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Epsom salts BP help

M

murph

Member
Joined
21 Apr 2010
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224
Location
Irvine
Is epsom salts BP (magnesium sulphate heptahdrate BP) bought from the chemist safe to use?


Thanks
 
Hi,
MgSO4 is MgSO4, but I have no idea what the BP stands for. Is that British Petroleum? Bi-Polar? Big Package? Maybe ask the chemist for clarification. Everything else about it is OK though. :geek:

Cheers,
 
It's still safe in this form though right?

Ceg, don't have a clue! Could mean anything, I would know!
 
Hi all,
The British Pharmacopoeia (BP) is the official collection of standards for UK medicinal products and pharmaceutical substances.
Click to expand...
new to me too.

The only thing you need to note is that it is the heptahydrate form of magnesium sulphate, so it is MgSO4.7H2O (rather than the anhydrous MgSO4). You need to know the RAM of the elements to work out the percentages (via a periodic table <http://ukaps.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=51&t=10037> or "James' Planted Tank calculator" <http://www.theplantedtank.co.uk/calculator.htm>)

So for Epsom salts it contains 24.3 + 32 + (4 x 16) . 7 x ((1 x 2) + 16) = RMM 246.3 so 24.3/246 so only 10% Mg rather than 24.3/120.3 = 20% it would contain if it was straight Mg SO4.

cheers Darrel
 
Darrel I think my brain just melted!

Takes me back to high school chemistry when the teacher told me a mole was a number but refused to tell me what that number was! Wasn't important he said.


Should I double dose with this stuff then?
 
Hi,

BP stands for British Pharmacopoeia and means that the Epsom Salts are produced to the pharmaceutically accepted grade for internal use, as laid out by the British Pharmacopoeia. If you are intending to use Epsom salt for internal use then this is the grade you need.

The BP grading is being phased out and is being replaced by a FCC grading. This means it meets the specification laid down in the United States Food Chemicals Codex.

Regards, Chris.
 
I take it from The james calculator set up for heptahydrate form of magnesium sulphate compared to the UKAPS dosing guide for just MgS04 the only difference seems to be that epsom salts are in higher quantity's to achieve the ppm.

Does this sound about right?
 
Hi all,
I take it from The james calculator set up for heptahydrate form of magnesium sulphate compared to the UKAPS dosing guide for just MgS04 the only difference seems to be that epsom salts are in higher quantity's to achieve the ppm.
Click to expand...
Yes use James' calculator, Epsom Salts will always be the heptahydrate form, as MgSO4 is unstable and will take in atmospheric moisture. To make anhydrous MgSO4 it is heated, to drive off the "water of crystallisation", and then kept in a dessicator. MgSO4.7H2O only contains about 10%Mg as you have to add 7H2O to the RMM calculation (see the formula earlier in the post).

cheers Darrel
 
Cheers Darrel.

Your formula along with James calculator clears up the fact that Epsom is required in higher quantities. At least I know now. The thing is obviously Epsom is way cheaper than pure MgS04 on the aqua essentials website. Every saving is money available for other equipment.

Should be converting to dry powders soon once my filtration is in place.
 
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