Two Part
- Thread starter patchin
- Start date
seminolecpa
Past President
Prestone Driveway heat works as well for the CA part.
seminolecpa
Past President
Tim found some at a Walgreens in the Sunset I believe a last year in the clearance bin. Not sure you would have any luck now, but this is the time of year they would have it if they were to carry it.
seminolecpa
Past President
or you can get stuff here. This is where I used to get suff from before www.twopartsolution.com came about. Not sure it is any cheaper though..
http://www.buckeyefieldsupply.com/showproducts.asp?Sub=124&showspecials=124
http://www.buckeyefieldsupply.com/showproducts.asp?Sub=124&showspecials=124
fishnfst
Guest
purity supply in santarosa has dow flake.. Huge pallets of it. As much as you could want to buy.. 
Last time I got some one of my coworkers from petaluma just picked it up on teh way home and brought it to work the next day.. Maybe some of the "northbay reefers" might pick up a bag to bring to one of the meetings
Last time I got some one of my coworkers from petaluma just picked it up on teh way home and brought it to work the next day.. Maybe some of the "northbay reefers" might pick up a bag to bring to one of the meetings 
Gomer
Guest
I stopped by Leslies and they had both the Hardness Plus and Soda Ash.
Leslie's website says the soda ash is 100% pure
Somewhere (cant find the link) that Hardness Plus was 97% CaCl2 (~3% water)
Hardness Plus is 10.99 for 4lb (I didn't want a big bucket for 2 small tanks) or $2.75/lb
Soda Ash is $13.99 for 5lb or $2.80/lb
Compared to two part solutions:
7lb of CaCl2 is $15.99 or $2.30/lb
7lb Soda Ash is $15.99 or 2.30/lb
A bit more expensive locally, but no shipping and a hell of a lot cheaper then "Salt Water" products.
Leslie's website says the soda ash is 100% pure
Somewhere (cant find the link) that Hardness Plus was 97% CaCl2 (~3% water)
Hardness Plus is 10.99 for 4lb (I didn't want a big bucket for 2 small tanks) or $2.75/lb
Soda Ash is $13.99 for 5lb or $2.80/lb
Compared to two part solutions:
7lb of CaCl2 is $15.99 or $2.30/lb
7lb Soda Ash is $15.99 or 2.30/lb
A bit more expensive locally, but no shipping and a hell of a lot cheaper then "Salt Water" products.
sfsuphysics
Supporting Member
Yeah there's a Leslie's in San Mateo (or Burlingame) so they're local to me... considering not many pools here I've been using the Hardness plus for a while, basically just adjust as if it was kent turbo calcium (I believe 20% less per weight than dow flake). A 15 pound bucket has lasted me a LONG time, and it's even cheaper per unit than smaller buckets that Tony has mentioned.
Don't know if I'd use the soda ash, I just wait for generic baking soda to go on sale at a store and load up on that. 500gram box for less than 50 cents is nice
One thing I'd recommend, is go with half the weight recommended for the volume of water you use, then just double up on how much water you use, this makes sure you don't saturate the water mix up too much (it all disolves) because I think Randy's formulas really push near max saturation in. Another problem I'd have is massive precipitation with the baking soda part ONLY if I baked it first, Idon't know why. I believe someone said it could be a magnesium issue (although I dont' know enough chemistry to figure out why it'd only be a problem when I baked it), and I have given up trying to test magnesium because I have tried a couple tests and either my magnesium is off the charts, I'm color blind to the regent color change, or I am just plain retarded in doing that test, and being as those tests are pricy I've given up.
I've been using the Hardness plus for a while, basically just adjust as if it was kent turbo calcium (I believe 20% less per weight than dow flake). A 15 pound bucket has lasted me a LONG time, and it's even cheaper per unit than smaller buckets that Tony has mentioned.Don't know if I'd use the soda ash, I just wait for generic baking soda to go on sale at a store and load up on that. 500gram box for less than 50 cents is nice
One thing I'd recommend, is go with half the weight recommended for the volume of water you use, then just double up on how much water you use, this makes sure you don't saturate the water mix up too much (it all disolves) because I think Randy's formulas really push near max saturation in. Another problem I'd have is massive precipitation with the baking soda part ONLY if I baked it first, Idon't know why. I believe someone said it could be a magnesium issue (although I dont' know enough chemistry to figure out why it'd only be a problem when I baked it), and I have given up trying to test magnesium because I have tried a couple tests and either my magnesium is off the charts, I'm color blind to the regent color change, or I am just plain retarded in doing that test, and being as those tests are pricy I've given up.
Mr. Ugly
Past President
[quote author=sfsuphysics link=topic=3103.msg34090#msg34090 date=1203282631]Another problem I'd have is massive precipitation with the baking soda part ONLY if I baked it first, Idon't know why. I believe someone said it could be a magnesium issue (although I dont' know enough chemistry to figure out why it'd only be a problem when I baked it)[/quote]
High pH increases the tendancy toward calcium carbonate precipitation.
The baked baking soda gives you a higher pH compared to unbaked.
Low Mg also contributes toward precipitation. When Mg is high enough, it takes the place of some of the calcium in the calcium carbonate crystal surface and makes it harder for the Ca to attach.
High pH increases the tendancy toward calcium carbonate precipitation.
The baked baking soda gives you a higher pH compared to unbaked.
Low Mg also contributes toward precipitation. When Mg is high enough, it takes the place of some of the calcium in the calcium carbonate crystal surface and makes it harder for the Ca to attach.
sfsuphysics
Supporting Member
You don't have to bake the baking soda however, it'll still work regardless.
Anyways, to answer your question (to my best knowledge... but I know Physics not chemistry mind you)
Re: What's a typical tank uptake.
It really depends upon your load, I never bought the whole "typical load" nonsense anyone published in articles because what's typical? A bunch of softies and a few acros? All stony corals? What? My advice, is to to take a "hyper accurate" test, don't need to get any other test kit, simply double the amount of water you use (most use 5mL so use 10mL or 15mL) if you're using drops to count change and simply divide that change the multiple factor of water.
Example: I use aquarium pharm tests, which each drop is 20ppm, so if I double the water then each drop is 10ppm, if etc.
However since I'm required to put 10drops of "regent A" I'm unsure if I'd need to double that amount either (maybe Norm can pipe in here?) Personally I use alkalinity to test my tank's uptake, because its easier to test (a single regent to drop in), and I read somewhere changes in alkalinity become more apparent quicker than changes in calcium.
Ok, so you have your "hyper accurate" test (basically better than the test does if you follow the directions). Now don't dose your tank for a day, and take another "hyper accurate" test, then another day without dosing, and another. (probably don't want to go more than that), but after those 3 days you should have at least a rough idea for how much your tank consumes and can dose accordingly.
Anyways, to answer your question (to my best knowledge... but I know Physics not chemistry mind you
)Re: What's a typical tank uptake.
It really depends upon your load, I never bought the whole "typical load" nonsense anyone published in articles because what's typical? A bunch of softies and a few acros? All stony corals? What? My advice, is to to take a "hyper accurate" test, don't need to get any other test kit, simply double the amount of water you use (most use 5mL so use 10mL or 15mL) if you're using drops to count change and simply divide that change the multiple factor of water.
Example: I use aquarium pharm tests, which each drop is 20ppm, so if I double the water then each drop is 10ppm, if etc.
However since I'm required to put 10drops of "regent A" I'm unsure if I'd need to double that amount either (maybe Norm can pipe in here?) Personally I use alkalinity to test my tank's uptake, because its easier to test (a single regent to drop in), and I read somewhere changes in alkalinity become more apparent quicker than changes in calcium.
Ok, so you have your "hyper accurate" test (basically better than the test does if you follow the directions). Now don't dose your tank for a day, and take another "hyper accurate" test, then another day without dosing, and another. (probably don't want to go more than that), but after those 3 days you should have at least a rough idea for how much your tank consumes and can dose accordingly.
patchin
Supporting Member
Went out yesterday to Leslie's Polls and bought their Hardness product for my Ca. Had baking soda in the freezer. Mixed up my two part. Did my water tests and used the Two Part calculator to figure out what I needed to add to get up to Mr Ugly's reading. Made the Two Part half strength per Mike. Readings weren't too far off, so I added half needed to bring my readings up to normal. Will add the rest tomorrow.
Then I'll start daily dosing.
Thanks to everyone for your help! Let's hope things go well!
Then I'll start daily dosing.
Thanks to everyone for your help! Let's hope things go well!