BRS Magnesium Mix for 2-Part Maintenance
2-10 Days
Ultra Pure Magnesium Additive for 2-Part Maintenance in your Reef Tank!
Maintaining proper magnesium levels helps achieve the essential balance of calcium and alkalinity in your tank by preventing excess calcium carbonate precipitation. Not all magnesium additives are created equal and the largest factor comes into the sulfate to chloride ratio in the magnesium solution. For large adjustments, you will want to use a magnesium solution that has limited amounts of sulfate to keep your reef balanced, where for daily 2-part dosing or maintenance, a larger amount of sulfate is required to keep your reef balanced.
Pre-Mixed - Makes 1 Gallon of BRS Liquid Magnesium Mix:
5 1/4 c. Magnesium Chloride : 2 c. Magnesium Sulfate
- Ideal for weekly/monthly dosing or small adjustments
- No residue left behind
- Mixes fast and clear
- Designed for easy dosing
- Pharmaceutical grade materials used
Mixing Instructions - BRS Liquid Magnesium Mix
2-Part Dosing or Small Adjustments - Fill a 1-gallon container 1/2 full of RO/DI or distilled water and then add the entire contents of the package into the container. Secure the cap on the container and shake it for about 10 seconds to help start the dissolving process. Remove the cap and fill the container the rest of the way with RO/DI or distilled water. Give the container a few more shakes and then let it sit until all the salts have fully dissolved before use.
What is 2-Part Dosing?
As corals grow they consume calcium and alkalinity but to keep the levels steady in a reef tank requires the use of magnesium too, so it is more like 3-part dosing, to be honest. Reefers will use calcium chloride and soda ash (sodium carbonate) to maintain their reef tanks chemistry daily and add a magnesium supplement every couple weeks. Magnesium supplements are usually a blend of magnesium chloride and magnesium sulfate to help keep the sulfate to chloride ratio balanced in the aquarium. When starting a 2 part dosing system it is important to use a good test kit to establish a baseline. We really like using the Red Sea Reef Foundation test kit or Hanna Colorimeters for their accuracy and repeatability which leads to a much more stable reef and overall coral health. Stability is one of the keys to keeping a saltwater tank healthy over a long span of time and most reefers will set up an automated system that doses their aquariums needed additives daily removing repetitive (and forgettable) chore. There are purpose-built dosing systems like the Kamor X4, Neptune DOS, or Bubble Magus T-11 that are super easy to program and keeps everything in a compact package, but there are other options that many reefers prefer like the BRS 1.1mL dosing pumps that can be paired with a digital timer for precise and affordable dosing control.