Which Calcium Chloride to Use???

[Nick Rose]

I was wondering what Calcium Chloride I should use. Obviously there is the BRS, but I was wondering how safe the Leslie's Hardness Plus would be? I have two stores close to me that I can pick it up from. The only thing that the Home Depot has is Damp Rid and Ace Hardware has Safe Step 7300 Calcium Chloride Ice Melt? Is it just safer to go with BRS.

 

[WWIII]

Your last sentence is what I would type in response to your question. Just get the BRS stuff.

 

[PatW]

The Home Depot and ACE formulations may be fine to use. But they are not made for use in the reef aquarium. Those corporations are not really concerned about contaminates. Bulk Reef Supply sells there stuff specifically to customers for use in reef aquariums. If they mess up, one would expect them to take a big hit to their reputation. One would expect BRS to try to maintain the quality of the product. Sure and they will sell it at a premium but paying the premium can be viewed as insurance.

 

[Nick Rose]

While I'm waiting for the BRS Calcium can I use my left over ESV Component 2 while I still use the Baked Baking Soda?

 

[WWIII]

While I'm waiting for the BRS Calcium can I use my left over ESV Component 2 while I still use the Baked Baking Soda?

Is component 2 calcium? You sure can. Keep in mind ESV is 50% stronger mixed than the BRS. So for example if you're dosing 10 ml per day of ESV, then you would need to dose 15ml of BRS if you follow their instructions. Just keep an eye on it.

Baking soda is fine. When it comes to the calcium chloride, we just have no way of knowing how clean it is from random sources without testing it. The purity as we think of it could even change between batches or over time. That's why I just suggest to use BRS.

 

[SeaDweller]

I’ve used the Leslie’s calcium stuff with no ill effects. I think randy did some analysis on the ice melt stuff and deemed it was ok to use. Have you read his two part recipe?

 

[Nick Rose]

Yes I have read his 2 part recipe. What do you use for magnesium? Would a water change be enough? My salt mixes to 1350.

 

[beaslbob]

FWIW you can get calcium chloride from redimix concrete places. It is used to speed hardening of concrete at lower temperatures.

The hard part of the diy improved 2 part system is the magnesium chloride. I use a local industrial chemical supplier for that.

 

[madweazl]

Yes I have read his 2 part recipe. What do you use for magnesium? Would a water change be enough? My salt mixes to 1350.

You can but as your corals grow, you'll be doing larger water changes to account for the consumption. Initially, 10% changes were enough to maintain magnesium in my tank but now it takes 20%. I think one benefit to doing this is that the rest of the macro/micro elements (things we typically dont test for) are also being replenished.

 

[beaslbob]

Yes I have read his 2 part recipe. What do you use for magnesium? Would a water change be enough? My salt mixes to 1350.

With dr randy holmes-farley's imporved diy 2 part you mix up 3 1 gallon dosing solutions. one for calcium (calcium chloride) a second for carbonate (baking soda or sodium carbonate (soda ash)) and a third for magnesium. The magnesium is Epsom salts and magnesium chloride. Read the article rather than do my miss-quotes. LOL. You do a one time adjustment to get things in line, then dose calcium and carbonate equally when alk drops down. After using 1 gallon of the calcium and carbonate solutions you add 300ml of the magnesium solution.