those having low magnesium problem

[hamannbmw]

My magnesium n calcium was always low. I have been using "s**c**m" concentrates magnesium for quite some time, finish up almost 2 big bottles and it seems that is doent increase much.

I'm tried " epsum salt " today, it comes in 511 grams. Inorder to play safe, I use 1 teaspoon to 2 litres of water in a test container. My MG went up from 1050ppm to 1250ppm. I throw in 30 spoons stir it and dump into my tank , did a test, reading at 1170ppm. Since i dun have much left so i dump everything in (511grams)

My magnesium is now approx 1230ppm.

I understand the risk of using a product that is not meant for aquarium. I'll monitor it for the next few days. Those who wan to try "DUN FLAME ME" if yr tank crash......

[bonjour2]

Hi , i used to face the same prob as u when i use S**C*** , until I used Salifert magnesium powder at $16.50 . It is stated that 1 teaspoon will bring up 10L of seawater by 300ppm , ... I juzed dosed according to instruction and my reading w/t a day went from 1020 to 1170 ppm . test kit used is also Salifert so no doubts abt result.... heard of Epsom salt before but I think is more for planted tanks??

[weileong]

I used tropic marin and now my Mg level are ard 1330ppm increased from 1170ppm. I used about 3/4 of a bottle.

Before that used 1kg of seachem Mg and only managed to increase from 900ppm to ard 1100ppm.

[AlfaRomeo]

Weileong, so in your experience the tropic marine MG additive is more effective than Seachem?

[weileong]

Definately

What I experience is that after you dose seachem Mg and reached a certain conc of Mg the reading never seems to go up anymore. This is only what I experienced.

The tropic marin Mg actually contains Ca, Potassium, etc as well. It's said that it won't affect the ionic balance of the water.

[LinkinPark]

Hi

I've not tested Mg and has no knowledge of this element.

Could you please share what causes your Mg level to be low?

and what salt mix do you use?

[hamannbmw]

Epsom salt is only $3.20.... price different from other "marine ready magnesium" which cost between $15-30. Will do a test tomorrow... and monitor all LS and corals , if its ok... will throw in more to reach a MG level between 1300-1400ppm

[hamannbmw]

I'm using Tropic marine salt mix but i seldom change water .. maybe once @ 20% every 3 weeks. I understand that when MG is low you cant boost up the calcium level. Thats my problem now... i also got a calcium reactor last week, but my calcium still hover between 300-330. wonder how long does a CR break-in..

[hamannbmw]

u mean epsom salt contains nitrate ? i'm not sure wats inside but i do understand some reefers using them without problem..

Any facts on the nitrate thing ?

[roidan]

epsom salt is essentially magnesium sulphate....dosing it will increase sulphate levels in the water as well in a one to one ratio.....whether higher sulphate levels will do harm or not.....i also dunno

the more expensive magnesium additives tend to use the more expensive magnesium chloride instead of totally magnesium sulphate

[roidan]

Elements Quantity Unit per kg

CL 19.8 g/l 19.4

SO4 2.8 g/l 2.7

Mg 1.3 g/l 1.3

http://www.hw-wiegandt.com/Deutsch/Meersalz/meersalz.html

Chloride (Cl):

55.04 wt%

Sulphate (SO4):

7.68 wt%

Magnesium (Mg):

3.69 wt%

http://www.usask.ca/geology/classes/geol206/geol206rr2.html

so we can see from the above that if we want to raise magnesium levels....it may be better to add magnesium chloride rather than magnesium sulphate because addition of magnesium sulphate will result in 1-1 ratio increase of magnesium and sulphate levels....the sulphate levels will balloon out of normal magnesium levels in seawater levels much faster than to add magnesium chloride which will increase magnesium but yet will not cause a huge percentage increase in chloride in comparison to natural sea water...

that is my personal deduction and i am not a chemist.......

[hamannbmw]

bro a bit chim for me, assuming i have a 450L tank, therefore

28g/L X 450 = 1260g of SO4

since i added 511g and its ratio is 1:1 , therefore I'm still save right ? nv hit above 1260g mark though dunno quantity tats already in the tank.

[roidan]

CL 19.8 g/l 19.4

SO4 2.8 g/l 2.7

Mg 1.3 g/l 1.3

say for sulphate 2.8g/l x 450

=1260g of sulphate in your 450litres of water....

magnesium 1.3g/l x 450

=585g of magnesium in your 450litres of water

chloride 19.8g/l x 450

=8910g of chloride in your 450litres of water....

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

just anyhow take a number....eg

for 600g of magnesium sulphate...here are the new levels...

magnesium= 585 PLUS 300

=885g

sulphate= 1260 PLUS 300

=1560g (Increase in 23.8%)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

when you use 600g of magnesium chloride. here are the new levels..........

magnesium=585 PLUS 300

=885g

chloride=8910 PLUS 300

=9210g (Incease in 3.37%)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

thus we can see that by the same magnesium increase in using 2 methods...one method (magnesium sulphate) will result in sulphate levels differing by 23.8% fron NSW levels whereas the other method (magnesium chloride) will result in only chloride levels differeing by 3.37% from NSW levels...

i think the bottom line is that we try not to differ too much from NSW levels when we add stuff to our tanks...

of coz the stuff in our tanks may get accustomed to increased sulphate levels....and we may not see any exaggerated side effects....but for me, i will feel it's better not to deviate too much from NSW levels..

disclaimer: i am not a chemist

[kschew1498]

Well....maybe we will get some mutated corals......hahaha ...

Anyway, where can I find Epsom salt, if I may ask??

[roidan]

pharmacy can get...

hmmm..might as well look for magnesium chloride in bulk for all of us to share?

[kschew1498]

kum sia..... By the way, pardon my ignorance, what is Epsom salt used for initially?

[roidan]

for tired muscles, aches and pains..hehe

[hamannbmw]

thanks for your explaination.. I had post the same question in reefcentral, this is a reply from a chemist , i think.....

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthre...threadid=428211

[roidan]

ya lor..habib is from salifert....

it's essentially the same what is being talked about there....

as alanseah put it...

yes.. as stated by Craig Bingman

"Epsom salts as a magnesium supplement will lead to an increase in the sulfate concentration of the water in the aquarium. The percentage change in sulfate concentration can be substantial"

the substantial percentage change can be seen from my earlier numerical example lor...

actually i dun think magnesium chloride is super duper hard to get....any bros have access to magnesium chloride?

[alanseah]

well pure magnesium chloride is not advisiable as Pure grades of anhydrous magnesium chloride tend to be more expensive per unit mass of magnesium than the hexahydrate and “snow melt” grades of magnesium chloride are not guaranteed to be of adequate purity for aquarium use.

instead go for food grade one... if anyone know...let me know where to get also as I'm interested too..

[Sandman]

1 kg $68. expensive?

[Sandman]

i can also get calcium chloride (for Ca), strontium chloride (for strontium) and iodine as other impt supplements. CaCl2 comes in anhydrous form, while the other 2 comes in 20% and 10% pre-mixed solution. all lab grade.

[hamannbmw]

Bro roidan,

wonder whether if Se*ch*m concentrated magnesium is magnesium chloride... if it is, it seems pretty difficult to raise up the MG level. maybe other brands is better, any recommendation ?

[terryansimon]

where is Tanzy. hmm. Tanzy? (=

[LinkinPark]

Hi

What causes low Mg???