[brooke]

I was just at my local grocery store, and couldn't find the pickling lime. I asked the girl at customer service, and she looked at me like I was nuts, she said she had never heard of it. After asking about 5 more incompetent employees, I found out that they don't carry it.

What does it look like, is it a powder or liquid? What section of the grocery store do you usually find it in.

Thanks.

[Samper]

I usually find it at Wal Mart or any other grocery store just so long as the canning season is in. It's usually in during spring time but some of them carry it all year. It's found in the seasonal section and is usually in a white jar with a green lid. It is a powder. Ball or Wages both make the same stuff but I've never seen ball anywhere.

[Reefland]

It can also be found in a white and green bag and simply says "Pickling Line". Be careful because there are some with other salts and whatnot, what you want just says Pickling Lime.

[charlie]

Here's a pic for ya.
I get it at Kevin's store in Spokane.

[charlie]

OOPS!!:slap: :slap: :slap: :slap:

[brooke]

What would I do without you guys?

Just a quick note to say that this is by far the best forum out there.

IMO.

[j_man]

what the dose per gallon of this?

[Poseidon]

Hi J man...

The dosing depends on your demand, and current levels of your tank. For me I use 1/2 tbs every other day, dissolved in 3 gallons of fresh water and DRIPPED in overnight. Lime is VERY powerful stuff, you can't add it fast or you will have all kinds of problems!

[Ninong]

Originally Posted by j_man

what the dose per gallon of this?

Two teaspoons of pickling lime (pure calcium hydroxide) is the most that will dissolve in one gallon of freshwater. You don't have to use that much if you don't want to. You could use just one teaspoon per gallon of water if you don't have high calcium demand in your tank.

You stir the powder into the freshwater for 15 or 20 seconds or until it is all dissolved. Then you cover the container and let it rest for at least five or six hours so that the solution will clear up. After it has cleared, you carefully pour off the clear liquid into a dosing container being careful not to disturb the sediment at the bottom of the mixing container.

The limewater (aka Kalkwasser) is now ready to be slowly dripped into your system. If you have a sump, it should be slowly dripped into the sump, preferably at night after the aquarium's lights are off. If you don't have a sump, it should be slowly dripped into an area of fast moving current. Ideally you would want to use limewater as your replacement for all evaporation. If you have a 100-gal tank, this could amount to approximately a gallon to a gallon and a half per day. It all depends on your rate of evaporation. In any case, you want to drip the limewater as slowly as possible so that it takes a few hours for it all to drip. In my 120-gal tank, I usually drip about 1-1/2 gallons per night (more or less) and it usually takes about five hours.

Good luck!




P.S. -- As has been pointed out earlier, be sure that you read the ingredients on the label of the package very carefully. Whether you purchase Mrs. Wages or Ball's, you want to be sure it is pure pickling lime (100% pure calcium hydroxide). They do offer very similar looking products that contain salts and spices.

[underseaworld]

I have looked all over for it here in Phoenix but no luck. Does anyone have a place online that sells it????
thanks

[Ninong]

Originally Posted by underseaworld

I have looked all over for it here in Phoenix but no luck. Does anyone have a place online that sells it????
thanks

Yes, you can purchase it online directly from the manufacturer but the price of $3.85/lb is much higher than what Wal-Mart usually charges. In fact, the online price is more than double what Wal-Mart usually sells it for.

Here is the link: http://store.yahoo.com/mrswages/mrswagpiclim.html

[Ninong]

You can usually find it at Wal-Mart Super Centers. It is NOT in the grocery area. It's with canning supplies.

[j_man]

Thanks for the instructions for mix. I did a mix once for my freshwater snail and cichlid tank, and I ended up with snow. It looked like there was a blizzard after it had all settled. It looked funny but I was glad I didn't have any critters in there.

[j_man]

http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merch...ry_Code=Dosers

found this kent system looks like you could dose and keep topped off an aquarium if you set it up right.

[Reefland]

I purchased a horizontal tea jug from Wal-mart and tapped it with a common air line valve to control the drip rate. Only cost about $5 total and works excellent. I only use it for freshwater top-off with a constant drip.

[CSeaSee]

Does anyone know of any other store that carries Mrs. Wages? I refuse to go to Walmart for many reasons, which are probably topics for a different part of Reefland.

[Poseidon]

Do you have a Meijers? That is where I get mine.

[CSeaSee]

Yes, I do! Thank you!

[Fish R.Ph.]

For the record, if anyone else is having trouble finding this, I picked mine up last week on-line at www.kitchenkrafts.com

The price wasn't bad ($4.25 each) and about 6 bux for shipping. I'm sure this is more $ than finding it locally, but no one carries it in my area (not even Walmart...and I work for them!). Also, it came in just 2 days!

-Jason

[brooke]

I found some at my local grocery store for $1.99 for the white plastic container of it. I was so happy I found it, I almost did a cartwheel in the middle of the isle.