bulk reef supply group purchase

[beaslbob]

Just saw on the "other board" a thread about a possible group buy.

Perhaps someone could post in that thread how inexpensive we can get calcium chloride and magnesium chloride here in huntsville.

The last time I tried, I could get 25 pounds of anhydrous calcium chloride for $8. And technical grade 50 pounds bags of calcium choride and magnesium chloride were still under $50 with tax for both bags.

my .02

 

[gnoles]

You need to share that with everyone here... Sources, man, sources.

The only thing I bought in the group buy was rust. Now you get a good deal on high capacity GFO, let me know!

 

[Tomoko Schum]

It's Brenntag Mid-South in Madison:

395 Swancott Rd
Madison, AL 35756-8413
(256) 772-7200

I started buying Mississippi Lime Co's food grade lime from them a number of years ago. A 50 lbs bag of the lime was something like $12.00 with tax. They carry a huge variety of chemicals, and you can get them very inexpensively. They never asked me for employer ID number although someone said that he was asked to provide one.

A word of caution, though. Unless you know exactly which brand of chemicals you should get, you need to do some research on what's in the small fraction of impurities. MSDS sheet does not tell you what's in the 1 or 2 % of impurities. Even Dow Chemical's Calcium chloride Dow flakes, (I think it was the case of Cacl and not Mgcl,) is no longer considered the best substitute for calcium for reef after they changed their formulation or process.

 

[beaslbob]

+1

Also calcium chloride is used to speed hardening of concrete especially at clolder temperatures. So I called around the redi mix concrete places and asked for calcium chloride. One had dow flake at $22 for a 50 pound bag. Another had cal-chlor at $9 for a 25 pound bag. Cal-chlor is anyhydrous and therefore 94-96 % calcium chloride as is kent turbo calcium. They looked at this old f*** in "business causual" and no hard hat driving a SUV and decided to just give me a bag. Must have felt sorry for someone who can't aford a concrete truck, hard hat or dusty jeans. :xd:

Dow flake is di hydrate (spelling) (2 waters) and therefore "only" 79-82% pure.

Dow changed the processing of Flake a few years back and now has bromide which would not be a good thing for making up your own salt mix. But some analysis states it should be pure enough for our dosing purposes.

Brentagg does not have dow flake, cal Chlor or mag flake brand nomes. I reviewed assays on the brands they do carry and they do appear to be acceptable with over 99% accounted for. They have to ship in magnesuim chloride but do not charge shipping even on a single bag.

Last time I visited they seemed to be more careful about who they sold to. But still sold to beaslbob anyway. :sure:

Some aquarium suppliments (potassion nitrate) can be used to make explosives. Others (strontium chloride) are drug precursors. So I stopped asking about those. :amazed:

If anyone wants to test these out I do give away free at local frag swaps.

And just as a review, magnesium sulfate is epsom salts and sodium bicarbonate is baking soda. Both of which are available for a couple of bucks at the grocery store.

Bob

ps when in next narc meeting?

 

[Tomoko Schum]

According to Dr. Randy Holmes-Farley, if the magnesium chloride is from Dead Sea Works, it's good to go. Otherwise, tread with caution.

You are the only person who inquired about the next meeting, Bob. I have been way too busy this month to even ask around for the host for the meeting. Do you care to post a message to gauge people's interest?