Dowflake....found
 

For anyone in the Lower Mainland looking for Dowflake for their calcium additive, I found it at Port Kells Building Supplies in Surrey. I've been looking for it for almost a year, and so far this is the only place in Canada that I've seen it.

Now if I could only find the Dead Sea Works magnesium chloride....

What size bags?

Thanks

Rich.......

Hi Reefer Rob,

If you are in a bind, I know that Univar Canada in Calgary can get you both the Dow and Mag Flakes.

This link may be of assistance:
http://www.univarcanada.com/manufact...specialist.htm
You have two contacts in Vancouver :).

To complete the 3 part magnesium, go to the local drug store and buy yourself a jug of Epsom salt, I use the Rexall brand. The Mag flakes will last a very long time :).

Good luck

If you are using epsom salts for your mg suppliment, I have tried both the Magnesium Sulfate (most common) and Magnesium Sulfate Hepthahydrate not as comon but I think it works far better. No scientific reason just my experience. If you have a Real Canadian Superstore, they carry the hepthahydrate by the brand name "Exact" Epsom Salts bath crystals. 3.95 for 2KG and it is usp grade to boot.

HTH
Rich........

The Dowflake is in 20KG bags for $29.98. Still looking for a good source for Magnesium Chloride for the improved formula.

ideal pool andspa
 

ideal pool and spa on Fraser Hwy at 160 Street carried it too but the first time i bought it, it was about 30 bucks for the bag. The second time i went to buy it was 50 bucks. change of ownership...

i'll definitely be contacting the link for Univar to get the magflake.

Hi Chin,

Let us know if you get the Vancouver connection going.
I'm also looking for MgCL. I'll take 2 bags. Has to be Dead Sea Works brand.
I know that city of Abbotsford was using MgCl on the roads past few days and I'll be contacting them soon as to where they got it.
I just wanted to wait few days till the dust settles down.
Closest I got to Vancouver source is Thunder Sword Resources.

I had trouble making sense of the Univar website, not sure what they carry.

Another brand of mag chloride should be OK if we can get the purity specs on it.
Let us know how you make out with the contact Chin.

Almost everything you want for Reef chems is available at Univar. Last year I bought Dead Sea Works Magnesium (aka MagFlakes) ~$50 bucks for 50lbs. They had to special order it in for me in Calgary but I'm thinking they'll do the same in Vancouver. Dow Flakes is only $30 bucks. Sodium bicarb in USP # 1 is also available for ~$1.44 KG @22.7Kg bags (I opted for Arm and Hammer instead because carry 3 50lb bags home in one shot would have been a killer). And while you're at it, ask if they carry any GFO chemicals such as Bayoxide E IN-20 (used in water treatment plants)...don't know if it's possible but why not ask and you can do away with the expensive Rowaphos.

So there you have it, CaCl, MgCl, NaCO3 all in one shop :)

Good luck

rowaphos
 

I'll look into all these in January which is typically a low season for most people. Good time to pick at their feathers for any sales.

Clubreef
tell us more about Bayoxide E IN-20
sounds interesting.

Hi Chin Lee,

Bayoxide is a registered compound (essentially a Granular Ferric Oxide/aka Iron Oxide) that was developed by a company called Lanxess. They essentially have 3 flavors: Bayoxide E33, Bayoxide E33P, Bayoxide E IN-20. It is used in water treatment for Arsenic control which is highly poisonious to human consumption and also in industrial manufaturing for heavy metal removal (ex Selenium). The fortunate side benifit is it will bind to PO4 for removal which is how Rowaphos markets GFO (It could be a repackaged form of this stuff??..just my opinion, no actual proof).

The difference between E33, E33P and IN-20 is that IN-20 is to treat non drinking water (I'm thinking IN stands for Industrial use???), while E33 is for drinking water and is granulated. E33P is the same as E33 but is in pellet form and probably wouldn't work very well for fluidized application. I quoted you E In-20 and this is probably an error, the E33 is your better option IMO.

Here is a quote I found on the internet and you can read more about Bayoxide in the following link.

"Examples of tested and commercialized non-drinking water applications of the Bayoxide® E33 media include:
Aquarium PO4 Removal
Mining & Metallurgical Effluents As Removal
Food & Beverage Process Water Purification
Groundwater As Remediation
Domestic Wastewater PO4 Polishing
Refinery Wastewater As & Se Removal "

http://www.severntrentservices.com/w.../bayoxide.html

One other thing - I looked into buying some Bayoxide a year ago but I couldn't locate a supplier..(maybe Univar can get it in)..

I hope this helps

good find
 

Good find ClubReef. I will definitely look into this one ..... this could save reefers a large sum of money in the long run!!!!
Does anybody out there have any other experiences with this material? I don't care to hear about opinions - i want to know firsthand experiences or knowledge.

I can't find a listing at all for Port Kells Building Supplies, I tried Surrey and Langley. Can you post an address or a phone number?

If anyone does the group buy on Mag flake and Dow flake I'd like to know.

Doug

You can get Dow Flake at a pool supply shop on Fraser hwy & 160th.

Thanks Denis, I'll look into it.

Doug

i have not been able to find DOWflake so far in thunder bay. i have today come across a Univar product that seems to be very close to the dow calcium. has anyone tried this product??

ok i just noticed the search on this forum.. got my answer :lol:

Dow Flakes
 

In using the dow flakes is a Calcium Reactor necessary, and how do you add the magnesium. Thanks

hey lili check out www.reefvideos.com click the picture of the dowflake bag sit back and watch

Welcome to the forum blennie!! :cool:

Dow Flakes
 

Is a calcium reactor necessary to add the dow flakes and if not how do you add, and how do you add the mag flakes. Thanks

This how it's used:
An Improved Do-it-Yourself Two-Part Calcium and Alkalinity Supplement System


To make it easy you need 2 dosing or aqualifter pumps and timers, otherwise this is a low-tech solution.

thanks :biggrin:

Univar???
 

Talked to a sales person at Univar in Vancouver. They told me that they are not able to sell me any product. They are only allowed to sell to companies that have a business license to sell chemicals. They do carry Dowflake and Dead Sea works Magflake specifically. Gave me the name of a chemical company that sells Univar products supposedly in Vancouver and maybe other places as well. Company name is Anachemia. I would like to deal with Univar directly but don't know how I would go about it.

I know what you mean by hard to get the stuff.

Have you looked at what I sell?

ChemMasters stuff.

Is this the place?

Anachemia Science
3571 Viking Way 10
Richmond, BC V6V1W1
(604) 270-2252
(604) 270-2826 (fax)

That is the place. I contacted them today. I inquired about Magflake(Dead Sea Works, Dowflake(Dow Chemical), Sodium Bicarbonate USP #1 pharmaceutical grade, and Calcium Hydroxide for those that drip kalk. They have to be special ordered and paid for in advance. Takes about 1-1.5 weeks to get it in. All sold in 22.7 KG bags. I don't have the price sheet in front of me for these products, but they range from $36-$46 per bag.

I am still waiting for a product sheet on the CaOH as the sales person I talked to wouldn't commit to it being a food grade product as that compound is not normally graded that way. I got the impression though from the nature of our conversation that this is not a Home Depot type product for lack of a better term. (ie: it is somewhat more pure). Sure would like to know how the guy in Calgary got it direct from Univar as it would make life a whole lot easier, not to mention the price drops about 20% or more buying it direct. But I talked to 3 differnt sales people over the last three days and they are all adamant that they must sell through a licenced chemist/chemical company.

Hi Saber,

They asked for a company name and I gave them my workplace..next thing I know bags were brought out to my truck..that simple :)

Maybe Univar has dealt with too many grow ops/meth lab in BC and they're extra cautious..don't know hehe

Anyways..20% is still not too bad.

Good luck.

i mailed dow and they sent me a mail back asking what company i was from. i explained to them what i needed and asked the nearest supplier.. they didnt get back to me.. i would try stores that supply cleaning companies, thats where i found it