Dowflake???

treedog5 · Jul 25, 2016

So I have decided to give the Randy Farley DIY two part dosing a try. My first road block is I can't find anywhere to buy DowFlake, which is the ingredient used to make the calcium. Would anyone know where I could find some?

fab · Jul 25, 2016

It is all over the internet. Is Dowflake safe to use? Whenever I have bought de-icing salt it appeared visually to be dirty looking. That said, I never bought Dowflake brand.

Breadman03 · Jul 25, 2016

You have two challenges: NC doesn't get as cool as the Northern states, and it's summer.

I have a Mom & Pop hardware store that will order pretty much anything for anyone. I'd probably try your local Ace hardware and see if they can get it in.

beaslbob · Jul 25, 2016

treedog5 said:
So I have decided to give the Randy Farley DIY two part dosing a try. My first road block is I can't find anywhere to buy DowFlake, which is the ingredient used to make the calcium. Would anyone know where I could find some?

try you local redimix companies. calcium chloride is used to speed hardening of concrete at lower temperatures. I got a 25 pound of cal chlor (anhydrous 92-96%) for $8 that way. Actually that was their normal price. They felt sorry for me and just gave me a bag. LOL

the really hard to find part is the magnesium chloride. Which I got from a local industrial chemical supplier. That was on the order of $20-$25 for a 50 pound bag.

Best of luck.

my .02

treedog5 · Jul 25, 2016

Ok, so what's the best alternative to dowflake? I saw in the article about using the pellets, which is the best to use from your experience?

beaslbob · Jul 26, 2016

treedog5 said:
Ok, so what's the best alternative to dowflake? I saw in the article about using the pellets, which is the best to use from your experience?

IMHO is not the form (pellets vrs flake) but the purity. Dow flake produced a few years after the diy two part article had some bromide in it for instance. I have use tetra flake, cal chlor with no noticed adverse effects.
From what I hear "food grade" is the best because if specifies low amount of things harmful to humans (and by extension marine animals). But lab grade is not only more expensive but could contain low amounts of the bad stuff to fish/corals/people which does not affect lab experiments.
At the industrial supply place, I asked for an assay and contacted the QC of the manufacturer. The "bad stuff" was much less than 1% if listed at all. IMHO we use such small amounts that 1% or less of something is not worth worrying about. Plus I use macro algaes and those would filter those things anyway.
BRS has worked to provide ingredients per the diy two part.

my .02