dschflier June 25, 2008 Share June 25, 2008 I am looking at getting supplies of magnesium in and was curious as to the different uses of magnesium sulfate compared with magnesium chloride. Is one prefered over the other and why? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hilary June 25, 2008 Share June 25, 2008 Bulk Reef Supply has you mix both together for their "Two Part". Have to admit I don't know the use of each individually. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highland Reefer June 25, 2008 Share June 25, 2008 Dr Craig Bingman explains your answer here: http://web.archive.org/web/20001017132000/...bio/default.asp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctenophore June 25, 2008 Share June 25, 2008 I have had bad results with mag sulfate. I had a bleaching/tissue loss incident with a bunch of monti and acro frags when using the sulfate/chloride combo from bulk reef supply as described above. I only use MagFlake (mag chloride, by Dead Sea Works) now, which doesn't bother corals at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dschflier June 25, 2008 Author Share June 25, 2008 Thanks for the article highlander. Very informative Justin Do you believe the mag sulfate caused the problem or whatever was in the mix. Did it change your salinity? What do you believe caused the problem? From what I have been finiding, most of the vendors, even the large ones get their products from essentially the same place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctenophore June 25, 2008 Share June 25, 2008 I really can't say, it would be total speculation. I used the MgSO4 and MgCl from bulk reef supply and mixed and dosed according to their instructions. The result was a lot of unhappy sps. Since I switched to only using their MgCl, then when that ran out, MagFlake (50lb bags), I haven't seen any problems. Maybe it was a bad batch of MgSO4? This result doesn't jive with the rest of the reefkeeping community's experiences as far as I know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamal June 25, 2008 Share June 25, 2008 the two compounds are meant to be mixed to create and ionically balanced magnesium suppliment for the aquarium. you can use epsom salt for magnesium but your sulfate levels will slowly creep up. also how much did you try to raise magnesium at one time. if its was more than 100 ppm than that may have been the cause. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highland Reefer June 25, 2008 Share June 25, 2008 I was under the impression that buying Mag Flakes & Epsom Salts & mixing it yourself was the most economical way to go. I have no idea how to compare the Bulk Supplies materials. Has anyone actually calculated this to determine which is the cheapest? I was going to make a run to the Southern States & pick-up some Mag Flakes soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctenophore June 26, 2008 Share June 26, 2008 Mag flake is by far the cheapest. $15/50lb at Harvey salt company. One bag should last most people years. Yes, I mixed them properly, and dosed it on a schedule to raise 20ppm/day. I'm leaning towards a bad batch of MgSO4 as I have used epsom salts from the grocery store on tanks past and not had any problem with pure MgSO4 and no MgCl. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Origami August 20, 2008 Share August 20, 2008 Anybody know of a decent local (to Ashburn) source for Mag flake? Heading out north of Baltimore seems a bit extreme for a $15 (and 50#) bag of Mag Flake if I can get it a bit closer to home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbartco August 20, 2008 Share August 20, 2008 I got a 50# at the beginning of winter at the Leesburg Home Depot. Doubt they will have it again until late fall. I have some you can use until this winter if you want. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highland Reefer August 22, 2008 Share August 22, 2008 Check your local Southern States Coop. I bought some at one near me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Origami August 26, 2008 Share August 26, 2008 Thanks for the offer Doug. As it turns out, I have a friend who owns a landscaping company and, by chance, he has 30 tons (yes, TONS) of the stuff in 50# bags - Dead Sea Works no less. Pelleted, but that's ok by me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Almon August 26, 2008 Share August 26, 2008 Thanks for the offer Doug. As it turns out, I have a friend who owns a landscaping company and, by chance, he has 30 tons (yes, TONS) of the stuff in 50# bags - Dead Sea Works no less. Pelleted, but that's ok by me. Did someone say "Group Buy". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flowerseller August 26, 2008 Share August 26, 2008 Did someone say "Group Buy". I thought I heard that too. I'll take a 50# bag or a couple grain shovel fulls. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveS August 26, 2008 Share August 26, 2008 Me too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Almon January 25, 2009 Share January 25, 2009 Thanks for the offer Doug. As it turns out, I have a friend who owns a landscaping company and, by chance, he has 30 tons (yes, TONS) of the stuff in 50# bags - Dead Sea Works no less. Pelleted, but that's ok by me. Origami2547, Is it possible to get a few bags? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoozilla January 25, 2009 Share January 25, 2009 Origami2547, Is it possible to get a few bags? Yes Tom, do share the wealth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grav January 26, 2009 Share January 26, 2009 I would take 4 bags Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveS January 26, 2009 Share January 26, 2009 Tom, If you decide not to initiate a GB, could you at least provide the person's contact information? I'm guessing he's near you and Ashburn is closer for most people here than Baltimore. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Origami January 26, 2009 Share January 26, 2009 Dave, I'm going to touch base with him and see what I can do. As for passing his name along, I can't do that obviously without his permission. He's not in the business of reselling, nor is he set up to do so. He's a commercial landscaper. He's also like family to me (I sat with his mom for weeks a couple of years ago up until she died of brain cancer) and the relationship is very important to me. While I know that he'd do it for me in an instant, I don't want to abuse the relationship, you know? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveS January 26, 2009 Share January 26, 2009 Makes total sense. Sorry, I misread the post and didn't realize he wasn't a reseller. Didn't mean to make this a pile-on for a GB... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jnguyen4007 January 26, 2009 Share January 26, 2009 We totally understand if your friend can't or won't do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bcjm January 26, 2009 Share January 26, 2009 Does anyone know why this recipe ( http://web.archive.org/web/20001017132000/...bio/default.asp ) calls for 1:10 ratio of the Epsom salts and magnesium chloride hexahydrate but 3:5 in Randy's? http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/index.php Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Almon January 26, 2009 Share January 26, 2009 Does anyone know why this recipe ( http://web.archive.org/web/20001017132000/...bio/default.asp ) calls for 1:10 ratio of the Epsom salts and magnesium chloride hexahydrate but 3:5 in Randy's? http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/index.php Here is a RHF article on Magnesuim supplements. It says the best ratio by volume is 10:1 A certain mixture of magnesium chloride and magnesium sulfate has no net effect on seawater's major anions (chloride and sulfate). All that is necessary for such a recipe is to add these two ingredients in such a ratio that they add chloride and sulfate in the ratio naturally present in seawater (which is 7.1 to 1 on a weight basis and 9.6 to 1 on a per ion basis). To perfect such a recipe, it's imperative to know the amounts of sulfate in Epsom salts (39%), the amount of chloride in magnesium chloride hexahydrate (34.9%), and their bulk densities, because most aquarists will use a volume based measurement (1.05 g/cm3 for Epsom salts and 0.85 g/cm3 for magnesium chloride hexahydrate solids). Taking all these factors into account, the desired volume ratio is 10:1, MAG flake to Epsom salts, as a supplement; for instance, 10 cups MAG flake and 1 cup Epsom salts. However, I have used this recipe with excellent success. Back to the original question: I use the RHF 3 part. On the MG part I have diluted the solution so that I dose it at exactly 1/3rd rate of parts 1 and 2. This way I don't need to track each tank to know when I have added a full gallon of part one and 2. Even got randy to bless my #s 6 cups epsom 10 cups Mag flake 4.2 gallons of water. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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