Difference in recipes?

[alexkharden]

I found two different recipes from Randy that call for different ratios of MagFlake to Epsom.

This one: http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-07/rhf/index.php Calls for "Using both Epsom salts and MAG flake, dissolve 7¼ cups MAG flake and ¾ cup Epsom salts in one gallon of water"

This one: http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/ Calls for "Dissolve Epsom salts (3 cups) and magnesium chloride hexahydrate sold by the Dead Sea Works company (5 cups) in enough purified freshwater to make 1 gallon total volume"

I'm confused as obviously these are two vastly different recipes.

Could someone please help straighten me out?

 

[alexkharden]

Sigh, I hate when I answer my question, after I've asked it out loud.

Here's the answer, from Randy himself.

"The 5:3 is when you are using calcium chloride (any brand or type) as part of a DIY two part, because there is a lot of chloride from the calcium chloride, hence you need relatively less mag chloride and more mag sulfate to get the right chloride to sulfate ratio."

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Sounds good to me.

Happy Reefing!