Randy's 2 part formula

[brash1_99]

Has anyone had any luck finding the dow flakes and/or mag flakes from Randy's formula? I am in the cedar rapids area and currently searching.

 

[kau_cinta_ku]

i get it but i am in NW iowa. if you go to most places that change tractor tires theyu will usually have dow flake. and if you have a bommgaars around your area that is where i get my mag flake

 

[brash1_99]

I will look those up. I am a trasplant from ohio. I haven't been here that long. Good to see we have some reefers here in iowa. Thanks for the reply.

 

[jbrunken]

Just out of curiosity, did you ever find a place that sold the Dow and Mag flake?

I'm looking for someplace to buy both in Cedar Rapids.

-JB

 

[brash1_99]

No I still haven't found any. I have searched every place but lowes. The Prestone material that he mentioned would probably be easy to find. People were saying to look into autozone for that stuff.

If I have to go to mail order I will. I looked up those sites he mentioned in his article and they are very inexpensive. There has to be Dow Flake in this region of iowa.

 

[jbrunken]

I just went to Home Depot here in C.R., and they have 50# bags of magnesium chloride for $16 bucks. They also have the prestone driveway heat which is supposedly the Calcium chloride.

-JB

 

[IowaKevinK]

I guess I'm going to have to read more on Randy's 2 part mix. I've been using prestone driveway heat, baked arm n hammer.

 

[brash1_99]

JB: the only concern about using other kinds of products is that they haven't been tested. Was the magnesium chl. Mag flakes or one Randy recommended?

Iowa: that is the stuff you need to use. How much of the prestone are you using? Randy said to use 20% less in the formula as compared to Dow Flake.

 

[jbrunken]

Yes, I'm hesitant to buy the "Freeze Guard" for that very reason, but I doubt if I'm going to find Mag Flakes around here anywhere. I'm gonna check a few places tomorrow, but I'm not going to hold my breath.

There is one person who posted here on RC that he is using the "Freeze Guard" product with no problems.

In any case, I'll probably pick up some of the prestone stuff tomorrow, as the ALK/Calk is what I'm really after and It wouldn't be the end of the world if I had to keep using a commercial Mag suppliment.

-JB

 

[brash1_99]

I also broke down and brought the prestone today at the depot. It looks like a fresh pallet. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[Pygmey]

Get Dow Flake from a Cement Mixing Shop

 

[jbrunken]

Finding Dow Flake isn't really a problem since the Prestone stuff is readily available.

It's the "Mag Flake" for the 3rd part that's proving difficult to find locally.

-JB

 

[got2lb]

For anyone looking for the stuff. Saw this today.

http://www.twopartsolution.com/

 

[matt the fiddler]

I got [and have too much extra] Prestone Calcium at Auto Zone

 

[jbrunken]

Wow, the Calc/Alk stuff is easy to find locally, but the magnesium part isn't...

That's a great place to get some Mag Flake without spending a fortune to get it shipped.

-JB

 

[Snarkys]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8974850#post8974850 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jbrunken
Yes, I'm hesitant to buy the "Freeze Guard" for that very reason, but I doubt if I'm going to find Mag Flakes around here anywhere. I'm gonna check a few places tomorrow, but I'm not going to hold my breath.

There is one person who posted here on RC that he is using the "Freeze Guard" product with no problems.

In any case, I'll probably pick up some of the prestone stuff tomorrow, as the ALK/Calk is what I'm really after and It wouldn't be the end of the world if I had to keep using a commercial Mag suppliment.

-JB

My opinion is obviously biased but i really wouldn't use anything other than the dead sea works brand, it has been used by thousands of reefers with success and Randy recommends it . You only use like 50 cents worth a month (even with shipping) . Seems kinda silly to put your tank at risk just to save like 2-3 bucks a year.

This is a quote from Randy about it from recent thread.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1008078&perpage=25&pagenumber=2

This sample has much more ammonia than Greg found in MAG flake, or than I found in Dowflake. I'd be wary of using it.

If you get an ammonia value (and it is accurate), then the idea would be that in a reasonably sized addition, that ammonia not rise appreciably. I'd never want ammonia to rise above 0.1 ppm total ammonia. I work through that in the article.


So in this case, a 1200 to 1 dilution is the limit that I'd consider adding because of ammonia (again, assuming it is accurate). That limits one to about 40 ppm of ammonia. I WOULD NOT USE THIS MATERIAL IN THE WAY THAT I DESCRIBE IN MY ARTICLE, WHICH IS A SUBSTANTIALLY LARGER ADDITION THAN THAT. I'd add it in many much smaller additions.

I'd also add it very slowly the first time in case these tests are off.

 

[jbrunken]

You only use like 50 cents worth a month (even with shipping) . Seems kinda silly to put your tank at risk just to save like 2-3 bucks a year.

Agreed! That's why I'm going to use my bag or freeze guard on the driveway and order some of the Mag-Flake from you guys now that there is a reasonable method for getting it online...

-JB