Quote:
Originally Posted by Todd
Thanks for the info. I am aware that the uptake levels will be different, and I am planning on using different dosing schedules for CaCl and Mg to address that.
I am using IO salt, the Ca level is usually 380 and the Mg level usually tests around 1100 using a Salfart test kit.
Here is a problem I am having though, perhaps someone will have some insight into: I have tested my wc water and found a Mg level of 1080, I then proceed to add 85g of MgCl and 85g of MgSO4 to bring my Mg levels up. I noticed no precipitate. After letting my heated water change water sit mixing, I tested my Mg levels again, only to find them unchanged and still at 1080.
I tried to do the same thing with my next batch of water change water only to have the same thing happen (levels the second time were 1020 starting, added 56g MgSO4 and 66g MgCl along with 17g CaCl).
Is this a problem with my test kit? Do the test kits work in a way that they will not measure Mg added in this way? Could it have precipitated out and I not noticed? Anything else I am not thinking of?
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I have never noticed any magnesium to prec out when I mix my IO water, and I have mixed A LOT of IO water.
Salifert test kits as of late are not that great.
I would add about 9 times the amount of MgCl vs MgSO4. Otherwise you get too high a sulfate in the water. Not a big deal though.
Try (what I always do) mixing the calcium and magnesium in the water BEFORE you add the salt.
FWIW if you get the IO water up to about 1380 ppm or so, it is unlikely that you will have to dose magnesium to the main tank. Unless you use a lot of kalk.