Does Tropic Marin Bio-Magnesium lower pH?

[Soilworker]

As per their marketing:

Tropic Marin Bio-Magnesium creates a natural environment in the aquarium and delivers Magnesium and carbon dioxide in a natural, biologically available ionically balanced form.

Does this added C02 lower the pH? I don't really need any additional C02 I feel like. There is plenty in the house that I'm fighting with 2 dogs, 3 cats, and 2 people.

@Lou Ekus?

 

[Wasabiroot]

From their website product description:

• The natural ionic composition and the pH of the water are not changed

So if you trust that, then theoretically no. Or at least not in any significant amount

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Perhaps Lou can clarify for us some of the ambiguity of adding CO2 and not lowering pH.

@Lou Ekus

 

[Lou Ekus]

Perhaps Lou can clarify for us some of the ambiguity of adding CO2 and not lowering pH.

@Lou Ekus

Not being a chemist, I am going to defer to @Hans-Werner Balling on this. He will be able to answer in more specifics than I would be able to.

 

[Hans-Werner]

It contains a small amount of bicarbonate, which forms carbonate and CO2 when precipitated as magnesium carbonate.

It is the same as calcification, just with the formation of magnesium carbonate or high magnesium calcite instead of calcium carbonate.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Thanks, Hans Werner.

I'd have to say that the web site product description seems poor to me since it doesn't mention alkalinity, and it would have a small pH lowering effect.

 

[Hans-Werner]

I'd have to say that the web site product description seems poor to me since it doesn't mention alkalinity, and it would have a small pH lowering effect.

It is not much alkalinity and in this way not much CO2 that is added. It is always hard to describe a more complex product in a short label description adequately.

Magnesium supply is very different from calcium supply. Most of the added magnesium remains in the water for longer periods of time and goes not directly into any minerals. This is the reason why alkalinity is not added with Bio-Magnesium in similar amounts as it is in balanced calcium additives or two or three part methods. Otherwise corrections in magnesium concentrations would result in high alkalinity increases which of course is unwanted.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

It is not much alkalinity and in this way not much CO2 that is added. It is always hard to describe a more complex product in a short label description adequately.

Magnesium supply is very different from calcium supply. Most of the added magnesium remains in the water for longer periods of time and goes not directly into any minerals. This is the reason why alkalinity is not added with Bio-Magnesium in similar amounts as it is in balanced calcium additives or two or three part methods. Otherwise corrections in magnesium concentrations would result in high alkalinity increases which of course is unwanted.

Thanks, I agree that one wouldn’t want much alk in a magnesium product.