Buffering IO w/ ESV B-Ionic Calcium only?

[HomeSlizzice]

Hi all,

Is it a good idea to buffer a fresh batch of Instant Ocean salt water with only the Calcium part of the ESV B-Ionic 2 part system?

From everything I've read, IO mixes to roughly the following at 1.026
Alk: 9dlk
Ca: 400ppm
Mag: 1280-1300ppm.

So if for example I was going to buffer my fresh batch of IO to get the Ca up to 440ppm and Mag up a little as well would this be a good idea? Or will I cause an imbalance? Should I use a calcium and mag only supplement like red sea's ABC system instead?


Thanks!


David

 

[Cment]

Yes youre fine to add the calcium only. I have been doing this for 10+ yrs with IO and ESV. I adjusted the big 3 as needed to suit my system and you should not have problems doing so....

 

[HomeSlizzice]

Thanks! Do you know how much the Calcium supplement of the ESV 2 part also raises Mag?

 

[AllTheCorals]

I do the same, but my reading of alk is usually between 10 and 10.5.

 

[AllTheCorals]

Thanks! Do you know how much the Calcium supplement of the ESV 2 part also raises Mag?

It won't raise mag at all. Thats an additional product you'll need to dose

 

[HomeSlizzice]

It won't raise mag at all. Thats an additional product you'll need to dose

Are you sure? Because magnesium is one of the components of the calcium supplement in the 2 part.

 

[AllTheCorals]

Are you sure? Because magnesium is one of the components of the calcium supplement in the 2 part.

There may be a little, but not much.


Two part is called two part because both elements, alk and calcium, tend to deplete at nearly the same speed. Magnesium in most systems drops significantly slower.

 

[chipmunkofdoom2]

A balanced system that supplements calcium, alkalinity and magnesium will supplement about 1.2 ppm of magnesium for every 2.8 dKh and 18 ppm of Ca added (or, 0.43 ppm of magnesium for every 1 dKh/6.43 ppm Ca). So assuming this additive is balanced and adds a balanced amount of magnesium, then the increase is likely not significant.

Personally though, I would double check the IO before you start supplementing. Most batches I have mix up to higher levels. The average box I get has alkalinity = 10 - 11 dKh, Ca = 425 ppm and Mg = 1,400 ppm.

 

[HomeSlizzice]

So from the multiple salt mix testing studies I’ve looked at. Instant Ocean Sea Salt most commonly averages with the following parameters at 1.026:

Ca: 400-410
Alk: 10-11dkh
Mag: 1280-1350

So I basically have decided for all new Instant Ocean Sea Salt mix to buffer Ca and Mag. I’m basically gonna add +30ppm Ca, and add +50ppm Mag to bring my levels closer to where I want.

Thank you everyone for the help!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I used normal calcium chloride to boost IO but the B-ionic is fine and the magneisum boost will be about 1/1oth of the calcium boost.

here's a calculator for the calcium boost:

Reef Chemistry Calculator
http://reef.diesyst.com/chemcalc/chem_calc3.html