Epsom salt and salinity

[tazzy695]

well the addion of 1/2 cup of even regula salt to my 75g+sump wont make a visible mark on salinity but if he doses a large amount without water changes inbetween he could risk salinity increasing

i was just posting what my small results were that the salt in the small container i dumped it in to mix it caused a sg difference

[Tangster]

I have heard this Bull for yrs. O.K just took some R/O D.I water TDS 1 and I made 225 M/L added the same amount 2.5 M/L of Sea Chem Reef Magnesium , Magnesium chloride and Tech M and Epsom salts 2.5 .. I have heard this for yrs .. And then Calibrated the Refractometer.. It’s the first time I ever had anything other then the Epsom Salts to test this theory since I never saw any issues with the use of E/S in all the yrs I have used it .. And I got the same reading on all the samples ..

Sea Chem Reef Advantage Magnesium reading was .5 4 Kg $ 30.99 plus S&H
Bulk Reef supplies Magnesium Chloride reading was .5 7lbs of flakes $5.99 Plus
Kent's Liquid Magnesium Tech M .4 1 Gallon $7.00 Plus
Epsom Salts .5 2lbs E/Salts $ 2.00 any where

Hey its your money you buy that fancy bottle and well written label about the Ion and Balance at the end of the day it’s a natural earth element and it is what it is .. You have to understand this is not new . What happen was the Co's like the ones who figured out how to separate you from your money sponsored the experts that wrote their reviews and started to just scare the hell out of you new guys with Money to waste. It works they all do well. I wasted over 2.Hrs to prove to me what the last 45 yrs have taught me . I'll stick with the Epsom Salts.. Y'all make up your own minds (:

Oh now I have to go clean up my Lab mess before the boss lady gets home ): Thats what many should have rather then a fish aquarium a old Gilbert's Chemistry set kit LOL But Now I know what I'm saying for all these yrs is totally accurate its not the first time I have seen and heard this argument. I never really paid it any attention as My experience had taught me differently.. Takes alot to impress me and to date Know ones book or reviews has.

[Bogie]

^ agreed. I use a refractometer now, and didn't see any any change in SG by adding epsom salt.

[Tangster]

LOL I know what the people are confusing with this and I'll set back to see who can figure it out.. (: But Look I started in marine tanks as a little kid with my G/Father he was a keeper and breeder of Discus and Angles that where considered to be hard to keep let along to breed in the early 50's He /we set up marines in the mid 50's wild caught bay fish to mess with and it was no body around then to say what was and would not work the old guys had it all figured out long before these new water gods where swinging with their to be daddies..

Like with the buffer! What I had yo mis is the same thing all the Big companies mix all natural earth elements.

But I'll see if anyone can figure out what they think is effecting the salinity levels..

[Bogie]

Adding Magnesium (epsom salt) will not affect the salinity (Sodium chloride NaCl). Epsom salt has magnesium and sulfur (Mg + S) - neither element is in NaCl - it doesn't add sodium, it doesn't add chlorine/chloride. The SG or specific gravity changes are negligible for raising mag. - it takes 1/2 cup of salt to bring 1 gallon of pure water up to 1.025 salinity = 33 ppt. Adding any dissolvable element into the water could raise the sg or water density.

[amcarrig]

I didn't understand a thing you just said

[Bogie]

Basically, since salt is by far the main ingredient in sea water (other than water), all the other elements: magnesium, iodine, calcium, etc are so little in comparison, that they really don't contribute much to the SG (specific gravity or water density).
We even measure Ca, Mg, in ppm - parts per million.
We measure salt in ppt - parts per thousand.

If you have a magnesium level of 1400 ppm, that's equal to 1.4 ppt.
If your salinity is about 1.024-1.025, then it's roughly 33ppt.
So basically, magnesium here contributes only 4% of what salt contributes to the salinity. Calcium at a 500 ppm level will contribute less than 1.5% to the total specific gravity of the water.

This does not take into account the molecular size or weight of the elements, but hopefully it makes sense. It's been 8 years since my last chemistry class, and I don't remember all those details.

[ReefSparky]

Originally Posted by bmshehan

FYI 1/2 cup raises my mg 55-60 ppm in my 55.

good numbers to share, thanks!!

[wildreef]

Now lets get this right ?
"epson salts" ( the kind ya soak your corns in ) will raise MAG.
but it's all "magnisium sulfide" ( sulfide ) NOT chrolide ?

And we all know sulfides if given time and alot of use in a closed sytem will build over time ?
( sulfide people ??? )
Now from alot of extensive reading on the net amoung others in this hobby' they say its' NOT wise to use this alot. ( its only used to "boost", not to use on a regular basis ).
And most don't even recomend it all.

Magnesium*chrolide* ( which we all know chrolides is in sea water by vast amounts )
wouldint it be better to just stick with magnesium chrolide ?.
( the pretty bottle that cost ya 10 bucks but w'ere dealing long term here with our tanks arint we ? ).

And this *borax* 20 mule team ?
Aint that what we use to wash our clothes ?
And from alot of reading borax is was in the past / present for making artificial gems.

And not to even add yall are talking about mixing these 2 substances togehter ( ratios )?

Thanks guys I'll stick to my store bought pretty bottles that may cost a few more clams
but with that said "" my tank is doing just fine, polyp extenstion, and large specimens.
I would be happy to produce alot of photo's and or a vid for yalls veiwing pleasure.

[Tangster]

Bogie you da Man you it it right on the head its the density that is increased (: