What Magnesium additive would you use?

[mgonz]

I've recently started using the brightwell aquatics mag. I wouldn't say that it's the cheapest. But it seems to do it's job. I was noticing a huge decline in my all and unstable cal levels. Now with doseing it I am able to control both.

 

[calaxa]

Unlike calcium, it doesn't get depleted by the livestock.

I want to know where you got that info. Tell that to my livestock then. Something eats Mg really really fast.

 

[mgonz]

I hears certain mangroves would. But who would know better than you. Ever since you helped me understand how everything worked together, my life has been much easier.

 

[calaxa]

Actually I do know what uses Mg. A lot of LPS do to help them build their skel. I was just too tired to look up specific ones. I'm sure SPS do too but again too tired to actually look them up. I don't know these off the top of my head. Mangroves probably do too but not many people keep them. I want them but I think it's a chore to constantly get the salt creep off their leaves.

 

[mgonz]

I have two that seem to be doing good.

 

[DaveK]

Magnesium does get depleted by our livestock, averaging out to 37ppm of Mg being used up for every 4ppm of Ca. In particular for coralline growth. Scientists are also starting to look at the effect of magnesium and cellular density in coral skeletons, though it's still early in it's research.

...

The only thing I can tell you is my experience. I see my Ca level drop, mostly due to coral growth, and I do not see a similar drop in Mg.

I question your numbers because Mg is present in SW at about 1350 ppm, with calcium present at only about 400 ppm. If Mg was being depleted at a rate 9 times the rate of calcium, we would need to be supplementing Mg much more than we would Ca. Yet this doesn't seem to be the case.

 

[blange3]

Check out the Reef Chemistry forum archives for Randy Holmes-Farley's articles.

Magnesium, gets depleted but the amount varies. More if there is not enough calcium present.

It helps maintain higher levels of calcium, so those who like to pump the calcium up to higher levels need to boost mag as well.

For most of us, if you change water frequently with a good salt, you won't have to supplement.

 

[Danw]

I used all the Kent marine products when I first started reefing, and switched over about 6 months ago to the Brightwell Aquatics powder Magnesium, Calcium, and Alkalinty,along with their iodine and reefbuilder liquid and have had nothing but great results. I would highly recommend it over the Kent products, but thats my opinion after having used both. Im not sure if anyone else has used the Brightwell Aquatics and if they have the same feeling i do.

 

[DaveK]

Check out the Reef Chemistry forum archives for Randy Holmes-Farley's articles.

Magnesium, gets depleted but the amount varies. More if there is not enough calcium present.

It helps maintain higher levels of calcium, so those who like to pump the calcium up to higher levels need to boost mag as well.

For most of us, if you change water frequently with a good salt, you won't have to supplement.

That is my entire point "if you change water frequently with a good salt, you won't have to supplement." . Perhaps because I've usually had good calcium levels, I've never see a drop in magnesium.

Yes, magnesium is needed to maintain calcium, and all the factors related to it. The only time I have tested and seen a low level of magnesium was when I was using a low grade salt. That salt did not mix to a correct level of magnesium, and I have since stopped using it.

 

[vangvace]

idk, maybe it's a nano thing that Mg dosing becomes more common, even if it's SeaChem reef.