Magnesium solution turned brown

[reefaboo]

hello Randy

so i used one of your recipes (5:3 i think) to make magnesium solution about 5 months or so back ..

most of the time my water changes take care of the magnesium demand so i dont use it much ..

over the time the solution actually lost that metallic odor and turned brown like a dirty water solution

is this normal ? ofcourse i dumped it and set out to make new but i already added some to the tank ..

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

The magnesium, chloride, and sulfate won't go bad. It might be something like iron slowly oxidizing and turning brown.

I wouldn't worry about it. :)

 

[HD Reef]

The magnesium, chloride, and sulfate won't go bad. It might be something like iron slowly oxidizing and turning brown.

I wouldn't worry about it. :)

Hi Randy,

I mixed a batch of mag chloride today and it went brown instantly, will that be an issue ?

thanks

 

[gbroadbridge]

Where did you obtain the Magnesium Chloride?

 

[HD Reef]

Where did you obtain the Magnesium Chloride?

company in Queensland aus

 

[gbroadbridge]

company in Queensland aus

The reason I asked is that it will contain impurities.

Whether or not those impurities are harmful will depend to a certain extent on the application the product has been designed for.

Products designed for industrial use are more likely to have bad stuff than a food grade product.

I source mine from ebay (Australia) and the food grade product I use has no residue or discolouration when mixed.

Do you know the intended purpose of the product?

edit: FYI, this is what I use.

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/353362368947?var=622529771163

 

[HD Reef]

The reason I asked is that it will contain impurities.

Whether or not those impurities are harmful will depend to a certain extent on the application the product has been designed for.

Products designed for industrial use are more likely to have bad stuff than a food grade product.

I source mine from ebay (Australia) and the food grade product I use has no residue or discolouration when mixed.

Do you know the intended purpose of the product?

edit: FYI, this is what I use.

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/353362368947?var=622529771163

it's purchased from a large aquarium supply shop in aus , the flake is a little discoloured in the bag before mixing even

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Hard to know if it is an issue. Brown often means iron, which generally is not an issue.

 

[Lee belk]

Hard to know if it is an issue. Brown often means iron, which generally is not an issue.

I’ve just mixed my mag I’ve just been delivered and it’s gone brown as well is this not worth using my last lot of mag from another company was increasing my alkalinity

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I’d guess it’s just iron oxide.

 

[Lee belk]

I’d guess it’s just iron oxide.

It’s looking like this now it’s settled it’s got a fluffy sponge texture at the bottom and on the side of the bucket

 

[Lee belk]

It’s looking like this now it’s settled it’s got a fluffy sponge texture at the bottom and on the side of the bucket

Is there any way of filtering it out

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I’d just pour off the settled liquid. Probably easier than filtering.

 

[Lee belk]

Ok just asking because I know others are way beyond me I’ll pour it through a filter sock for peace of mind thanks

 

[Lee belk]

Ok just asking because I know others are way beyond me I’ll pour it through a filter sock for peace of mind thanks

Do you think it’s not mixed properly or impurities because when I mixed it it was just brown water looks to me that it’s turned into a jelly consistency now I’ve put it through a filter sock

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Iron hydroxide can be a fluffy mass.