Extreme 7300 Calcium Chloride

[loughps]

I need to bring my calcium level up some and wasn't smart enough to stock up on calcium chloride over the winter.

The best price I can find online is North American Salt 50820 "Extreme 7300" Calcium Chloride Ice Melter 20 Lb at Amazon. With shipping, it will be about $30. The "Technical Details" at Amazon say 100% Calcium Chloride. I found an MSDS here that seems to say it's 60% - 100% calcium chloride, so I'm confused.

Has anyone used this or found a better place to get calcium chloride during the warm months? I can get it from the local pool store, but I'm going to pay about $50 for 25 lbs.

 

[Bama Rambler]

Our local farmers co-op carries it and it's extremely right priced! You might check with them or maybe Tractor Supply.

 

[loughps]

Didn't think of Tractor Supply. I checked all the home improvement stores, but didn't consider them. Thanks for the tip!

 

[waskydiver]

With a vinyl pool, I am wondering why the urgency to raise your CH?

If you do need to get your CSI up for an unapparent reason, you might consider just notching up your TA and pH a tad until winter when dow flakes and what not are easier to find.

 

[loughps]

I have a heater and fiberglass steps and my CH is about 100 (it may be 90, I'm worse at that test than CYA), which is low for both of those. I'd like to wait until winter, but I guess I'm a little paranoid that my CH is too low mainly for the heater. I REALLY don't want to damage it, because water below 89 degrees is not swimmable to me and in Northern Ohio it's NEVER going to get there on it own.

That's my reasoning. I guess I should have posted that in the beginning too and let folks weigh in on that. I guess I'd already decided I was raising it and didn't considering including the reason. Thanks for asking the question.

 

[loughps]

So, waskydiver, after seeing your question and googling and finding this thread, I pulled out my heater warranty and info and see that 1)my warranty is expired and 2)they mention only pH, chlorine residual and TA as the critical factors to heat exchanger health, I'm left with only my fiberglass step as a concern area.

Makes me rethink if I need to add calcium right now. I know I'm low, so I'm off to google more about calcium and the steps to see how soon I need to take care of it.

Even bigger "Thanks" for asking the question!!

 

[Melt In The Sun]

Is your heater under warranty? Some heaters require a set calcium level to not void the warranty, even though calcium has absolutely nothing to do with corroding heat exchangers . If it's not to preserve a warranty, I wouldn't raise it at all. I've never heard of problems with white fiberglass steps due to low CH.

 

[loughps]

Melt In The Sun - Thanks. That's what I'm seeing as I read more. I should have read in more detail before I decided I needed it. At least I'm reeducating myself before I spent the money.