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DOWFLAKE?


Norboo

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Dowflake is sold in very large quantities - at least 40 lbs. A better deal is to go to WalMart and buy Prestone Driveway Heat - about $10 for 10 lbs.

 

 

Is the Prestone Drivewy Heat the exact same thing as the Dowglake?

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Its more concetrated! instead of 2 1/2 cups it more like 2 cups.

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I have been using the Prestone Driveway stuff for over a year and never a problem and great growth. The material spec sheet for Prestone has it as the same stuff as Dowflake, just in a different form (pellets). This pellet form has a decreased moisture content, thus less must be used (2 cups).

 

Packaged differently, but still really only calcium chloride

 

Reef Central Reference: http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/index.php

Prudue University Web site for tons of Material Safety Data Sheets (just go to the letter of the product): http://www2.itap.purdue.edu/MSDS/index.cfm?letter=D

 

Dowflake---- http://www2.itap.purdue.edu/MSDS/docs/8991.pdf

Dowpellets---- http://www2.itap.purdue.edu/MSDS/docs/8968.pdf

Prestone Driveway Heet---- http://www2.itap.purdue.edu/MSDS/docs/2558.pdf

 

another link for MSDS on Prestone is---- http://www.scotwoodindustries.com/MSDS%20f...Heat%20MSDS.pdf

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Lowes had it for $8

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calcium

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Remember the old days of dosing two part solutions to maintain Ca and Alk?

 

The Prestone formula is a substitute for the part A (calcium solution). Baking Soda is used for Alk.

 

 

Old days? How about today for me :)

 

Every morning, 60ml of each...easy enough the neighbor can do it while I am away by using easy dispensing containers from US Plastics.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I just got 2 bags of prestone driveway heat from wal-mart, $7.93 per 20lbs. What is the exact recipe? I've read a few recipes and all of them include magnesium. Is magnesium required for the mix?

 

How much of the mix should I use for 120g and how often do I dose the tank?

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I just got 2 bags of prestone driveway heat from wal-mart, $7.93 per 20lbs. What is the exact recipe? I've read a few recipes and all of them include magnesium. Is magnesium required for the mix?

 

How much of the mix should I use for 120g and how often do I dose the tank?

 

magnesium is used after you have finished using the entire bottle of calcium and alk. the magnesium part is a combo of epsom salt and mag flake/pellets depending on the recipe utilized.

 

you only use the two part to get your levels to where you want them and then drip kalk to maintain those levels.

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I just got 2 bags of prestone driveway heat from wal-mart, $7.93 per 20lbs. What is the exact recipe? I've read a few recipes and all of them include magnesium. Is magnesium required for the mix?

 

How much of the mix should I use for 120g and how often do I dose the tank?

 

 

First off, the amount you got is going to last you a long time.

 

The info you need on how much, when, etc. can be answered by Randy Holmes-Farley's article: http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/index.php

 

Check out his many discussions on Reef Central.

 

Adding this daily for more than 1.5 years and all is great, no kalk drip.

Edited by rioreef
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Yes, I got a lot but some of them are for my driveway :)

 

Is magnesium absolutely necessary or not? I have liquid supplement which cover magnesium. I am not sure if magnesium as described in recipe is necessary as in to stablize the mix or convert the mixture into non-lethal mix.

 

Walmart now have other driveway de-icer brand- called Road Runner, $6.93 per 50 lbs bag, has both calcium chloride and magnesium chloride. Maybe I'll follow up with Randy and see if he has experimented with this brand and if the mix of both elements are within appropiate amounts as given by his recipe.

Edited by TROLL
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I just got a bunch at White Cap. Kind of an interesting shopping experiance, it is much more geared toward contractors. 1st you talk to the sale guy, he prints out an invoice, then you pay at the window, then the stock guy gets it for you. They are out of a number of "salt melt" products, and they do know the differenct between Salt and Calcium Cloride.... but I guess they stock several different brands. The people were VERY nice and helpful, but the product was out in the yard and they had to radio back in forth so that I could be sure it was the right stuff.

 

ANYWAY, I'm fully stocked on the stuff now, so:

If you are closer to Fairfax

Would rather trade a frag for a some than buy 50 pounds,

Or just want to test out the whole Randy formula before jumping in with both feet...

 

Let me know.

 

Phil

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is the mag flake/pellet available at these locations? if so does anyone know how much it is?

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