.

What are good way to bump up my MG without spending a fortune? I am not trying to spend fortune helping BRS and other top companies for simple things like MG.

Double check your salinity with an appropriately calibrated instrument.

If your Salinity is correct and you have double checked Mg with another test, you don't need to go to 1400, 1250 will suffice.

What is your Calcium level?

 

[JGT]

Agree that this sounds low or wrong. I use RC and my MG is consistently at 1400-1500. I bought all of the ingredients for Randy’s MG DIY mix and have never used it. My tank is 300 total gallons, and also pretty chock full of corals and real live rock.

 

[Ashish Patel]

Agree that this sounds low or wrong. I use RC and my MG is consistently at 1400-1500. I bought all of the ingredients for Randy’s MG DIY mix and have never used it. My tank is 300 total gallons, and also pretty chock full of corals and real live rock.

When I tested it low specific gravity for 31PPT. After getting it back up to 35PPT its around 1150. It could be wrong but one thing i have noticed in this large system is salinity drops alot in 1-2 months time so I just have to make it a point to test it weekly and adjust. I know its lower than I like and just want an affordable solution, I made a 120 gallon water change 3 months ago and nothing since.

 

[Ashish Patel]

Double check your salinity with an appropriately calibrated instrument.

If your Salinity is correct and you have double checked Mg with another test, you don't need to go to 1400, 1250 will suffice.

What is your Calcium level?

Thanks, I will double check today but calibrate anytime I test my salinity, which is not often enough. I may need to get a new test kit or verify it with freshly mixed saltwater or my other systems for reference.

 

[Ashish Patel]

Double check your salinity with an appropriately calibrated instrument.

If your Salinity is correct and you have double checked Mg with another test, you don't need to go to 1400, 1250 will suffice.

What is your Calcium level?

Ca is 400 alk is 7.5. Alk went up to 8 after bringing up salinity. I think its pretty low bc of salinity but def need a new mg test kit. Still need a solution for raising it long term since im not really big on small frequent waterchanges. Maybe do 25% every 2-3 months and dose trace elements weekly

 

[rtparty]

How are you maintaining alkalinity and calcium?

25% water changes every few months will likely keep up with magnesium unless your tank is pounding through it for some reason. I never dose it to my 250g system and do water changes every 2-3 weeks. Part C from Tropic Marin seems to keep it super stable

 

[gbroadbridge]

Ca is 400 alk is 7.5. Alk went up to 8 after bringing up salinity. I think its pretty low bc of salinity but def need a new mg test kit. Still need a solution for raising it long term since im not really big on small frequent waterchanges. Maybe do 25% every 2-3 months and dose trace elements weekly

I do 10% water changes every 2-3 months.

I mix Magnesium Chloride into my Calcium Chloride (add 20% MgCl3 by weight).
You may consider doing something like that in future.

 

[Ashish Patel]

I’d make sure your magnesium really is that low. 1050 is super low and unlikely IMO. Is the tank massively loaded with coral?

Thats what i thought but when salinity is low RC has a guide. Mine was at 31ppt. Not many corals but a ton of sponges and fan worm growth. Tanks about 8 months

 

[Ashish Patel]

Use randys or brs's recipie to mix these two. Much cheaper than buying the premix packets for large water volume.

Buy Bulk - Magnesium Chloride - Salts & Minerals - Salts & Sweeteners | Jedwards International

We supply conventional and organic natural ingredients in bulk to the cosmetics, soap, candle, apothecary, chocolate and food & dietary supplement industries. Our products include essential oils, specialty oils, butters, waxes, extracts, salts, sweeteners, oleochemicals, emulsifiers, cocoa...

bulknaturaloils.com

https://www.walgreens.com/store/c/dr.-teal's-epsom-salt-soaking-solution-magnesium-sulfate-usp-unscented/ID=prod6362916-product

This is what i was looking for. Thanks alot

 

[Ashish Patel]

I do 10% water changes every 2-3 months.

I mix Magnesium Chloride into my Calcium Chloride (add 20% MgCl3 by weight).
You may consider doing something like that in future.

Nice. Never heard or that but right now only dosing Kalk. In the future if i get to that spot where it cant keep up i may just use 2 part. Mg usually tends to stay high for me and dosing it few times per year if needed wont be overkill. Reason why i dont think i would mix it with calcium cloride is i always dose equal parts of 2part (frequently test alk but rarely CA) so may just complicate it more than id like

 

[Ashish Patel]

How are you maintaining alkalinity and calcium?

25% water changes every few months will likely keep up with magnesium unless your tank is pounding through it for some reason. I never dose it to my 250g system and do water changes every 2-3 weeks. Part C from Tropic Marin seems to keep it super stable

Only dosing Kalk (2.5liters per day). Yeah thats what i thought too but being my tank is new never really paid attention to anything beside the massive phosphate increase i get per week. No joke it goes from .10 to .60 in matter of a week. I was getting alot or wet skim.

 

[gbroadbridge]

Nice. Never heard or that but right now only dosing Kalk. In the future if i get to that spot where it cant keep up i may just use 2 part. Mg usually tends to stay high for me and dosing it few times per year if needed wont be overkill. Reason why i dont think i would mix it with calcium cloride is i always dose equal parts of 2part (frequently test alk but rarely CA) so may just complicate it more than id like

I dose equal parts too, which is why I simply add the Mg to the Ca container.

 

[biom]

... i have noticed in this large system is salinity drops alot in 1-2 months time so I just have to make it a point to test it weekly and adjust. ...

You should find the reason why salinity drops. That is not normal especially in such a big system. If it is not test error, not skimmer constantly overflowing or WC /AWC then it could be salt creeping in somewhere, presumably in hidden areas (sump etc.) which is potentially dangerous (rust, short circuits etc.)

 

[Rst]

Use randys or brs's recipie to mix these two. Much cheaper than buying the premix packets for large water volume.

Buy Bulk - Magnesium Chloride - Salts & Minerals - Salts & Sweeteners | Jedwards International

We supply conventional and organic natural ingredients in bulk to the cosmetics, soap, candle, apothecary, chocolate and food & dietary supplement industries. Our products include essential oils, specialty oils, butters, waxes, extracts, salts, sweeteners, oleochemicals, emulsifiers, cocoa...

bulknaturaloils.com

https://www.walgreens.com/store/c/dr.-teal's-epsom-salt-soaking-solution-magnesium-sulfate-usp-unscented/ID=prod6362916-product

Hi,

Thanks to your post, I am thinking of using Epsom salts instead of the more expensive Red Sea Mag designed for reefs. Since I use a Calcium Reactor, I don't need to mix & dose any Calcium with Magnesium. Here in Canada, I can't find Dr. Teal's version as you suggested, but my local drugstore chain's own brand (Shoppers Drug Mart) carries Epsom Salt labelled "Magnesium Sulfate USP For Relaxing Mineral Bath". The label does not say that any fragrance has been added. Also, this label does NOT state pharmacy grade like Dr. Teal's brand. Do you think its safe for use in a reef tank as a Magnesium dosing substitute?

 

[gbroadbridge]

Hi,

Thanks to your post, I am thinking of using Epsom salts instead of the more expensive Red Sea Mag designed for reefs. Since I use a Calcium Reactor, I don't need to mix & dose any Calcium with Magnesium. Here in Canada, I can't find Dr. Teal's version as you suggested, but my local drugstore chain's own brand (Shoppers Drug Mart) carries Epsom Salt labelled "Magnesium Sulfate USP For Relaxing Mineral Bath". The label does not say that any fragrance has been added. Also, this label does NOT state pharmacy grade like Dr. Teal's brand. Do you think its safe for use in a reef tank as a Magnesium dosing substitute?

I would use food grade, most pharmacies have it under the health section for treatment of constipation.
It's a better grade with less impurities than the bath salts.

You can often buy on amazon in bulk - much cheaper than pharmacy.

 

[Rst]

I would use food grade, most pharmacies have it under the health section for treatment of constipation.
It's a better grade with less impurities than the bath salts.

You can often buy on amazon in bulk - much cheaper than pharmacy.

I wasn't aware that it is also used for constipation. I will check my pharmacy and also amazon.
Thanks for your help.