Ice Melt used for Calcium

I don't dissolve either my baking soda or the ice melt.  I just dump about 1 tblsp in the sump of each every three days.  I don't add at the same time but probably could.  This is on my 72g. On my 300g I dump 3 tblsp into the sump.  I figure it is totally dissolved by the time it gets pumped into the tank.

Edited by KeoDog

Use this:

http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chem_calc3.html

Bump!

It seems a lot of people are just using these additives in dry (powder) form and dosing that way... which kind of suprises me. Or did i read that wrong?

ffc3 wrote: There were warnings about high bromine or bromide levels in Dow products produced after 2006 on RC, enough to scare me into not using it.

I hadn't heard about that.  Do you have any links to threads (I tried searching, but their search engine is always too busy)?

interesting, this is going to hurt dow in the long run, I will make some phone calls tomorrow and find out what the process is for the supplier of calcium is that I can get for the pools. It is pool grade and has to be drinking quality, it is going into a pool.

Being food grade doesn't seem to help much either.

update: the product that I currently have is from Dow, and probably has the higher levels  it has a lot #va17cc32 but the person that I spoke with did not know when they made the change, I also have informed our supplier that I would like to find a product that does not contain these higher levels, I'll update as soon as I can.

trouble is I would love to know if these bags are safe or if I should toss them on the ice.....

is there anyone that know how to decode the lot# and tell me when this was produced maybe I have some of the last known good supplies of this for a while.

 e-mail from DOW, Introduction
Historically, Dow’s calcium chloride
has typically contained less than
100 parts per million (ppm) of
bromide.  However, due to process
changes, calcium chloride
manufactured by Dow in 2007
and beyond is expected to contain
between 6000 and 8500 ppm
bromide. The purpose of this
communication is to inform
customers of potential impacts on
pool and spa treatments when
using Dow calcium chloride
containing such elevated levels of
bromide. 
The presence of bromide in pool
and spa water is not uncommon.
Bromide is present when
bromine-based disinfection
systems are used (BCDMH,
bromine/hypochlorite).  Sodium
bromide is sometimes used as an
algaecide treatment for pools.
Also, bromide is a natural
component of seawater and other
"natural" water sources that may
be used as source water in pools
and spas.  However, pool and spa
customers unfamiliar with the role
of bromide in pool water chemistry
and/or accustomed to using a
calcium chloride product with low
bromide content for water
hardness adjustment should be
aware of the following information.
Health-related Information
The disinfectants (chlorine-based,
bromine-based and ozone) used
to eliminate microbial hazards may
also react with other chemicals
in the water to form unwanted by-
products, known as disinfection
by-products (DBPs).  One such
DBPis bromate, which may form
when bromide is present in water
that is disinfected with ozone. 
The United States Environmental
Protection Agency (2001b) has
classified bromate (and its water
soluble salts) as a probable
human carcinogen by the oral
route of exposure under the 1986
EPAGuidelines for Carcinogen
Risk Assessment.  In the
publication titled, Guidelines for
safe recreational water
environments, Vol.2, Swimming
Pools and Similar Environments,
the World Health Organization
states, "Ozone can react with
residual bromide to produce
bromate, which is quite stable and
can build up over time (Grguric et
al., 1994).  This is of concern in
drinking water systems but will be
of lower concern in swimming
pools."1
Pool Maintenance-related
Information
When calcium chloride containing
bromide impurity is added to a
pool or spa using a chlorine-based
disinfecting system, a drop in free
chlorine may be observed.  For
pools that receive significant
exposure to sunlight, an increase
in chlorine consumption may also
be observed.  The magnitude of
these effects will depend on
specifics of each situation.
Summary
This information is provided in
good faith, representing the
current knowledge and
understanding of The Dow
Chemical Company on the
potential impacts of the expected
bromide impurity change on pool
and spa treatment applications.
Due to the complexity of pool
water chemistry and the wide
variety of possible application
scenarios, Dow does not purport
that the information above covers
every possible issue or impact.
For more detailed information on
this subject, refer to the World
Health Organization publication
cited above.  It is ultimately the
customer’s responsibility to
determine if calcium chloride with
elevated levels of bromide is
appropriate for water treatment
applications in pools and spas.
1
Guidelines for safe recreational water
environments, Vol.2, Swimming Pools
and Similar Environments, World Health
Organization, ISBN 92 4 154680 8, 2006,
p.68.


"



Edited by bbeck4x4 - December 12 2007 at 9:59am

So, these changes have been in effect since January of 2006.  What I want to know is who is still using the Dow product(s) and how are they working for you in your tank?  It appears to me people have been using the Dow products after this "Bromine/Bromide" change in 2005 with no ill effects in their system.  Should I use it, or not?

anybody had experience with tetra flake or know a source in Utah since Dow is caput.
I too have been using the "bad" Dow.