Re: [GSAS-Member] Bulk chemicals - help!

["Clifford Miller" <clifford@clevergeek.com>]

While the topic was up I thought I'd get some opinions on the buffering
agents I'm using.  Better to use Magnesium Carbonate than sulfate?

I currently use a mix of epsom salts, baking soda and marine salt in my
cichlid tanks.  Nice and cheap, and easy to get at any drug store if not
already on hand. The fish all seem to be doing well (I haven't lost any
fish yet, including the 13 daffodils that I think were from Erik.)

Thanks,

Cliff


> Hmm, interesting... certainly a possibility for the CaCO3 (if not for the
> MgCO3).
>
> As an aside, I did consider going ultra-cheap with something like Dolomite
> from a garden center... but there I'm worried there might be TOO much bad
> stuff for the fish.  Various web resources seemed to confirm this.
>
>    - Erik
>
> On Sat, 26 Jul 2008, Connie Carlson wrote:
>
>> Have you tried any feed stores/livestock supply houses??  I do not know
>> for sure but would guess that these are also used as mineral supplements
>> for cattle, etc.
>>
>> It might be worth an internet search or phone call (DeYoungs in
>> Woodinville & Sumner Animal Grub in Sumner are ones I have dealt with in
>> the past for such things, but there are many others here locally) and
>> you could probably get them in manageable quantities if so (ie one 50#
>> bag).
>>
>> Good luck!
>> Connie
>>  ----- Original Message -----
>>  From: Erik Olson<mailto:erik@thekrib.com>
>>  To: gsas-member@thekrib.com<mailto:gsas-member@thekrib.com>
>>  Sent: Saturday, July 26, 2008 4:24 PM
>>  Subject: [GSAS-Member] Bulk chemicals - help!
>>
>>
>>  For the past umpteen years, Kathy and I have foregone the pricey
>> "Cichlid
>>  Salts" and mixed our own formula for our Lake Tanganyika tanks.  This
>>  formula consists of dumping in roughly equal parts Calcium Carbonate
>> and
>>  Magnesium Carbonate.  It's cheap, it's relatively accurate for Lake
>>  Tanganyika, and it's not so harsh on plants.
>>
>>  Unfortunately, our umpteen year supply just ran out, and we're kinda
>>  stumped where to get more.  We tried Welch-Allyn, which has reasonably
>>  decent prices on both, but they cancelled our order because we're not
>> an
>>  educational institution.  Bah!  How utterly annoying.
>>
>>  Anyway, does anyone have any ideas where one might obtain inexpensive
>> Mag
>>  Carb and Calcite?  Also, if others are interested, I might try to
>>  coordinate a group buy.
>>
>>     - Erik
>>
>>  --
>>  Erik Olson
>>  erik at thekrib dot com
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>
> --
> Erik Olson
> erik at thekrib dot com
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