Magnesium to purchase

I've used epsom salt and it works. it's cheap. it's purely magnesium sulfate. so you don't have to worry about all the stuff you mentioned in tech M. But then again, i've seen people use it and get awesome results. whichever floats your boat man!!

 

I still haven't personally seen anyone's tank been harmed by using epsom salts.
I use epsom salt and the Red Sea Mag test kit.
I'm actually going to test and dose epsom salt, calcium chloride flakes, and baking soda tonight. I don't feel up to doing a water change this weekend. Too much going on...

 

X 3 on that one.. I just started using the 2 part kit and it was easy to use and I quickly go to 1400 without issue. Also found the Ca and ALK to work well as well.

 

No, I wouldn't think that either. I just had to ask.

 

I only add what I need. I don't like using those all in one additives. If I need stronium then I add that, if I need Mg then I add that and only that. That is why I buy all that stuff separate. Plus it is a heck of a lot cheaper then stuff from Kent. My bucket of Mg is over a year old and still 3/4 of it left. Now compare that with what you are going to spend on that Kent stuff.

 

You would be amazed at the ions and cations in ocean water. You go from basic elements like Na (sodium) to more exotic elements such as Au (gold) and everywhere between. I wouldn't be surprised if there were some radioactive elements in it.

 

Red Sea?

Red Sea? where can you find that? I didn't heard this kind of sea.

 

Believe it or not many supplements are what they appear/what WE expect. Take Reef Advantage Mg by SeaChem, all it is, is espom salt(MgSO4) and table salt(NaCl) this is a POOR Mg supplement!!!! I mentioned this in another thread but don't always believe packages, do research and read the label. This supplement in particular is ionically unbalanced and IME overpriced, I paid $2.5 for 4# of MgSO4 the other day and that isn't even that good of a deal.
On the subject of epsom, I noticed many of you are using it to raise Mg levels, thats no bueno long term. If you aren't supplementing w/ MgCl2 as well you will get the ionic balance out of whack in a hurry. Typically the ratio is 2 parts MgCl2 to 1 part MgSO4 or sometimes even 3-1.
Back to Kent's Tech M, it IS a good product and many people swear by it. As far as the Cu and Li and things are concerned, is it troubling, yes. I don't personally understand why companies feel they need to add these "trace" elements to products. Many of them ARE TOXIC in small quanties, take cadmium and lithium as examples. If you can't test something I don't really see the point in adding it.
Back to YOUR original question, if you want ease of use try Tech M, if you want to go cheap and do a little chemistry yourself try the MgCl2 and MgSO4 at Bulk Reef, BUT get BOTH or just get the MgCl2.
Oh and BTW the Cl is in there to create Chloride ions.

Good luck!

 

I can't thank you enough for this post. I have the Seachem product and the bottle doesn't ID the type of Magnesium compound. I was going to place an order with Bulk Reef, but didn't know which compound to purchase. Again....thanks for posting this. I'm also appreciative of your 2-1 or 3-1 ratio suggestion.

Scoots

 

my 2 pennies...I use and LOVE the mg sulfate & chloride mixed together from bulkreefsupply. I never, in 6 years had coralline grow and couldn't keep my ca up until I started using this. My tank has a beautiful pink/purple glow to it. My ca is right where it needs to be now without having to add additives every day. I add once every two weeks.