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Re: Hardness salts

To: Aquatic-Plants at actwin_com
Subject: Re: Hardness salts
From: "Roger S. Miller" <rgrmill at rt66_com>
Date: Mon, 15 Dec 1997 12:31:27 -0500 (EST)
In-Reply-To: <199712152048.PAA16949 at acme_actwin.com>

On Dec. 14, 1997, Matthew Mason wrote:

>
> I want to increase water hardness with something other than calcium
> carbonate or sodium bicarbonate.  I have heard that Epsom Salts (SP?) is a
> good addition.
>
> 1.  Is this a good thing to use for increasing water?

It does increase hardness, but it does not increase alkalinity.  Sodium
bicarb increases alkalinity but not hardness, calcium carbonate increases
both hardness and alkalinity.

> 2.  Does anyone know the differing components of the product?

MgSO4+7H20.  By weight its about 10% Mg, and there's about 4 mg of
hardness to each mg of Mg.  Niel Frank posted a letter last spring on how
to get desired dosages for different nutrients from different sources,
including magnesium from epsom salts.  You might search the archives for
that article.

> 3.  Does anyone know the relative concentrations of these compounds/ions?

See above.  You might also try calcium chloride.

Roger Miller

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