Ice Melt used for Calcium

I've been using Dow Peladow brand ice melt.  It is "pure" anhydrous calcium chloride.  Dow Dowflake is "pure" hydrated calcium chloride.  Randy Holmes Farley analyzed Dowflake for impurities and compared it to other calcium chloride aquarium products in this article:  http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/mar2004/chem.htm

The Peladow that I've been using, according to Dow, is just Dowflake with the mosture removed.  I've not noticed any ill effects from this (and I've been using quite a bit).  So... the only snowmelt that I would feel comfortable using is either Dowflake or Peladow.  Although, I wouldn't be a bit surprised to find that many others are just as good.

If you want to try out a different brand, look for a product that is pure white and is mostly calcium chloride.  Pure anhydrous CaCl2 should be about 97% CaCl2.  Peladow is 90% and about 3.7% (other salts... mostly NaCl) so there is still a little mosture in the product.  Fully hydrated CaCl2 would be 70-75% CaCl2.  Prestone markets a snow melt that appears to fit this description.  I probably wouldn't use any product that was less then 70%. 

Re: the CAS numbers
CAS (Chemical Abstract Service) numbers are a unique number given to every chemical known to man.  The name calcium chloride might mean something different in France, but CaCl2 will always have the same identifying number.  To you and me that number means nothing

Edited by jfinch

You would use either the Dow Peladow or the Dow Dowflake.

Yes

Which would you prefer and where can I get it?

Either and I'm not really sure where it's sold .  I got my 50 lb bag of Peladow off a big pallet at my work.  I'll ask our purchasing agent where she gets it.  Before I noticed the Peladow here at work, I bought a container of Prestone Driveway Heat (I saw it at Home Depot and Checker Auto last winter).  I think that this material is packaged by Scottwood Industries for Prestone and is the same as Scottwood's Excel product:  http://www.scotwoodindustries.com/Excel%20-%20MSDS.doc  If I couldn't find either of the DOW products I would probably try the Prestone stuff.  As a matter of fact if you want to try this stuff out you can have my package of Driveway Heat.

The 2 products I seen at Sam's club must have been both Scottwood.  One bag said SWI but it had magnesium listed as one of the ingredients.  The 50lb bucket from EXCEL did not list the mag.  The data sheet you linked showed it at 94% pure. which seems pretty good.  What is the Dow listed at?  I guess I will try and find a local supplier for the Dow.

Ok Jon, I called up Dow and the lady told me that here in Utah the Peledow is often repackaged and sold as Prestone Driveway Heat.  I asked her if it was the exact same stuff and she said yes.  I also found a place that sells the package by Dow.  Challenger Idustrial buys it by the truck load but he also says he has the 50lb bags from Dow for $18.  He is taking a bag home for me tonight to pick up in South Jordan.

So you are using this as an unbalanced calcium additive? What do you use to keep your alk up?  What would be the advantage of this over something like Kalkwaser? Both are pretty cheap. Can this be added faster than kalkwaser?

Jared,  unbalanced additive.  I use baking soda (or baked baking soda, washing soda) for alkalinity.  The advantage over kalkwasser is that I can add whatever the tank needs without really effecting pH.  The disadvantage is that is unbalanced and prolonged usage can lead to higher then NSW levels of sodium and chloride.

Kevin,  I'll check when I get home, but I'm pretty sure it had a Scottwood Industries logo somewhere on the label.

How do you add this stuff to your tank and in what quantities?  I suppose you test Calcium before adding it.  True?

To me that means just dump some in the sock in the sump.  But is this a good way to do it or am I just wasting it.

I like your method will.  hey john what exactlyis baked baking soda? and how exactly do you use it?

When you bake baking soda it will change it from sodium bicarbonate to sodium carbonate.  Jon will correct me if I'm wrong.