Reliable magnesium supplement?

[awestruck]

Does anyone know of a reliable magnesium supplement that can be purchased on line or from a LFS? TIA

[reefnetworth]

Kent Tech-M is the better of others ive tryed. www.marinedepot.com has it, i think its about $14.99 for a gallon.
JDM......

[lines_michael]

any idea how much Tech-M to add per desired increase in Magnesium? I have a 75 gallon, 29 gallon sump. Magnesium is only at 480.

[lines_michael]

nevermind. I guess I should just read the directions better.

[stony_corals]

I doubt that your magnesium is really at 480.... you must also have low calcium and have been od'ing with kalk. I've never heard of it being that low - your test kit is suspect.

[lines_michael]

I'll check again. I just received the test kit yesterday. Salifert Magnesium Test Kit. My Calcium has been around 280-320, which is why I was trying to figure out how my Magnesium was. I have been dosing a two part additive for about three weeks but nothing else.

[stony_corals]

Your calcium level is suspect too... If you were using kalk, I could see if you OD'd with it that you may have low ca, but Mag that low. I'd try to test with another persons' kits.

[lines_michael]

I read the Magnesium kit wrong. I was at around 1070, which is still low but definately not as low as I thought it was. Thanks everyone for the input.

[Billybeau1]

You must be using Instant Ocean salt mix .....am I correct ?

If so, We will work with you through the low mag and low calcium issues.

Here are the recommended Reef Water Parameters

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.htm

I personally use Kent Tech-M for Mag and find it does the job nicely.

You will need to supplement calcium and alkalinity. Here is a good start

How to select a calcium and alkalinity supplement scheme

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/feb2003/chem.htm

[lines_michael]

Right on the money with the Instant Ocean. Should I get the Red Sea instead? These are the only two that they offer at my LFS.

[Billybeau1]

I have never used Red Sea salt so I cannot ya or nay it.

If you could find some Reef Crystals, it would be much better in my opinion. RC is made by Instant Ocean and has more calcium and magnesium. Drs Foster and Smith use it on their coral farm and sell it real cheap. Shipping isn't bad.

Good luck.

[jdieck]

Originally posted by lines_michael
I read the Magnesium kit wrong. I was at around 1070, which is still low but definately not as low as I thought it was. Thanks everyone for the input.

You will need to increase it to around 1300 ppm which might take a sizable amount of supplement.
Try increasing a maximum of 100 ppm per day so you might need two or three doses.
Once your magnesium is at normal level use the same procedure to increase your calcium to about 420 ppm. For that purpose Kent TurboCalcium dissolved in a small amount of RO/Di water will be a fine way to go. Try increasing calcium no more than 50 ppm per day so you may also need two or three doses.
Try maintaining your salinity between 1.025 and 1.027, lower than that will require further supplementation.
This calculator will help you determine how much supplement you need to add.
http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chem_calc3.html

[Rueg]

I like Seachem's Reef Advantage Magnesium and Calcium.

http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merch...Category_Code=

http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merch...Category_Code=

[Jar*Head]

Im getting very good luck with Tropic Marin BioMagnessium. My tank used to have a very low level of Mg, i use TM biomag to raise them up within a week without any negative effect. FYI