Cant find calcium chloride

[andrewbram]

Hello all I am in denver area and cant find dow flake or pedalow anywhere. Anyone have some leads?

[Squint]

http://secure.sciencecompany.com/General-Chemicals-C670.aspx?s=Name%20ASC&p=1

[andrewbram]

thank you squint but I am trying to find large quanity as household 6 restricts my budget!!!!

[lokii_37]

Have you checked out bulkreefsupply.com
You should be able to buy pounds of it.

[andrewbram]

great site lokii. The stuff I am looking for though should be rufly $30 for 50 pounds that would last me like 5 years as long as I can keep it dry lol.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Here's another option:

http://www.buckeyefieldsupply.com/showproducts.asp?Category=239&Sub=124

[Rybren]

A number of folks around here use Briner's Choice.

Here's a link to a distributer in the US.

http://www.flordrisupply.com/briners.htm

[andrewbram]

I think I found some at a place called bomgaars(farm supply store). I am not sure if its pure enough. Any tips on what to look for when I go in because they said they have a few different kinds of ice melt that is calcium chloride.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

The only way to have confidence, IMO, is to know that it is Dowflake or a repackaged or dehydrated version of it.

[Ron Reefman]

I have a friend coming to Florida and bringing 12 50lb bags from Ohio for me and some others in our local club. Dowflake at under $20 for a bag ($0.25/lb). He can haul 600lbs because he is towing a huge trailer (with 2 race cars inside) behind a dually on his way to Sebring for a race. I pay for the 'freight' by being the race team photgrapher for the weekend. :beer: I just hope he doesn't get stopped by the police for any reason... "OK buddy, lets have a look inside that trailer." and they find 12 bags of white powder... OhOh!:headwally:

[andrewbram]

I am unable to find dow flake anywhere around here. I have called everyone including all the cement companies. I also can find pedalow or prestone drive way heat. Even kents turbo calcium is no where as everyone caries seachem. I did how ever something that might work and attached a link below. I even got an msds for it which doesnt list any ingridents other than calcium chloride. hot this info and picture helps!!

http://reefcentral.com/forums/album.php?albumid=5533&pictureid=38373

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Short of the sort of impurity testing I did for Dowflake (which is mostly not DIY), there is no easy way to know if it is suitably pure or not.

If you use it, start very slowly.

[andrewbram]

thank you very much. What do I need to watch for. I have a 20g I could test it on it you could tell me what test. Also according to the msds it states it has to be between 60-100% pure. I know big gap but according to the msds nothing else is add so i assume it is just naturally occuring impurities.

[bertoni]

There's no practical test you can run other than dosing it and seeing how the system reacts. If corals, snails, and other invertebrates start dying or slowing down, then the supplement might have a problem.

[andrewbram]

Do you think if I call the company they will have a clue?

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

No, they will not know the level of impurities like copper. They might know ammonia levels, but it would be the primary manufacturer that might know that, not the company on the bag.

[andrewbram]

So I called the company and they are I one stop shop the refine and package and sell. The lady I spoke to pulled up there data sheet and while she said it is not food grade it is 94% pure with 6% impurites. She is going to call me back tomorrow after she talks with the chemistry people and and also once she finds out where exactly the source is also. I think I am going to try it out on the 20g anything you would recomend watching for or testing for would be a great help.

[DrBegalke]

I personally wouldn't use an unknown source with 6% impurity, when there are multiple sources that people have used.

Why not just order from BRS or one of the other sites linked to above?

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

That does sound like a lot, but in many cases, even food grade, the balance may be ions we do not object to, such as sodium, potassium, magnesium etc. But without an analysis, I wouldn't use it.

You can check it for ammonia as I did here:

Purity of Calcium Chloride
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/mar2004/chem.htm

[andrewbram]

I am really new to this last time I made the two part I used kents turbo. From what I read isn't the dow flake 77-80 % pure. I would think 94% would be a good thing. Given that even with a large portion off it being water in the dow flake....... sorry to change thought just got phone call back from one of the 300 phone calls I have made looking for this stuff just found dow flake for 18.50 for 50pounds in denver Apperantly US mix is a distributer and they sell it at rio grand building supply. If anyone in denver area needs phone number let me know.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I am really new to this last time I made the two part I used kents turbo. From what I read isn't the dow flake 77-80 % pure. I would think 94% would be a good thing.

No, that is not a correct assumption. The balance of the 77-80% is mostly water as it is calcium chloride dihydrate. You can buy dehydrated versions of Dowflake that are 90+% calcium chloride, but it is no purer as all you do to make it is remove water from Dowflake.

I measured and compared the purity of Dowflake and Kent Turbo Calcium. There are pros and cons of each, but Turbo Calcium is not necessarily cleaner, and in fact has more of certain undesirable ions, such as cadmium:

Purity of Calcium Chloride
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/mar2004/chem.htm

[andrewbram]

thank you Randy you have been wonderful help. I am just glad that I dont have to worry now as I found the recomended stuff.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

:thumbsup:

Happy reefing. :)