Mixing magnesium

[Lee belk]

Yes

Thanks just making sure before I mess it up how many grams is a cup please

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Thanks just making sure before I mess it up how many grams is a cup please

The recipe is based on 64 ounces total.

 

[Lee belk]

I’ve mixed 300 mag chloride and 180 mag sulphate yesterday at 19:30 it mixed white and cloudy it settled about two hours later so I give it another shake did the same just settled clear leaving the same amount of mag at the bottom so I put it in hot water for hour making sure it stayed hot this morning same amount at the bottom so place it in hot water again for an hour and took it on a long drive it’s still got about an inch of powder at the bottom it’s in a 1.75 liter Coca-Cola bottle in 1 liter of water for a good idea on how much is powder at the bottom I added the chloride to half the water give a shake then added the other half of water and added the sulphate did I do it the wrong way around I was thinking maybe that’s what I’ve done wrong

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I’ve mixed 300 mag chloride and 180 mag sulphate yesterday at 19:30 it mixed white and cloudy it settled about two hours later so I give it another shake did the same just settled clear leaving the same amount of mag at the bottom so I put it in hot water for hour making sure it stayed hot this morning same amount at the bottom so place it in hot water again for an hour and took it on a long drive it’s still got about an inch of powder at the bottom it’s in a 1.75 liter Coca-Cola bottle in 1 liter of water for a good idea on how much is powder at the bottom I added the chloride to half the water give a shake then added the other half of water and added the sulphate did I do it the wrong way around I was thinking maybe that’s what I’ve done wrong

From my recipe article:

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

Note that combining the two materials in solution can result in some precipitation of calcium sulfate (calcium and sulfate are impurities in the MAG flake and the Epsom salts, respectively. To assure yourself that the two materials have fully dissolved, dissolve each separately in some freshwater before combining them. Some calcium sulfate precipitation is acceptable, and it is okay to let the solids get into the aquarium, assuming you can dose in a way that prevents them from landing on delicate organisms.

 

[scotty333]

Can I ask a question here since I’m getting a box of sps and softies this week
I’m expecting my calc and mag to be super low as I’ don’t do water changes or added supplements since years ago it was a reef until I had to go away for 3 months and it wasn’t well taken care of
So, let’s assume calc 300 mag 1100 , can I raise both in one hit up to 440 and 1400 then put my corals in? I’m buying Salifert liquids and only have 3 softies and a nem currently so they would experience a big jump?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I would neither assume it is that low (unless you have been adding alk and no calcium) nor should you boost it that much out of concern for impurities.

 

[Lee belk]

From my recipe article:

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

Note that combining the two materials in solution can result in some precipitation of calcium sulfate (calcium and sulfate are impurities in the MAG flake and the Epsom salts, respectively. To assure yourself that the two materials have fully dissolved, dissolve each separately in some freshwater before combining them. Some calcium sulfate precipitation is acceptable, and it is okay to let the solids get into the aquarium, assuming you can dose in a way that prevents them from landing on delicate organisms.

I’ll give it another go by mixing both individually then combining them would it be ok to lift my mag up with just chloride for now because it’s depleting and once that solution is mixed start using that I’ll be doing a water change before using it anyway would it sort out the higher amount of chloride out from the water change thank you for the time you have given

 

[scotty333]

I would neither assume it is that low (unless you have been adding alk and no calcium) nor should you boost it that much out of concern for impurities.

Not added alk either

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I’ll give it another go by mixing both individually then combining them would it be ok to lift my mag up with just chloride for now because it’s depleting and once that solution is mixed start using that I’ll be doing a water change before using it anyway would it sort out the higher amount of chloride out from the water change thank you for the time you have given

That’s not perfect, but it’s ok.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Not added alk either

Calcium cannot decline more than 20 ppm for each 2.8 of alk consumed. So with no alk additions, calcium has a limited potential drop.

 

[Lee belk]

The reason why you’d want to use a mix of both is due to ionic balance. There are people over here that would likely be able to explain it better than I do, and I’ll leave it for them.

As for a recipe, this is what I’ve been using for over a decade now:
Magnesium Chloride Hexahydrate: 300g
Magnesium Sulphate Heptahydrate: 180g

These are the amounts to make a 1 liter solution, which would total at around 545ppm per 100L, or 5ml per 100L for an increase of 9ppm.

I’ve done the mix you suggested if I need to increase my mag from 1020-1140 would that mean I use roughly 26ml into a 200 liter tank to achieve that level

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I’ve done the mix you suggested if I need to increase my mag from 1020-1140 would that mean I use roughly 26ml into a 200 liter tank to achieve that level

Your calculated amount is too small.

If you used my recipe, you could use an online calculator, but for Danyl's recipe:

"5ml per 100L for an increase of 9ppm."

Then for 200 L and an increase of 120 ppm, you need 133 mL.

Again, I would caution very strongly to suspect test error rather than magnesium that low. It is fairly hard to get magnesium that low, and I do not even recommend testing magnesium because it is so error prone:

Just say NO to magnesium testing: RMM is born

OK, this thread has been many years in the making, and I'm posting it here since folks in the chem forum are probably already tired of all the threads relating to problematic magnesium testing. I'm going to propose a method, let's call it the Randy Magnesium Method, or RMM for short. All good...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[DanyL]

Your calculated amount is too small.

If you used my recipe, you could use an online calculator, but for Danyl's recipe:

"5ml per 100L for an increase of 9ppm."

Then for 200 L and an increase of 120 ppm, you need 133 mL.

Again, I would caution very strongly to suspect test error rather than magnesium that low. It is fairly hard to get magnesium that low, and I do not even recommend testing magnesium because it is so error prone:

Just say NO to magnesium testing: RMM is born

OK, this thread has been many years in the making, and I'm posting it here since folks in the chem forum are probably already tired of all the threads relating to problematic magnesium testing. I'm going to propose a method, let's call it the Randy Magnesium Method, or RMM for short. All good...

www.reef2reef.com

This is correct.

For 200L system you’d need 1.11ml per ppm.
That means that for 120ppm increase you’ll need 1.11ml * 120ppm = 133.2ml.

 

[Lee belk]

Your calculated amount is too small.

If you used my recipe, you could use an online calculator, but for Danyl's recipe:

"5ml per 100L for an increase of 9ppm."

Then for 200 L and an increase of 120 ppm, you need 133 mL.

Again, I would caution very strongly to suspect test error rather than magnesium that low. It is fairly hard to get magnesium that low, and I do not even recommend testing magnesium because it is so error prone:

Just say NO to magnesium testing: RMM is born

OK, this thread has been many years in the making, and I'm posting it here since folks in the chem forum are probably already tired of all the threads relating to problematic magnesium testing. I'm going to propose a method, let's call it the Randy Magnesium Method, or RMM for short. All good...

www.reef2reef.com

I’ll do it ur way then it’s hurting my head all this haha

 

[Lee belk]

Here’s the diy recipe, assuming you are not using calcium chloride for calcium;

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

And here’s a even better plan for a new tank: ignore magnesium entirely

Just say NO to magnesium testing: RMM is born

OK, this thread has been many years in the making, and I'm posting it here since folks in the chem forum are probably already tired of all the threads relating to problematic magnesium testing. I'm going to propose a method, let's call it the Randy Magnesium Method, or RMM for short. All good...

www.reef2reef.com

When mixing the 3 cups of mag sulphate and 5 cups of chloride do I add this to a whole gallon of water I have already measured out or do I add the powders to enough water to make it mix then top
It up to a gallon line and is a gallon you refer to been 3.785 litres or the uk gallon 4.546 litres

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

When mixing the 3 cups of mag sulphate and 5 cups of chloride do I add this to a whole gallon of water I have already measured out or do I add the powders to enough water to make it mix then top
It up to a gallon line and is a gallon you refer to been 3.785 litres or the uk gallon 4.546 litres

The difference is small, but 1 gallon final volume is the intent.

 

[Lee belk]

The difference is small, but 1 gallon final volume is the intent.

Thank you

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Thank you

You're welcome.

Happy reefing.