Chemistry time! I found out that these little algae balls will grow faster if they have sugar and magnesium. Are there fish or plants that would suffer? I'm not talking about tons of it, just a pinch here and there for luck.
Adding sugar and magnesium to aquarium to grow Nostoc balls?
- Thread starter knifegill
- Start date
why not have a tank with them by themself? cultivate a bajillion...let them dry out, then put them in your tank?
(i say let them dry out so that magnesium doesn't leach into your tank)
(i say let them dry out so that magnesium doesn't leach into your tank)
I think from the reading i did they can live anywhere with water...but do better in magnesium...from what I remember magnesium is part of the alkaline metal part of the periodic elements and it reacts with water. I believe it gives you a higher PH, might be lower...I cant remember, I'm sure its online...I just wouldn't mess with a stabled tank with pure elements like that.
yeah i quickly fact checked myself.
Suger should be fine, water chemistry wise...I'm not sure if it would have an effect on the fish, you could administer it to the substrate and it should stay there. Suger is more dense then water and even tho its soluble it should be fine.
Mg reacts with water creating hydrogen gas.
Magnesium hydroxide seems to be the only stable water soluble form, and is used for its medical purposes. I wont barf up whats on wiki, heres a link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnesium_hydroxide
Suger should be fine, water chemistry wise...I'm not sure if it would have an effect on the fish, you could administer it to the substrate and it should stay there. Suger is more dense then water and even tho its soluble it should be fine.
Mg reacts with water creating hydrogen gas.
Magnesium hydroxide seems to be the only stable water soluble form, and is used for its medical purposes. I wont barf up whats on wiki, heres a link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnesium_hydroxide
All depends on how much magnesium. Magnesium is a highly reactive alkaline metal yes. That said it is available as a supplement for reef enthusiasts. It's also common in many trace element additives for fish and plants. I typically add Kent Discus Essential and Sea Chem Equilibrium during water changes. Both have it.
Epsom salt is a readily available stable magnesium salt. Sulfur is used by plants so it will be consumed. I used the task specific stuff though.TheRealAndyCook;4568561; said:
The sugar may cause algae or bacterial blooms.
thanks for the input, if i find any of those guys they'll surely love the castle they'll be living in 
Yes magnesium reacts with water to create hydrogen gas and so does sodium and calcium yet these are regularily added to our tanks. This is because they are NEVER in their elemental state they are always in an ionic or otherwise innert state. The alkaline earth metals are so reactive they pretty much react with anything. Any magnesium you'd be adding would be in a chemically bound form (magnesium chloride is the most common but also magnesium carbonate ad magnesium sulfate)TheRealAndyCook;4568561; said:
The only one that will raise your pH is magnesium carbonate because of the presence of a CO3- anion. All others will simply raise general hardness and have a neglibigle effect on your fish.
Basically when you dissolve any of these in water the ionic bonds separate (for example NaCl(salt) separates into an NA+ ion and a Cl- anion magnesium carbonate also does this.
Alkalinity is a measure of total amounds of dissolved alkali and alkaline earth metal ions dissolved in water (GH) carboate hardness (KH) is a measure of the corresponding CO3- anions. KH affects pH but GH does not.
If you want a cheap way of dosing magnesium i recommend epsom salts. But keep in mind increasing the levels of one nutrient will not increase growth in any organism. All organisms require an assortment of nuitrients to grow giving them very high levels of 1 will do no good. Your tap water probably already has suficient amounts of magnesium for your purpose.