I have been working on a long-term project, and the only component I can't seem to find locally OTC is a 55-pound sack of finely powdered calcium
carbonate. Home Depot and Lowes have various types of garden lime, most of which seem to consist of formulations of calcium carbonate but with too
much magnesium or undesirable additives or in a granulated form.
I could use calcium hydroxide instead of calcium carbonate, and I found a Quikrete "hydrated lime" in 55-pound sacks intended for masonry, but it has
a high magnesium content. Is there a good brand of calcium carbonate or calcium hydroxide available in bulk at the major box stores, home improvement
stores, or hardware stores? It seems like a shame to have to order only the most commonplace and unexotic component online....ELRIC - 21-5-2018 at 13:04
I have roughly 15 kg of dowflake extra. I picked it up on the job. The masons were done, and I assume they were using it to keep the mortar from
freezing (picked it up back in the winter). It has a very small % of contamination; that being potassium and sodium chloride. I figured they got it
from the Lowes down the road, but they probably don’t stock it now, being as it’s 85F here now.
Forgot to mention, it is calcium chloride, not the hydroxide.
[Edited on 21-5-2018 by ELRIC]
[Edited on 21-5-2018 by ELRIC]JJay - 21-5-2018 at 13:45
I'm pretty sure that Dowflake Xtra is calcium chloride (I find that Dryerite's is pretty good). I suppose I could just precipitate some calcium
carbonate from calcium chloride with baking soda or something....ELRIC - 21-5-2018 at 13:48
I'm pretty sure that Dowflake Xtra is calcium chloride (I find that Dryerite's is pretty good). I suppose I could just precipitate some calcium
carbonate from calcium chloride with baking soda or something....
I’ve done the same thing with this stuff, but used sodium carbonate, not the bicarbonate. I had a typo in my previous post, this stuff is the
chloride, not the carbonate. I’ll have to fix thatJJay - 21-5-2018 at 16:22
I'm still hoping I can find sacks of lime somewhere... you wouldn't believe the weird looks people give you when you pick up kitchen supplies with a
forklift!
Also, I'm trying to avoid mixing chemicals in 55 gallon garbage cans, and buying calcium carbonate is cheaper than making it....
Calcium Hydroxide
FloridaAlchemist - 22-5-2018 at 08:51
Can get calcium hydroxide from the supermarket in the canning section Hydrated Lime by Ball. JJay - 22-5-2018 at 10:17
I haven't seen that brand... I have a few sacks of Mrs. Wages pickling lime, but they are hard to find on shelves and only contain three pounds each.repogreg - 22-5-2018 at 12:35
jjchemical in Ebay has good deals on large quantity 5lb up to 50 lb sacks
supply
repogreg - 22-5-2018 at 12:36
JJay - 22-5-2018 at 13:04
I am not affiliated with them, but jjchemical is a decent supplier.
I stopped by Ace Hardware today, and they have 50 pound sacks of crushed limestone that are 97% calcium carbonate. It's a light grey color and is not
ideal, but I think it will work for some of my purposes.
They also carry Hi Yield brand agricultural grade hydrated lime, which is 95% calcium hydroxide. That's also not ideal, but I haven't seen anything
better on shelves in bulk.RogueRose - 22-5-2018 at 13:17
Can you get calcium nitrate and then buy baking soda? heat the baking soda until is is just NaCO3. Make both into a solution (stoiometric amounts)
and then mix them together and you get your carbonate and some good NaNO3! I have some very pure CaCO3 from this, as white as can be. I always
filter my nitrate with a little cotton filter and then add some activated carbon and filter again. I get crystal clear solution on JJay - 22-5-2018 at 13:23
I have not seen calcium nitrate, but I will keep my eyes open....Carbon8 - 25-5-2018 at 14:51
