PelaDow substitute

[Sarmo]

i've read about how peladow is less pure now because of a change in the refining process and that it is no longer suitable as a calcium additive. i can't remember what is left in it that was once refined out but that doesn't matter i guess.

what is everyone using to keep your calcium levels up????

i know a calcium reactor is a good idea but i've used one in the past and don't want to go down that path right now. i may set up a Kalk drip but that only maintains calcium and i don't evaporate much water each day.

any ideas would be helpful. cost is important but the life in my system is more important!

thanks

[Ninong]

i've read about how peladow is less pure now because of a change in the refining process and that it is no longer suitable as a calcium additive. i can't remember what is left in it that was once refined out but that doesn't matter i guess.

Boron is the issue. It's much higher now than it was before in PelaDow and DowFlake. According to Randy Holmes-Farley, ALL of Dow's products now have raised levels of bromide making them unacceptable. Randy is recommending limewater (Kalkwasser) as a better alternative. Here is a link to a thread on another board in which Randy explains the problem with the Dow products and where he recommends limewater as a better alternative right now.

what is everyone using to keep your calcium levels up????

I used limewater but this may be inadequate if you don't have a lot of evaporation and/or your tank has high calcium demand.

i know a calcium reactor is a good idea but i've used one in the past and don't want to go down that path right now.

That's certainly the best way to go, especially for a large tank. My tank was only 120 gallons. I used Mrs. Wages Pickling Lime to make my limewater. It's 100% pure food grade calcium hydroxide, Ca(OH)2. I recently saw it at the local Wal-Mart Supercenter for only $1.99/lb. It's in the canning section, not in the grocery department. It's next to all the Ball's glass mason jars. They don't always have it.

For really large tanks, you can purchase 50-lb bags of calcium hydroxide from Mississippi Lime Company. I found this company online selling 5 lbs for only $10.38 or 20 lbs for only $36.59. Someone else on Reefland has already ordered from them successfully after I gave him the same link.

i may set up a Kalk drip but that only maintains calcium...

It maintains calcium and alkalinity. It is a balanced additive. What it doesn't maintain is magnesium. I used ESV's Magnesium additive product but this could be very expensive for a large tank. Whatever you do, do NOT use epsom salts, Randy explains exactly why in this article on DIY Mg additives. My personal experience using epsom salts is that some fish are sensitive to it. And that was with small additions that were thoroughly mixed with tankwater outside the tank before being added.

[Sarmo]

thanks for all the info. what do you use to suppliment Mg? and Ca?

[Ninong]

As I said above, I used ESV's Mg additive product. I used limewater for maintaining calcium and alkalinity. Whenever I needed a boost in calcium, is used the calcium component of ESV's B-Ionic product.

[charlie]

I still have some of that lab grade stuff, Rob!!!!

[Sarmo]

hey charlie,
i am almost out of my old Peladow. you got yours from Kevin? i am really use to using the calcium chloride and 6:1 to keep levels up. i guess i need to get going with a Kalk bucket but i am worried about pH and over dosing. the other system has worked well for me for quite a while now and i hate change.... i wonder if you can get the CaCl2 from Kevin still? the Kalk seems like the cheapest way to go if it will maintain Calcium levels in my system... i guess i can just try it and see how things go.. i guess the worst thing that can happen is if i some how dump a 5 gallon bucket of the Kalk water into my system. i think it could probably handle that except the pH shift????

Charlie, how do you like using Kalk?

[charlie]

Can you call me tonight???

You have seen the results of my kalk use, I think I am pretty happy.

[kevinpo]

Hi Rob,
You can get calcium chloride in 5 gal pails. If you run a fan across your sump or refugium you will increase your evaporation rate 3-5 gallons which will allow you to use more calcium hydroxide (unless your tank is vented outside this may not be good for your house because of the added humidity). In my tank I used to drip in 5 gallons a night of kalkwasser. I now use Kalkwasser reactors on the 600 and 450 that replace all evaporated water with kalkwasser.

The problem over time with big stony coral tanks becomes the build up of chloride and sulfate molecules. Regular water changes will help reduce the buildup. I use a lab grade combination of magnesium sulfate and magnesium chloride to maintain magnesium levels from Randy's recipe.

Regards,
Kevin

[Sarmo]

Thanks Kevin,
does the calcium chloride you use have high levels of (Bromine or Boron)? if not how much is a 5 gallon bucket? i use to get a 50# bag of Peladow for $16. also do you get the magnesium suppliment from the same place? do you have both at the shop? i may be coming ovet this weekend and would love to get a Copperbanded some CaCl2, my skimmer and maybe a frag or two i decided to fill the new skimmer from the overflow, less electricity.....

evaporation would be a problem because my sump is in the crawl space and i don't have good ventilation down there so i keep both the sump and fuge covered. i'm not sure what my total evaporation is per day because i use an ATO. i don't think it is much though.