Magnesium chloride &magnesium sulfate

[Pcreefer]

Hey randy I got some foster & smith Magnesium chloride &magnesium sulfate mag mix do you know how much of each I need to make one gallon of magnesium and the reef calculator doesn't have foster & smith brand which one would I use to mix it to my tank thanks

 

[phillrodrigo]

The brs one is 5 cups of chloride and 3 cups of sulfate. The containers should say

 

[Pcreefer]

The brs one is 5 cups of chloride and 3 cups of sulfate. The containers should say

I don't say it on the label

 

[phillrodrigo]

Well if you can't get a answer from any one I would just use the same as brs mag chloride should be mag chloride always the same but who knows.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

For a stand alone magnesium supplement, use 10 parts of the chloride to 1 part of the sulfate (which is different ratio than for a DIY two part recipe).

This has more:

Do-It-Yourself Magnesium Supplements for the Reef Aquarium by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com

 

[Pcreefer]

I don't understand randy should I use 10- 1 with the foster and smith mag ?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Yes, unless you also use calcium chloride as a supplement, then it is the 5:3.

 

[mike007]

I do 3 cups of sulfate and 5 cups of chloride In my 2 part for magnesium.

 

[Pcreefer]

Mike do you use foster& smith stuff or it doesn't matter what brand to use the 5-3 ratio ? I aslo have calcium chloride randy I have a calcuim reactor I wanna set up but I wanna get my mag levels up than set the calcuim reactor and use calcium chloride as needed to balance out my levels than all I have to worry about would be dosing mag right.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

For any significant corrective boost, the 10:1 recipe keeps the chloride and sulfate in a NSW ratio.

The 5:3 is only when you are adding large amounts of calcium chloride and my small recommended amount of balanced magnesium.

Use the 10:1.

 

[mike007]

Mike do you use foster& smith stuff or it doesn't matter what brand to use the 5-3 ratio ? I aslo have calcium chloride randy I have a calcuim reactor I wanna set up but I wanna get my mag levels up than set the calcuim reactor and use calcium chloride as needed to balance out my levels than all I have to worry about would be dosing mag right.

I have been using Drs. Foster &Smith. Usually cheaper that brs.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I have been using Drs. Foster &Smith. Usually cheaper that brs.

Especially if you get to free shipping at Dr Foster and Smith.

That material (the magnesium chloride from Dr F&S) doesn't lists its grade with respect to impurities, while BRS does. Not sure if that is any difference, however.

They also seem to indicate that both the sulfate and the chloride are anhydrous (they claim it gets hot with mixing), so you get more for your money and more per unit weight or volume than you do if you buy the hexahydrate (chloride) or heptahydrate (sulfate).