Where 50lb bags of Dow Flake/Pedadow or Mag Flake/Pellet

[zachtos]

I am looking locally for the same in bulk: (at least 50lbs each)
-Mag Flake/pellet
-Dow Flake/pellet (or pedadow)
-Baking Soda - Bulk (or whatever people use now for bulk 3 part balling)

I know you can get from BRS, but I am comfortable with Dow, no problems in past, but been a few years. I used to pickup at our yearly swaps for $20/bag, not $90 for a bucket! No longer live in that state though...

I can order from Harvey Salt at only $19 a bag of either, but the shipping of $45/bag is killer!
http://www.harveysalt.com/prod01.htm

 

[ReefsandGeeks]

I just got a bag of scott industries "roadrunner" pet friendly magnesium chloride from amazon. You may be able to get the other stuff you need as well from there. If you're a member you get free 2 day shipping.

I've seen large bags of baking soda at Costco here in PA

 

[zachtos]

I saw several 50lb bags on Amazon free shipping under $35 or so, just not sure if anyone is using these.

Baking soda / washing soda / soda ash - unsure what people recommend now if I want 50lbs cheap

MagSulfate - not sure if there are bulk epsom salts for 50lbs as well?

pellets of fireCaCl

prestone driveway heatCaCl

96% CALCIUM CHLORIDE Snow & Ice Melt Pellets-CaCl

Scotwood Industries 50B-RR Road Runner Premium Ice Melter, 50-Poun - Road Runner 50B-RR Premium Ice Melt 50 LB is an effective blend of calcium and magnesium pellet, potassium and sodium chlorides. Road Runner ice melt is safe to use on driveways, sidewalks and steps when applied as directed. Product starts melting process on contact. Safe for environment and vegetation. Requires fewer applications than rock salt. Melts ice and snow down to -15 degrees Fahrenheit. Colorless, odorless, and does not track.


Milazzo Industries 36004 Magnesium Chloride Pellets, 50-Pound -MgCl

 

[bertoni]

I got my supply from Harvey Salt a long time ago. The shipping seems to have gone up a lot. I don't know of a cheaper source, but I haven't looked in a long time.

 

[zachtos]

I also ran across
SafeStep CaCl

Safe Step MgCl

Safety data sheets - seems like pure MagCl and CaCl to me. They withhold the % on the CaCl but list no other ingredients.

For 3 part dosing, seems like this is the way to go for cost $50 for 50lbs of the two main ingredients, then need epsom salt (mag sulfate) and baking soda or soda ash I think to finish the job?

 

[zachtos]

I ended up going with:

CaCl - Prestige Driveway heat (AKA peladow) Scotwood Industries 50B-Heat Prestone Driveway Heat Concentrated Ice Melter, 50-Pound

Soda Ash 50 lb Pail of Pure Sodium Carbonate Dense Soda Ash Na2CO3 pH Adjust Chemical Spa Pool Cleaning Dishwasher

MgCl Milazzo Industries 36004 Magnesium Chloride Pellets, 50-Pound, supposedly I read this is Mag Flake from Dow but wrong photo, I will find out the hard way.

MgSulfate/Epsom Salt Epsoak Epsom Salt 39.5 Lbs - 100% Pure Magnesium Sulfate, Made in USA

With Amazon Prime about $200 for 50lbs of each ingredient. Hopefully will last my upcoming 300G SPS for a few years. After the thank gets going, I'll be more watchful about finding CaCl locally. I'm told it's hard to find MagCl in the northern states. Epsom Salt seems pricey but not horrible. Soda Ash seems easy to get and safe at most pool supply stores. Leslie Pool Supply would free ship for $130 Calcium and Soda Ash. Then just pickup MgCl and/or epsom salt elsewhere in a pinch. Safestep MgCl seemed safe, but was afraid to try since not many did.

I have done Calcium reactor and MagFlake/Epsom Salt in past. I found I spent about $125/year on Calcium Carbonate, Magnesium, epsom salt, baking soda and C02 refills. Not including the fact that the hardware was $500 up front, and I still ended up buffing my paramaters all the time because I used budget salts. Probably cheaper /easier overall with the jebao $100 doser, some 2.5gallon pails and some 50 lb bags of salt.

 

[Ron Reefman]

Ouch! Zachtos, you are in Michigan and you can't find Dowflake or Mag Flake cheaper than that! Yikes!

I'm in SW Florida and we don't melt much snow down here, so they were both hard to find. I had a friend bring my first couple of bags with him when he came down from Ohio. They were both in the $15 to $18 range for a 50lb bag.

Now I've found them both close to home for a very different use, keeping dust down on clay tennis courts! So the supply is just a few miles away and the prices are a bit higher, $18 to $20 for 50lb bags.

Soda ash and Epsom salt are about the same as yours. I get 25lb bag of Epsom from San Francisco Salt. It was about $35 for a 25lb bag and free shipping. Soda ash is from a local pool supply.

 

[zachtos]

Ouch! Zachtos, you are in Michigan and you can't find Dowflake or Mag Flake cheaper than that! Yikes!

I'm in SW Florida and we don't melt much snow down here, so they were both hard to find. I had a friend bring my first couple of bags with him when he came down from Ohio. They were both in the $15 to $18 range for a 50lb bag.

Now I've found them both close to home for a very different use, keeping dust down on clay tennis courts! So the supply is just a few miles away and the prices are a bit higher, $18 to $20 for 50lb bags.

Soda ash and Epsom salt are about the same as yours. I get 25lb bag of Epsom from San Francisco Salt. It was about $35 for a 25lb bag and free shipping. Soda ash is from a local pool supply.

Yeah, in WI now, but I will keep an eye peeled this winter for Mag/Calc and stock up. The links above worked well for me for now.



Here are photos of my 3 part dosing chemcials and bulk granular carbon. I placed them into 5 gallon pails for moisture control and ease of storage.
ABOUT $200 for the salts online, and $150 for the carbon, so $350ish for everything is what I paid. Hopefully last me 2 years.


carbon is cheap this way, $140 for 55 pounds!











Soda ash will be new for me, only ever used baking soda, and this is pool grade, but supposedly safe.

 

[EnderG60]

Where did you find the bulk carbon and what is the granular size?

 

[zachtos]

Where did you find the bulk carbon and what is the granular size?

General Carbon - 6x12mm, pretty much identical coal carbon we buy at the reef stores, but $150 for 55 lbs! 2 year supply for a big tank if you use around 4 cups/month. I've used it on my old SPS reef for 7 years no problem, worked just like normal. Maybe need to wash the dust a bit before you put in the tank.