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Rioreefer 
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 Topic: Mg,Alk & Cal
Posted: September 24 2008 at 3:26pm |
Who adds Mg, Alk & Cal. to their tanks and what (products) do you use to do this.
DIY or store bought.
Anything you would not use or have used and had bad reactions to them.
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I dont mean to brag but, yeah it's 6ft long.
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Mike Savage
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Posted: September 24 2008 at 5:07pm |
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Sculpin
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Posted: September 24 2008 at 5:21pm |
Kents kalkwasser for alk and Ca, Kents Magnesium, and coralvite. All seem to be helping out the tank immensely. I did try to use Kent's AB for Ca but I didn't have as much success as I am having with Kalk. Kalk is just way easier then dosing with buffers and what not and cheaper then a Ca reactor. I just fine tuned my DPM (drops per minute) till I add as much Ca as the tank needs. I've been running it for over a month with no problems.
If you interested in building a doser, here you go- DIY doser
Sculpin
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tileman
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Posted: September 24 2008 at 6:32pm |
I dose B-Ionic in my 65g and w/c's
In my 225 I run a big calcium reactor filled with a deltec product called Rowalith C+
I add Magnesium Cloride to my filter sock every week (about 3/4 cup) and all of my top off water is ran thru a kalk reactor filled with about 1 cup of calcium hydroxide.
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335G Reef
TOTM.
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2015/2/aquarium
ReefKeepers TOTM Feb. 2012
http://reefkeeping.com/joomla/index....k-of-the-month
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BobC63
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Posted: September 24 2008 at 7:06pm |
I use DIY soultions of Prestone "Driveway Heat" for Calcium and a mix of Mg Cl and Epsom salts (MgSO4) for magnesium
I tried the DIY "alk" solution (baking soda / washing soda) but found that Kent Supperbuffer dkH powder works better for me. For whatever reason, the biggest "drain" on my setup right now is not Ca (or Mg) but rather carbonate alk... if I don't add some buffer almost daily my dkH goes from 11 -12 down to 7 - 9... the Ca I can go a week between doses and the Mg is a once a month dose if that. I also do an 18g WC (about 7% of total water volume) every 2 weeks.
In the future I may go to either kalk or a Ca reactor but right now (even with a fair amount of LPS and some SPS and 3 clams) I have been able to keep the Ca level in my 225 stable at over 440 ppm with just the dosing...
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- My Current Tank: 65g Starfire (sitting empty for 2+ years) -
* Marine & Reef tanks since 1977 *
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Mark Peterson
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Posted: September 24 2008 at 10:02pm |
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Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks:www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member 
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Rioreefer
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Posted: September 24 2008 at 10:32pm |
Cool, thanks for all the info..
On the Mg Cl and Epsom salts (MgSO4) for magnesium what is the Mg Cl?
Why not just Epsom,
I have test with Safert and dosed day after day now for a week and my Mg has gone from 1140 to 1140 and I have used a med size bottle of tech M. So I am thinking of using Epsom to get me up then buff with Tech M in a ehiem liq doser. My Alk I use Baking Soda and for Cal I use Turbo Cal in a ehiem auto feeder over the sump to match what I use up. Dose this sound like a good Idea or is there better. My Alk is always about 12dkh and my cal is around 475-500 ppm
Thanks
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I dont mean to brag but, yeah it's 6ft long.
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BobC63
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Posted: September 24 2008 at 10:45pm |
 Rioreefer wrote:
Cool, thanks for all the info..
On the Mg Cl and Epsom salts (MgSO4) for magnesium what is the Mg Cl?
Why not just Epsom,
I have test with Safert and dosed day after day now for a week and my Mg has gone from 1140 to 1140 and I have used a med size bottle of tech M. So I am thinking of using Epsom to get me up then buff with Tech M in a ehiem liq doser. My Alk I use Baking Soda and for Cal I use Turbo Cal in a ehiem auto feeder over the sump to match what I use up. Dose this sound like a good Idea or is there better. My Alk is always about 12dkh and my cal is around 475-500 ppm
Thanks
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Mg Cl is Magnesium Chloride... You shouldn't use Epsom salts only long-term as it can lead to an imbalance of sulfides in your water... however, if you just use it as a "one-time dose" to get your Mg level up to snuff and then use a "complete" supplement like Tech M you should be OK.
Edited by carlso63 - September 24 2008 at 10:45pm
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- My Current Tank: 65g Starfire (sitting empty for 2+ years) -
* Marine & Reef tanks since 1977 *
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Rioreefer
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Posted: September 25 2008 at 9:45am |
I think that is what I will do.
One more question is I used the reef calculator on RC and for me to go from 1140 to 1400 I need something like 51 oz thats alot 16oz is 1lb
Am I wrong in theses calculations?
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I dont mean to brag but, yeah it's 6ft long.
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Rioreefer
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Posted: September 25 2008 at 9:47am |
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whait it was about 34 oz
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I dont mean to brag but, yeah it's 6ft long.
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Rioreefer
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Posted: September 25 2008 at 11:27am |
Need some thoughts on this. Im not a real big fan of the Driveway salt EXC... So everthing I have been doing has been from a Pharm in pharm grade due to I work at a clinic with a Pharm so I just order in what I need or can get. I am thinking I want to do my Mg with Epson salt and Magnisiam choride hexaaydrate. If I order in mass I get better deal so I am thinking I will get 5 lb of epson and 5lb of Mg cl. that the epson costs about 2bucks and the Mg ch costs about 45-50 buck. But should last a while doing it. Any good or bad thoughts on this idea. The only question I am pondering is the MgCl from what the Phamisist said is that it is pure and uncut he belives it my be stronger that (mag flake). Could this be or is it just cleaner?
Thanks Rich
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I dont mean to brag but, yeah it's 6ft long.
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Mark Peterson
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Posted: September 25 2008 at 1:32pm |
That seems like a lot of MgCl to me. It doesn't take that much to boost levels. You could sell some to other hobbyists here.
I'd mix it up, use it and test the tank to see how concentrated it is.
In my experience, artificially boosting Alk, Ca and Mg to extreme levels is going to cause problems sooner or later. I've seen too many tanks have problems because the hobbyist was messing too much with the chemistry trying to keep the levels where they wanted them.
It's best to keep in mind the accepted ranges and then allow the aquarium to balance itself as you add chemicals in moderate amounts to keep the levels from dropping below range.
This info is from the back of the WMAS business card:
Temp 75-80
salinity 1.022 - 1.026
Alk 8-14 dKH (2.8 - 5.0 meq/L)
Ca 350-450 ppm
Mg 1250 - 1350 ppm
pH 8.0 - 8.3
Ammonia ~0
Nitrite ~0
Nitrate < 15 ppm
Edited by Mark Peterson - September 25 2008 at 1:54pm
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jfinch
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Posted: September 25 2008 at 2:29pm |
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Epsom salts only long-term as it can lead to an imbalance of sulfides in your water
Correct, but sulfates not sulfides.
the MgCl from what the Phamisist said is that it is pure and uncut he belives it my be stronger that (mag flake)
It will be "stronger" if it's MgCl2 anhydrous. If it's MgCl2 hexahydrate then it'll be the same "strength" as mag-flake.
Mix it up 9 parts MgCl2 hexahydrate to 1 part epsom salt. That will give you a natural seawater ratio of sulfate/chloride.
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Rioreefer
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Posted: September 25 2008 at 2:41pm |
Mark Peterson wrote:
That seems like a lot of MgCl to me. It doesn't take that much to boost levels.
In my experience, artificially boosting Alk, Ca and Mg to extreme levels is going to cause problems sooner or later. I've seen too many tanks have problems because the hobbyist was messing too much with the chemistry trying to keep the levels where they wanted them.
It's best to keep in mind the accepted ranges and then allow the aquarium to balance itself as you add chemicals in moderate amounts to keep the levels from dropping below range.
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it tells me arond 35oz that seems like alot 16oz=1lb for epsom and about the same for MgCl I would like to get it up to par and maintain with Tech M. I just figured I could buy a bunch vacume bag it for Emergency needs.
Do you not dose or just dose lightly.
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I dont mean to brag but, yeah it's 6ft long.
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jfinch
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Posted: September 25 2008 at 2:50pm |
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Mag supplements, including your suggested homemade one, are only ~10% Mg in the dry form. Tech M is only ~7% Mg. It takes more additive then you might think to raise your levels.
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Rioreefer
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Posted: September 25 2008 at 2:55pm |
I plan on mixing some up and dosing slow.
Jon do you dose the same thing. If so for how long now and Is it worth the extra $ I pay for Pham grade or have you had no Neg effect with what you use.
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I dont mean to brag but, yeah it's 6ft long.
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Rioreefer
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Posted: September 25 2008 at 2:58pm |
Now as mark stated or am I jusr reading thinking too much (this hobby makes me do that)  That seems like a lot of MgCl to me. It doesn't take that much to boost levels
So is the calculator off, I have about 100-110gal total
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I dont mean to brag but, yeah it's 6ft long.
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Rioreefer
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Posted: September 25 2008 at 3:03pm |
I wish I would of never got "all" the tests kits as a gift. My tank hase been up about 2 years I did Cal ans Alk and trace now this!!ha ha ha whats next stroium and iodine ha ha ha ha
Thanks again for all the help
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I dont mean to brag but, yeah it's 6ft long.
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jfinch
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Posted: September 25 2008 at 3:55pm |
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Jon do you dose the same thing. If so for how long now and Is it worth
the extra $ I pay for Pham grade or have you had no Neg effect with
what you use.
Yes and no. When I had my big aquarium I added Mg about twice a year... the first few years it was just epsom salt. Then I started using a mix of MgCl2 (tech grade) and epsom salt.
The calculator is ok.
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Rioreefer
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Posted: September 25 2008 at 4:53pm |
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I dont mean to brag but, yeah it's 6ft long.
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