HOMEMADE CALCIUM CHLORIDE ADDITIVE

[toddlaco]

I am having problems finding the DowFlake Calcium Chloride in my area, and was wondering if anyone knows if any of the other Calcium products that Home Depot sells are OK to substitute for the Dow brand.

I have found the following products at my local Home Depot:
Tetra Flake - which is minimum 77% Calcium Chloride, but also contains Sodium Chloride and Potassium Chloride. There website is; www.tetratec.com. Unfortunately, I could not find this product on their website.
CFORCE - which is from "International Salt" says it is 94-96% pure Calcium Chloride.

Does anyone know if these products are good, and is it OK to have Sodium and Potassium Chloride in the mix?

Thanks

 

[wade1]

There is naturally some Na and K in saltmixes... the problem is that you will send the tank out of balance if you dose for very long with them. In order to compnesate, you will need to do regular 20-30% water changes to keep salinity down and in balance. I imagine they can certainly be used, although I would be cautious with what the remaining % contributors are.

That said, I don't think people, in general, should dose straight Ca. Use a 2 part additive or a more balanced additive such as CaOH2 (kalk/calcium hydroxide)

Wade

 

[Nautilus1]

The best quality calcium hydroxide here:

https://www1.fishersci.com/Search?t=r&k ... +hydroxide

 

[Rinaldo Fontenele]

I sugest that you dose calcium chloride about 15 days and one change of water about 30 days.....
I start my reef 4 weeks ago and I dose Calcium Chloride.
The results are rewardings.

 

[Aquajal]

nautilus, the fisher product are so expensive for aquaria, better use any trade in the market, you can use 2 part aditive, but remembre to test be for ad any thing, i mean ANY!
if you just add the calcium chloride, ur can unbalance the ions of the wather, better do test be for u add any.
Regards

 

[Nautilus1]

What is the difference between Calcium chloride and Calcium hydroxide in the aquarium?

 

[wade1]

CaCl2 (calcium chloride) is a salt that dissolves fully into water. It provides 100% usable Calcium to a tank (which makes it very dangerous to use!), it is also the second half of the two part additives. As a salt, the pH is neutral.

Ca(OH)2 is also called Kalkwasser. It is dissolved in freshwater, but not fully. When it reacts with CO2 in the water, it creates carbonates. Dosing that resulting solution into your tank means that you are adding some amount of both calcium and carbonate (helps alkalinity). The pH of kalk is around 12.

That help?

 

[Nautilus1]

very clear thank you

 

[Altaaf]

Can i disagree? i find that caOH2 actually decreases alkilinty over time since it is a base not a buffer, suttle difference. usually frequent water changes help with the alkilinty or bicarb. About CaCl2, i was advised to use CaOH2, but if CaCl2 dissolves better, then why not use it? it won't then throw the pH out of whack as much as CaOH2? anyone got an answere?

cheers

 

[wade1]

Using CaCl2 is a risk due to the outbalancing of Ca/Alk levels in the tank. If you push Ca up too high, you actually cause the alkalinity to crash out of the system, which clogs pumps and causes many other issues (same in the reverse direction...).

That typically will not occur due to CaOH2 usage because of the input into the bicarbonate buffering system. CaOH2 is indeed a base, however, the addition of CO2 in water creates carbonates, which is a buffer. There is a set of really good articles on the topic on Advanced Aquarist. Here is one:

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2002/2/chemistry/view