Magnesium Supplement Producing Phosphates

[jonboyb]

After a small hair algae issue recently (took care of now....PhosGaurd to the rescue:thumbs I started testing everything to find the culprit. Turns out my magnesium supplement (Brightwell Aquatics powder) produces a significant PO reading when mixed with RO/DI prior to adding to my tank. Is it normal for MG supplements to have PO? Is there a better recommended product for dosing MG?

 

[tokejr]

jonboyb;355872 wrote: After a small hair algae issue recently (took care of now....PhosGaurd to the rescue:thumbs I started testing everything to find the culprit. Turns out my magnesium supplement (Brightwell Aquatics powder) produces a significant PO reading when mixed with RO/DI prior to adding to my tank. Is it normal for MG supplements to have PO? Is there a better recommended product for dosing MG?

We dose using Epsom Salts, and we dosed quite a bit a couple months back and saw no phosphate spike while using it.

 

[acroholic]

Epsom salts (mag sulfate) is supposed to not be good for long term use, at least per Randy Holmes Farley, due to the accumulation of sulfate in the aquarium. I use his 2 part solution, a 10:1 ratio of Magnesium Chloride to Magnesium Sulfate, which is supposed to be good for long term use because it is ionically balanced.....but I'm no chemist.

 

[jhutto]

BRS sells the two together and you mix it for long term benefits.

 

[jhutto]

Have read if you do frequent regular water changes you should be good to go. You might be able order the other chemical from BRS to balance things Ionically. I got mine packaged together and mix them together. Give Andrew a call.

 

[acroholic]

ares;355964 wrote: yeah... I could order the mag chloride... but lol, I have 10gallons!. 10:1 ratio would leave me with 110g of magnesium supplement. wee bit more than I need, so Im trying to use up the epsom salts... might have to bite the bullet and just scrap it though.

I'll buy a gallon from you. Save me some and I'll get it next time I see you........probably when I check out your cool new 'nem.

Nothing wrong with using it short term....I just woudn't use it regularly if you need to make weekly mag corrections.
Dave

 

[tgray3]

One of the sponsor LFS told me the Seachem Aquavitro "Ions" supplement doesn't add phos to the system. I've been using it for a couple months now and I'm reading zero phos on a Seachem test kit.

 

[acroholic]

I used to use a mag sulfate bath when my freshwater fish would get bloat, particularly discus. Acts like a laxative.

 

[mojo]

jonboyb;355872 wrote: After a small hair algae issue recently (took care of now....PhosGaurd to the rescue:thumbs I started testing everything to find the culprit. Turns out my magnesium supplement (Brightwell Aquatics powder) produces a significant PO reading when mixed with RO/DI prior to adding to my tank. Is it normal for MG supplements to have PO? Is there a better recommended product for dosing MG?

Magnesium supplements always have some amount of ammonia as well. I'm not saying you didn't have any phosphate in your supplement, but be aware that you may have been introducing other contaminates as well. There's really no way around it when dosing Mg - just be aware of it.

 

[jennm]

Aquavitro doesn't have ammonia. Seachem brought that to Brian's attention during their training class - and encouraged us to test the various supplements to prove that. We did test. Aquavitro does not have ammonia - but I was surprised to see that others do.

Jenn

 

[mojo]

JennM;356285 wrote: Aquavitro doesn't have ammonia. Seachem brought that to Brian's attention during their training class - and encouraged us to test the various supplements to prove that. We did test. Aquavitro does not have ammonia - but I was surprised to see that others do.

Jenn

Ah right - I remember that from the meeting we had a couple months ago when Seachem came. I also remember that I'd have to order 400 bottles of the stuff to keep the magnesium up on my system, due to the bottle size!

 

[jennm]

They are working on bigger packaging That's a common "observation" that we hear.

Jenn