Please keep an eye out for calcium at the stores!

[neuroslicer]

Any day now the local hardware stores should begin to sell deicer for sidewalks and driveways. If you see Dowflakes, Pelladow pellets, or Prestone Driveway Heat at Home Depot, Lowes, Walmart or any such store, please post. This is what I use for the calcium additive. Home Depot has a similar produce used for boosting calcium in swimming pools, but it's not made by Dow Chemical so I'm not sure of the impurities it might contain.

Thanks.
Jay

 

[DrPeaches]

I checked Tractor Supply Friday night, and they had just received a huge shipment of de-icing salt but no calcium-based products. If I were guessing, they probably won't carry the Dow products this year if they've brought in so much salt.

 

[wjhuie]

My dad sell that stuff. how much do you need?

 

[neuroslicer]

Willem, tell me more? Does your dad have a local store? If he sells Dowflakes or Peladow pellets, I'll take 50 pounds.

I checked around last night, and so far everyone that has deicing products isn't using pure CaCl2. Home Depot has a calcium magnesium mixture, and Lowes mixture has sodium and potassium. Walmart and Kmart had nothing.

I did find another online source that is cheaper than Buckeye Field Supply:

http://www.instawares.com/

They have a 25 pound bag of Peladow for $10, but shipping is $12.

 

[just dave]

Walker.

 

[DrPeaches]

Bob

 

[gflat65]

Dave (full circle already...).

 

[neuroslicer]

Hijack your own thread you guys, I've got enough spam!

 

[Jecco]

Memphis Pool Supply usually carries DowFlakes all year long.

 

[neuroslicer]

Paydirt!!! Thanks Jecco. I called the three Memphis Pool Supplies in town; the one on Getwell doesn't carry Dowflakes (they have some other brand). But the Germantown (7605 Poplar) and Collierville (930 W. Poplar) stores do. 50 pounds for $29.95.

With going back and forth between the two part calcium/alkalinity additive and kalkwasser, I have gone through 4 pounds of Dowflakes in about 6 months (I've got a SPS heavy tank), but I think I can get by with 25 pounds for 2 - 3 years. Does anybody want to split a bag of Dowflakes? If not I'll just keep the rest for my hot tub! (hhmmm, my hot tub has calcium, alkalinity, pH balancers... I wonder if I can use that as a frag tank??? ;.)


And unless anyone knows of a local source for Magflakes, I think Buckeye Field Supply is still a great source for MagFlakes, which is magnesium chloride, and you combine MagFlakes with epsom salts (magnesium sulfate) that you can get at any Walgreens or Krogers. But magnesium consumption is probably only 10 - 20 % of calcium consumption, so an 8 pound bag of Magflakes should last me at least 2 - 3 years.
Jay

 

[willember]

wjhuie = Walker

<-- I'm willem

 

[neuroslicer]

'<-- I'm willem'

Alright already!

 

[Jecco]

The usually have a 25lb bag of Arm&Hammer baking soda too.