DIY 2 part Calcium/Alkalinity/Mag Supplement Order

[RNall]

How many of you guys would be interested in going in together for a group order on Calcium Chloride and Magnesium Chloride Hexahydrate for your own DIY 2 part (well, 3 actually) dosing regimen.

If you are unaware of this method please read:

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/index.php


If you are currently using B-Ionic, or any other retail additive, do the math and you will be very interested.

For example: 2 gallons of B-Ionic = $30 bucks cheap.
2 gallons of DIY + mag = maybe $2 - $3.

I would handle the entire order. I need to gauge interest to see if doing a group order makes sense.

The more we would get, the less shipping would be per person and the price may drop as well.

I will be looking at multiple companies to see who can offer the best deal.

At this point just let me know if you would be intersted in ordering. These generally come in 50 pound bags but a few companies out there will break it down smaller than that.

Thanks,

[Ping]

I'd be interested.

[GaryP]

Ron,

Since it looks like you are having a hard time finding calcium locally at a decent price, you may just want to go with an online supplier. I did that the first time I bought some. It was from some garden supplier. Did you see Matt's post about it being available as a pool chemical at Home Depot? Dupont Calcium Hardness Increaser. Not sure what the price on that is but if you take shipping into account it may be close. The problem with someplace like Home Depot is that they may not be a reliable supplier. They may only carry it on a seasonal basis. You could also check at one of the local pool supply companies like Leslies. That's where I get muriatic acid.

I'm also going to try to experiment with the product they sell for phosphate control in swimming pools. I saw a few people selling it at MACNA. There are some problems associated with its use though and I wouldn't recommend its use for the average hobbyist. I'll see if I can work out a method and get back to the club. There are also several patents on this product and I'm not sure how the companies selling it are getting around those. The patents may not cover that application though. Its sneaking its way into the aquarium chemical trade. I've heard of some of the larger public aquariums using it in their water systems but they have a lot more equipment for that sort of thing then we do on the hobbyist level.

I don't really see the advantage of buying Mag in bulk. Epsom Salts is pretty cheap from Wal-Mart, HEB, or any drug store.

I'm not really sure why you are seeing such a high price for calcium at the chemical distributors. All I can think is that they are trying to discourage small quantity purchases like I have made in the past or you were incorrectly quoted the price. Perhaps if someone is going to be heading up north this fall or winter we can get them to bring us some back. It commonly available up there in the winter months at the Home stores and is used as a deicing salt. As I recall, the shipping on the calcium I bought online was almost as much as the salt itself. It was still a huge savings over what we pay for it as a hobbyist product however, that is as a specialty vs. a bulk commodity product.

[RNall]

I did not see Matt's post. I did look around town a bit (HD Lowes). I have been talking to multiple online venders, trying to get the best price. I was looking at getting the Dead Sea Works mag flakes (as mentioned in the above article) as well as local Epsom salt.

I'm still searching. If anyone sees anything around town, please let me know!

Thanks Gary.

[RNall]

I'll send him one, thanks!

[RNall]

Nope, not him. He said check with Gary! :lol

[matt]

I emailed dupont about the purity of the calcium hardness increaser; they gave me contact info for a chemical company that makes it. I would not use it until it can be confirmed that it's reef safe. Aside from dowflake, other possible products that Randy Holmes-Farley has tested would be Peladow, dow mini pellets, Prestone Driveway heat. If you order any of this stuff, I'll take some.

[GaryP]

Matt,

Did you see the reference to the MSDS for the Dupont product I posted in your thread?

[RNall]

So, it looks like I have 5 people interested at this point. I have a few more places to check in town and am waiting on emails from a few on-line retailers as well. I will let you guys know what I find....

[RNall]

Gary, are you interested?

[GaryP]

yes

[RNall]

6 then!

[RNall]

Ok guys, I'm about to get prices on everything. 50 lbs each cal chloride and 25 lbs each mag flake sound ok? I'm just going to get prices together to show you guys. Does that sound ok for quantities though?

[JeremyGlen]

I'll take like 5 lbs of each whenever ya'll get it in. I will only be going through 4 gallons of this stuff a year, so big bulk is not economical for me.

[loans_n_fishes]

I've been wanting to try this method, but don't want a huge order. If you will sell smaller portions, I am interested.

[apedroza]

If your still looking for people I would be interested

[JeremyGlen]

How's that order coming? I've finally got my tank where I want it to stay and I need to mix up the 2-part stuff to add daily. LMK what is up please.

[RNall]

Well, the short answer is...it's obviously stagnated. I'm still shopping and wheeling and dealing for good bulk prices. I've been meaning to post the following though:

If any of you guys need anything in the interim... I would recommend getting the 'hardness increaser' (calcium chloride) at the Pool Warehouse right next to HEB near 1604 & 281. It's the cheapest 77-80% calcium chloride without bad impurities that I have found around here so far. There may be others out there but this is the cheapest good stuff I have found. It's probably the Dow product..it's in a semi-pellet form though which means it takes a bit longer to dissolve but it's not a big deal.

Sorry for not updating sooner but I really have been trying to work out a great deal.....

[ou812pezz]

There's a chemical company off rittiman that sells dow flake. 50lb bag.

[Robert]

I got a 50 lb bag of Peladow, its 90 % Calcium Chloride. It only cost me $16.00 plus shipping it came to around $47.00 dollars delivered to my front porch. I use about 400 grams per 1 gal mix and my corals consume that amount per month. So I have enough calcium to last me bout 4.5 years!!!! But as my corals grow so will their consumption.

[RNall]

I've found it a bit cheaper than than but not much. I'm still searching for a great deal to make this worth doing....(cheaper)