Is anyone putting mag flakes in their CA reactor while adding kalk?

[fabbss]

I am running a reactor and dripping kalk and having great success. But I was wondering if I should add magnesium chips to the calcium reactor. I drip kalk at night and during the morning until the reactor turns on. Ph is normal and stays steady. Nothing out of the ordinary I just wanted to know if adding the extra mag would increase the calcium absorption as far as the corals as concerned?

 

[roundman]

I am doing it but started that way so no reference point with out. I have a kalk reactor set up with my ato and my ph is rock solid. I have noticed lately that my ca is a little low 350 and my alk is 10 but need a new mg kit used the last one up.

 

[mojo]

I asked Seachem about this one time in a meeting, and they said there wasn't any point. The crushed coral media contains the elements needed for coral growth, and in the correct proportions. When the media dissoves, it releases calcium, magnesium, strontium, etc, back in the same ratios that the corals used it up. Assuming your calcium reactor supplies 100% of your calcium needs, then it should also supply all of your Mg needs.

 

[schwaggs]

Plus, mag flake dissolves at normal tank pH. Therefore all the mag flake you add to the CA reactor will dissolve immediately and get dosed into the tank all at once.

 

[fabbss]

cool, thanks everyone for the input. I guess I should follow the old saying "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." ha ha ha

 

[acroholic]

Schwaggs;384013 wrote: Plus, mag flake dissolves at normal tank pH. Therefore all the mag flake you add to the CA reactor will dissolve immediately and get dosed into the tank all at once.

I was almost done typing up the very same thing when I read this post...so I'll just say +1.

You may have been thinking about dolomite and not mag flakes, but that probably wouldn't work either because of the lower pH needed to dissolve dolomite to derive benefit.

Personally, I would just test and do gross corrrections with Randy's 2 part Mag. Chloride/Mag. sulfate.

 

[grouper therapy]

[quote
Personally, I would just test and do gross corrrections with Randy's 2 part Mag. Chloride/Mag. sulfate.[/QUOTE]
+1

 

[skriz]

mojo;384003 wrote: I asked Seachem about this one time in a meeting, and they said there wasn't any point. The crushed coral media contains the elements needed for coral growth, and in the correct proportions. When the media dissoves, it releases calcium, magnesium, strontium, etc, back in the same ratios that the corals used it up. Assuming your calcium reactor supplies 100% of your calcium needs, then it should also supply all of your Mg needs.

This is my second +1 of today and probably the year!

If your tank is doing well, don't mess with it!