best brand name for 2 part calcium AND magnesium dosing?

[SharkLover]

Whats top 3 brands for 2 part calcium and magnesium dosing?


Also for testing mag and calcium i heard elo is good?

Feed back much appreciated.

-Anthony

 

[naturebatslast]

Bulkreefsupply.com has some of the higher purity for alk, Ca and Mg additives and bulk pricing.
http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/Calcium,-Alkalinity-&-Magnesium/c1/index.html

Elos, salifert, lamotte seachem and tunze are the better test kits IMO.

 

[JohnK]

Randy's two part. Order supplies above.

Recipes here;
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/april2004/chem.htm


Edit, oh yea, IMO Elos is very good for hobby grade test kits. People also say good things about API and API is usually the cheapest.

 

[SharkLover]

I tested my calcium today and it said 250 i'm guessing that low?
i've been running dual phosphate/carbon for two weeks just after my water change i'm assuming thats why. my PH is also around 8.2 ish...

just throwing it out there.
i'm coming home tonight and probably testing mag and if thats also low i'm going to try to raise mag and then raise calcium. this should also bump my ph up just a lil. and a water change coming up this weekend i'll probably stop phosphate/carbon it was temp. good idea?

 

[Arthur1]

If that test kit is correct thats pretty good. Raise your mag first, then alk etc. I started to use a salifert Magnesium test kit again b/c on RC a lot of people said they were back on course. I compared mine to an elos and it was 15 parts off from it. I did not like the elos b/c its accuracy is per 100 ppm. Sorry to say I do not believe Tropic marin makes a magnesium test kit by itself.

 

[Rick C]

I tested my calcium today and it said 250 i'm guessing that low?

Yeah thats a bit low. I keep my CA around 450, KH between 8-11 and ALK around 1470ish.

 

[SharkLover]

my mag is 375

 

[MikeG]

I tested my calcium today and it said 250 i'm guessing that low?
i've been running dual phosphate/carbon for two weeks just after my water change i'm assuming thats why. my PH is also around 8.2 ish...

just throwing it out there.
i'm coming home tonight and probably testing mag and if thats also low i'm going to try to raise mag and then raise calcium. this should also bump my ph up just a lil. and a water change coming up this weekend i'll probably stop phosphate/carbon it was temp. good idea?

Raising calcium and magnesium will really have no effect on pH. Running elevated magnesium levels will help to prevent precipitation of calcium carbonate that can sometimes occur when we run high levels of calcium and alkalinity. Maintaining adequite alkalinity as well as good gas exchange in most cases will keep pH at acceptable levels and stable.

my mag is 375

I think that is the lowest I have ever heard of if it is measured in ppm. You should be closer to 1200-1400ppm. Magnesium can be raised a little fasted than some other parameters but I would still take it slow if you do, maybe 100ppm per day.

 

[biggyclops]

higher MG levels can supposedly help with ridding cyno

 

[SharkLover]

I added 15g of magnesium (recommended dose 5g per 20gallon)

and 4g of alk my dkh was 8.0

i'm stopping there til i figure out how it will affect my system before i add calcium. im not very familiar with this its my first time dosing.

Correction i read the scale wrong, it was .3 so its really 875 mag

 

[biggyclops]

wow that is really low.. low mg effects calcium uptake too...

 

[SharkLover]

Added 4g of calcium 2 part. seachem

 

[jbishop]

How are the numbers looking? Your mag and CA were really low. what brand of salt do you use?

 

[JohnK]

Sounds like your levels are pretty low across the board. I'd suggest doing a few good sized water changes to get things back in the ballpark, then worry about additives/corrections.

That said, you should check the levels in newly mixed saltwater to see how that's looking (what brand are you using, some have some pretty big defincies to begin with).

Assuming the salt brand you use is OK, water changes are usually cheaper and easier than trying to make massive adjustments with additives.

 

[SharkLover]

my next water change is scheduled for this weekend. (2 weeks).

I use tropic marine reef (not pro reef)

Would it be ok to do an early water change like today? My folks are coming up tonight and staying over the weekend I'd like to get it done before they get here but didn't know if it would be ok. I like to keep a strict regime.

 

[jbishop]

Sounds like your levels are pretty low across the board. I'd suggest doing a few good sized water changes to get things back in the ballpark, then worry about additives/corrections.

That said, you should check the levels in newly mixed saltwater to see how that's looking (what brand are you using, some have some pretty big defincies to begin with).

Assuming the salt brand you use is OK, water changes are usually cheaper and easier than trying to make massive adjustments with additives.

This is what I was getting at.....

You would be fine doing a water change today. I never stick to a schedule and only do them when needed.

 

[SharkLover]

I'd suggest doing a few good sized water changes

can you elaborate?
I've got 60 display and 20 sump.

Normally I remove as much water as i can from my 20 sump every 2 weeks.

What else can I do.

 

[Rick C]

ALK around 1470ish.

Yeah thats a miss type. It should be MG @ 1470.

As far as water changes go, I do 10% weekly and that keeps my levels pretty balanced.

 

[JohnK]

As long as the temp and salinity aren't too different (normally I'd say all levels, but in this case your trying to make corrections...) you can do water changes anytime, and doing fairly large volume water changes isn't normally a problem.

You can shut down circulation and siphion out a good amount from the display so you change a larger volume. IME as long as your fairly quick about it, and the new water isnt' far off from the old water %25 is not a problem at all, and in a case like yours where your trying to make some pretty big corrections, I wouldn't hesitate to do %25 a day for a few days in a row.

 

[SharkLover]

does salt water lose its .... spunk for lack of better word over time? I have about 20 gallons of mixed salt from my last water change 2 weeks ago.