Curious About Dosing Schedule for Calcium, Alkalinity, Magnesium & Iodine.

JaysLittleOcean · Oct 6, 2015

I am running getting ready to setup a new doser on my JBJ 45 RL AIO aquarium which is housing primarily SPS corals and I was curious to how long I should wait between dosing each specific chemical? I had an issue with raising my Magnesium levels in a past aquarium but my Calcium & Alkalinity where well within range. I would like to spread each dose accordingly over a 24 hour period (example: 20 ml over 4 doses every 8 hours). Any suggestions would be great. Thank you in advance.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Oct 6, 2015

There should be hardly any need for magnesium on a daily basis, and it doesn't matter when you dose it.

For calcium and alkalinity (especially alkalinity), I'd spread out the daily dose as much as your system allows to keep it stable. I'd not dose the calcium and alkalinity at the same time, but space them out by at least a few minutes.

For iodine, it doesn't matter when you dose, and IMO, even if you dose at all or not since I don't think it is typically a useful additive.

JaysLittleOcean · Oct 6, 2015

Thank you Randy! Why do I not need to dose Magnesium? Interested in learning the thought process behind this.

beaslbob · Oct 6, 2015

JaysLittleOcean said:
Thank you Randy! Why do I not need to dose Magnesium? Interested in learning the thought process behind this.

IMHO and sorry for interruption I think Randy was saying there is not need for dosing magnesium on a daily basis.
But that doesn't mean no dosing. Just that once a week or so would be fine.

On the diy two part for my old 55g I would dose 300ml of the magnesium solution when I used up the one gallon solutions for calcium and mag. Which took several weeks.

my .02

Randy Holmes-Farley · Oct 6, 2015

Yes, it depletes so slowly that occasional dosing of magnesium is fine.

JaysLittleOcean · Oct 6, 2015

So I am curious what would happen to prevent my Magnesium levels from raising past a certain point. Let's say it's stuck at 1130 but Calcium and Alkalinity are in acceptable ranges?

Randy Holmes-Farley · Oct 6, 2015

Nothing stops it from rising if you add sufficient magnesium, but it takes a huge amount.

This calculator shows how much:

http://reef.diesyst.com/chemcalc/chem_calc3.html

JaysLittleOcean · Oct 6, 2015

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
Nothing stops it from rising if you add sufficient magnesium, but it takes a huge amount.

This calculator shows how much:

http://reef.diesyst.com/chemcalc/chem_calc3.html

Thank you Randy. I tried using this in the past but I don't use any of the listed products. I use Brightwell Aquatics Magnesion-p. Is their something on the list that is similar to select?

Randy Holmes-Farley · Oct 6, 2015

Yes, pick magnesium chloride anhydrous. It will be very close to the value since that should be 90% of the product, and the remainder has similar properties.

FWIW, the Brightwell web site has some incorrect claims about that product, so don't rely on all of their info.

JaysLittleOcean · Oct 6, 2015

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
Yes, pick magnesium chloride anhydrous. It will be very close to the value since that should be 90% of the product, and the remainder has similar properties.

FWIW, the Brightwell web site has some incorrect claims about that product, so don't rely on all of their info.

Thank you Randy. I am going to. I have only had problems with their Magnesion-P supplement. Calcium, Alkalinity and Strontium seem to work and get to the correct levels. I am considering switching to ESV Magnesium when this runs out. Or do you have another manufacturer you would recommend.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Oct 7, 2015

There shouldn't be any problem with the Magneison P based on the ingredients. Bear in mind how much of a dose it takes in all cases.

ESV magnesium would be fine, as is a DIY from Dr Foster and Smith or BRS.

I describe the recipe for the DIY here:

Do-It-Yourself Magnesium Supplements for the Reef Aquarium by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-07/rhf/index.php