make your own B-Ionic

[grochmal]

Just curious if anybody here has read this article?

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/april2004/chem.htm
Here's the reefcentral thread: http://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=318191

It's a good read, and has me all excited about saving money...

If anybody else is interested in trying it out, I'd like to get a bag of Dowflake.
Just like SouthDown, it's not available here.
The product has many uses including deicing, dust control, and pool maintenance (calcium chloride).
I called everyone I could find in the yellow pages but nobody has heard of it.

So the alternative is buying it online.

This website sells it for $14 plus $22 shipping:
http://www.mainstreetseedandsupply.com/saltproducts.htm
It's a 50 pound bag so is way more than one person would need.

If you're interested, reply here.

[patharm]

Hi Jeff,

This sounds very interesting. I will do a little looking around as well. Let you know what I find out.

Patrick

[grochmal]

Well, I've only heard from Pat and Leo about this.
I'm going to place the order and if more people are interested later, they can buy some from one of us.

[robwsup]

I made a batch of this stuff. You'll have Dowflake for years to come.

You can use the DowFlake itself like Turbo calcium; it's almost as potent.

[grochmal]

Sweet.
Well, the order has been placed.
$35.69 for a 50 pound bag of Turbo calcium.
Not bad...

Too bad there isn't a local source for the stuff.
Shipping is almost twice as much as the product.

[patharm]

Hi Jeff,
Let me know when you get it I might buy some of it from you. My brother an I are interested it trying it.
Pat

[grochmal]

The Dowflake has arrived.
If anybody wants to buy some from me, it's $0.75/pound (bring your own container).

I'll post my results here.

[patharm]

Hi Jeff,
I would like to purchase 10 to 20 pounds. let me know when I can come over and pick it up. This weekend is good, my number is 374-0734.

[fahz]

Hi guys;

Just a tip for locating Dowflakes next time. Call Dow directly and see if anyone in your area stocks or distributes it. They use it for curing concrete also, and the concrete companys that use it stock it year round. The companys that use it just refer to it as calcium cloride and not by the Dow name but Dow can tell you who uses it.

Hope this helps
Greater Minnesota Reef Society

Fahz

[grochmal]

Originally posted by fahz
Hi guys;

Just a tip for locating Dowflakes next time. Call Dow directly and see if anyone in your area stocks or distributes it. They use it for curing concrete also, and the concrete companys that use it stock it year round. The companys that use it just refer to it as calcium cloride and not by the Dow name but Dow can tell you who uses it.

Hope this helps
Greater Minnesota Reef Society

Fahz

I called Dow and they only had one distributer on file for Jacksonville.
I called that company and they didn't carry it.
But they didn't sell to the public anyway.

I called all concrete supply, farm supply and pool chemical suppliers (all of who use it in other cities) and none of them heard Dowflake.
Only some pool places heard of Calcium Chloride.

It seems to be like Southdown, available only in certain areas.

[grochmal]

Originally posted by patharm
Hi Jeff,
I would like to purchase 10 to 20 pounds. let me know when I can come over and pick it up. This weekend is good, my number is 374-0734.

I'll give you a call this weekend.

[fahz]

Jeff:

I understand I guess up north were in a hurry for concrete to cure. All our guys said if it doesn't work they will put it on there sidewalk this winter. Our club just got our supply last week so no reported results yet. We have the same problems with Southdown I've found you need someone who's into saltwater at Home Depot then you get results.


Fahz

[lh]

Jeff... I would like a few pounds. I will catch you at work next week maybe on Tuesday and give you a container. Talk to you then.

Leo

[robwsup]

I may get it in the store when we move to OP. If not, I have about 40lbs of it.

lh,
where in OP are you?

[lh]

Hi Robert,

I am in Fleming Island Plantation, I have lived in the Orange Park area since I was about 4 years old. Sounds like you know the area quite well, there are numerous strip malls that have been built. Another member, mpharley (aka Mike), lives just across 17 from me. Mike and I were discussing your store idea last week, this would be a good area for a store. There is quite a bit of money living in the Fleming Island area (especially Eagle Harbor). I have had a saltwater tank for about 10 years now and for the past year started getting into corals. Like many others that you have seen post, I am discouraged by the quality of the livestock in town or the distance that those of us in this area must travel. Most of my recent orders have been online. As I am sure you know the disadvantage is that you must order a larger amount of livestock to justify the cost of shipping.

As Pat said in another post, most of us in the club would be willing to help you set up if need some help. Let us know if you know in advance when you might be in town for a weekend. Perhaps we could schedule a meeting to coincide with your visit.

Leo

[robwsup]

You are very close to where we are looking. We are looking at one space that is in the strip mall behind O'Charleys, and another in Doctor's Inlet on College Drive.

[patharm]

Hi Jeff,
I just want to thank you for having me over today. Your tank looked great and was a pleasure to see. Mostly, thank you for the Dowflakes. I know I will be using them as soon as my Ocean's Blend is used up.

Also, you might be interested in this new control unit from www.DigitalAquatics.com

Pat

[ldrhawke]

Jeff,

Compost man here........bring me 5 or 10 lbs and a bill to the meeting next Sunday if you have any left.

I see in your gallery that you are trying to get into the elusive SPS game. The key is keeping the phosphates down, along with other nutrients if you want them to grow. With too many fish and the need to feed, the only way I can keep phosphates low enough is by running a fluidized bed filter, alternating PhosBan and RowaPhos.

ldrhawke

[grochmal]

I won't be able to make the next meeting, but if you want to come over to my house, you're welcome to get as much as you want.

[Dog boy Dave]

Hey Guys, We use the dow flakes and the baked baking soda, It works great! I use a lot of it even with a Ca reactor and I needed something cheap. I still use ESV for magnesium though.
I use 4 tablespoons of Dow flakes and 4 of sodium carbonate as well PER DAY.
It works great and even at 40 bucks per bag woth shipping it is very cost effective. Feel free to PM or e-mail if you would like to talk about using it.

Happy reefing
Dave