magnesium in randy's formula

coralcruze · May 28, 2016

For years I have been using randy's formula:

calcium = dow flake
alkalinity = bake baking soda
magnesium = epsome salts

I read that using only epsom = magnesium sulfate the sulfate can build up in your tank. randy recommends the use of magflake = magnesium chloride in conjunction with magnesium sulfate. my question is what are people using these days for the chloride portion as I would like to start adding that to my mix. randy's paper on that stated that magflake can not be guaranteed consistent. wondering if there is an alternative or is it recommended to still use the mag flake?

In addition I will be adding "remag" by two little fishies into my calcium reactor to also help raise magnesium. I have noticed that sometimes my magnesium will drop below 1100 ppm and I would have to raise it using epsom salts.

last question can anyone please explain how sulfate affects the aquarium?

thanks for all the help.

DaveJ · May 28, 2016

I use the BRS stuff currently. Its a balanced mix of sulfate/chloride. As far as your remag in the cal reactor, unless something has changed that is used not to raise the number but to keep it level just like the calcium reactor does. You can use dosing or the mix to raise it much easier.

coralcruze · May 28, 2016

yes, thank you for the clarification... I want to have something to maintain magnesium at 1250-1300 and what I'm seeing is that as time goes by the mag. is being depleted. then I can use dosing as needed to make fine tune corrections. Apparently there is little or no mag. in my media used inside my calcium reactor. Is anyone out there using remag or similar product to keep mag. stable inside their calcium reactor? Please advise.

Randy Holmes-Farley · May 28, 2016

There is not good information on if and how the chloride to sulfate ratio impacts reef creatures. So I cannot be sure how using Epsom salt alone messes with things. Consequently, I just go with the idea of being close to nature, but accept that it is not critical since salt mixes vary a bit anyway.

Adding some dolomite to a reactor can maintain magnesium but not really boost magnesium (because allk rises too much if you do).

coralcruze · May 29, 2016

Thank you Randy... that explains why I could not find anything on how increased sulfates affects corals.

coralcruze · May 29, 2016

Could sulfate affect stability of calcium and alkalinity ions over time?

One last question... do you think its still safe to use magflake, dow flake peladow products to suppliment? I would also assume that your recipe for backed baking soda is fine? i have been using these for years out of the same bag but I think I will finally be out within about three to four months and need to pick up another bag. what are you using these days?

Oh BTW, growth on SPS, LPS has been amazing using your system thus far. thanks so much for always taking the time to help. Its very much appreciated. Have a good holiday weekend, or whatever is left of it.

coralcruze · May 29, 2016

oh and I would like to try dolomite... is there a specific source that you could recommend?

Randy Holmes-Farley · May 29, 2016

coralcruze said:
Could sulfate affect stability of calcium and alkalinity ions over time?

One last question... do you think its still safe to use magflake, dow flake peladow products to suppliment? I would also assume that your recipe for backed baking soda is fine? i have been using these for years out of the same bag but I think I will finally be out within about three to four months and need to pick up another bag. what are you using these days?

Oh BTW, growth on SPS, LPS has been amazing using your system thus far. thanks so much for always taking the time to help. Its very much appreciated. Have a good holiday weekend, or whatever is left of it.

Thanks!

Sulfate very slightly (~10%) lowers the tendency for calcium carbonate to precipitate by binding to calcium. That's equivalent to about a 0.05 pH unit change which has the same effect (lowering in pH), so it i snot really important to most situations.

I think those recipes are still OK, but cannot be certain