Buying calcium -- this is ridiculous

[kearpaul]

Hi all,

IG plaster 22.5k gallons
FC 3.0
CC < 0.5
pH 7.2
TA 110
Cal 240
CYA 55

I have been adding baking soda to tweak up TA. Also, I know I need to raise calcium. But finding it has been a nightmare. Suggestions from this forum include Dowflake (road salt?) and something Lowes has in 5 pound bags. Well, here in the Sierra Foothills, we rarely need to salt the roads (global warming :D ) and the local Lowes have never heard of the stuff. Our smaller building-supply center -- Meeks -- was able to order "Calcium Increaser" by HTH. But it's nine bucks for a four-pound jar! :eek:

I really hate to rehash this subject, but I could use some more specifics for what to buy. It's only calcium carbonate, right?

Peace,
Paul
_ _ _ _ _ _
They told me practice makes perfect. Then, they said nobody’s perfect. So, I stopped practicing.
Stephen Wright

[chem geek]

Paul,

It's Calcium Chloride, not Calcium Carbonate. It comes in two forms, Calcium Chloride Anhydrous such as found in Peladow (90% pure) and another form Calcium Chloride Dihydrate such as found in Dowflake (96% pure). It is also, of course, found in many "Calcium Hardness Increaser" products at pool stores. You can also buy it at The Chemistry Store (http://www.chemistrystore.com/cart.cgi?group=49899&child=49906).

Richard

[kearpaul]

Thanks, Richard.

Right, CaCl not CaCO3. No wonder adding all those crushed sea shells didn't help. :D

The Chemistry Store, ok! Except it's at the other end of the country (SC) and the shipping kills me. My cost for CaCl still ends up at $2.50/pound, unless I want 500+ pounds. I'm just as well off with the HTH stuff I can get here. Part of the joy of living in California, I suppose.

I didn't want to do this, but I guess I have to check out the pool store. :eek:

Peace,
Paul
_ _ _ _ _
The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation.
Henry David Thoreau

[waterbear]

Most pool stores can get it for you in 50 lb bags. It's not expensive when bought that way. Often it will be either Dow or Tetra brand.

[waste]

Don't know if this will help, but you might want to try one of the ready mix concrete companies. If you're expecting freezing temps right after you've poured concrete, you would add a bag of calcium chloride to the truck before pouring so the crete 'kicks' before it freezes (it's 'accelerator' or 'kicker' if you call them) - the stuff I've seen them add is ~ 77%.

I realize that you are in a warmer climate, but we used to use it in Richmond Va. , which isn't exactly a cold place;) Just thought I'd throw out the idea for you. Good luck in finding a reasonably priced source for the calcium!

[aylad]

Why not just chlorinate with Cal-hypo for a little while? It won't take the calcium long to get where you need it to be...

Janet

[CarlD]

That was what I was going to suggest, but Jan did it first.

Cal-Hypo is usually available all over, as either HtH or the other brand I have a mental block against. If you can get the 62 or 68%, it is better than the 48%--less impurities. But be careful with it--don't mix it with other chlorine types (once in the water it's OK--if you've been using Tri-Chlor or bleach, just use Cal-Hypo instead).

[waterbear]

Most of the cal hypo out there these days is 48% since it's classified as a class II oxidizer and not a class III oxidizer so it's safer to ship and store. A one pound bag will raise the calcium in 10k gal. about 3 ppm. This will be a very slow way to add calcium. Evan if you can find the 68-72% stuff it's only going to raise the calcium in 10k gal. by about 6 ppm per bag.

[kearpaul]

Thanks waterbear, waste, aylad, and CarlD, for your thoughts. I especially like waste's suggestion about getting a kicker agent from a ready-mix company. We have about a zillion such outfits here. If they can't help, I'll hit the pool store for a 50 lb. bag of Dow or Tetra.

Let's call switching to Cal-Hypo 'Plan B'.


Cheers from the Sierra Foothills,
Paul

_ _ _ _ _
Of all God's creatures, there is only one that cannot be made the slave of the lash. That one is the cat. If man could be crossed with a cat it would improve man, but it would deteriorate the cat.

Mark Twain

[CarlD]

Cal-hypo is actually very easy--you can't easily over-calcify your water if you check the CH level every week. It will go up slowly and steadily. There's nothing WRONG with Cal-Hypo. I don't like it because I use bleach and don't need calcium to rise in my vinyl pool.

[utahpool]

I have found Peladow in pellets is this safe to use in my gunite pool, need to raise my calcium about a 100 ppm. What is the safest add best way to add this? I found this at a tire store, they put it in tractor tires!

Thanks

[waste]

Sorry, I can't help:(

You want waterbear or chem_geek for this (or possibly Ben and others)

I just wanted you to know that folks are reading this and waiting for the ones who know to answer :cool:

[waterbear]

It probably is with the disclaimer that, as of 2006, Dow was using a different (read less expensive) purification process and no longer recommend their products for pools because of the higher bromine concentration. They also sold off their calcium chloride division and its brands in 2009 to Oxy. However, the amount of bromine added is small (smaller than if you had added a sodium bromide based algaecide) and is quickly destroyed by sunlight and shocking.
http://www.oxy.com/Our_Businesses/chemicals/Documents/CalciumChloride/173-01748%20Pool%20and%20Spa%20Water%20Treatment%20App lications.pdf
Tetra calcium chloride products, on the other hand, are still recommended for pool use (and is what I have seen and purchased in 50 lb bags the past few years).
http://www.tetrachemicals.com/Products/Calcium_Chloride/Dry_Calcium_Chloride/TETRA_Flake.aqf

[utahpool]

Thanks Waste!

Waterbear do you buy it from a national chain or a local place? I'm having a hard time finding it locally in Southern Utah!!

[dhanger]

I haven't tried them yet, but look at Hillbrothers.com. They have branches in California, Arizona, and Utah. I also need to get calcium to raise about 80ppm, and I thought about trying them, don't know if they sell retail (I doubt it) or if they have local distributors in your area.

Dan

[waterbear]

Thanks Waste!

Waterbear do you buy it from a national chain or a local place? I'm having a hard time finding it locally in Southern Utah!!

When I worked in the industry all the local distributors ( SCP, Superior, Horner Express, and Gorman stocked 50 lb bags or either the flake or the anhydrous pellets. (The first two are national distributors and the last two Florida distributors.) We used to have the Dow and then the Tetra after Dow changed their manufacturing process in stock in the store.
I have no trouble finding it still and the last bag I bought was from a Florida chain called Pinch a Penny (very much like Leslies) who carries the TetraFlake. Several years ago they sold Dowflake. I suspect they are ordering from one of our local distributors. If you have a mom and pop pool store around (but not a BioGuard Dealer, since they probably won't.) ask if they can order it for you from the local distributor.

FWIW, both SCP and Superior have branch distributors in Utah in several location so if your pool store orders from either of them (and it is very likely if they are a full service store) then they should be able to special order a 50 lb bag for you.

[steveinaz]

I have about 450ppm you can have from my pool! Free, local pick-up only. :D

[Watermom]

That's kind of like me in the spring. I could sell "helicopters" off my maple trees for a nickel a piece. Then, I'd never have to work again!