Hi Tfrailey,
I have recently investigated the use of calcium hardness. I just received a shipment of calcium chloride ( ca increaser per se ) from the cheapest source ( Qik Joe ) for me in midsummer from a TruValue hardware organization.... http://www.midlandhardware.com/135210.html . If not for shipping, this product, for 50# would have been very cheap. Where you are located, I think Home Depot carries a product, which I know is currently available in Yonkers, NY area, for a price of $17+ for 50# so suspect you should not have a problem finding it. I think it is in flake form which I would have preferred. I did call Qik Joe company, great guy, and he said the MSDS was 92% + pure Calcium Chloride, no heavy metals listed, but no tech available at that location to speak with me either. Still, I prefer more Calcium than what is in the products sold by the pool stores.
I looked at a fish forum for their recommendations as they are really into purity. They like Tetra products ( Tetra 94 ) the best as it seemed to be the purest form with higher concentrations, atleast until Katrina hit when the company had to go to China for it's source.
I started a thread on this forum last week about calcium chloride source. Check that out if you can for other options, including Amazon, which the poolforum gets some funding should you start at the PF site. I do not think I listed the link above in that reference.
The product just arrived, along with my new K-2006 kit so I will make changes to my pool chems tomorrow. Will post after I have used the pellets.
Hope this helped you!
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