Where to buy limewater...

[MattP725]

Can anyone tell me what chain grocery stores they found limewater (pickling lime) at? I am in NJ so I am not sure who would have it. Also in what section did they keep it?

 

[reefrunner69]

I buy mine off the internet, it's only available locally at certain time of the year, when I can find it, I get it at Walmart, in the canning section.

http://store.yahoo.com/mrswages/mrswagpiclim.html

 

[Sparky]

reefrunner,
I found "pickling salt" from Ball.....is the same stuff you all are talking about? I was going to buy some, but the word "salt" sent up a warning flag. Every post here says "pickling lime", and I just want to know if this is the same.

Sorry Matt, didn't mean to hijack this thread.

Mike

 

[Anemoneman]

No it is not the same. Pickling salt is for making a brine solution for pickling. You want calcium hydroxide which is what pickling lime is. Ball makes it and Mrs. Wages has it. The link reefrunner gave you is probably the easiest way to buy it. Few grocery stores in my aea have it anymore. It's kind of old school. Not many people use it for pickling anymore. It is used as a wash to make pickles crisper.

 

[Sparky]

OK thanks Anemoneman, I did find the pickling lime at my Walmart. They had two cans left. I bought both of them. 1.49 each

Mike

 

[reefrunner69]

Not sure if you've used pickling lime or kalkwasser before, but IME, Ball's will leave a tan or slightly orange precipitate in the container, it's the iron precipitated out from the high ph and nothing to worry about. Mrs Wages is more of a grayish white precipitate, either way they are different than a lab grade kalk, but there is nothing to worry about.

 

[Sparky]

Thanks reefrunner, I have not started using any as of yet. I have Kent Kalkwasser mix and the 2 gallon drip tank that they sell. I figured if the pickling lime was the same stuff then why spend the money on the Kent stuff. Now all I really need is a recipe for mixing this stuff. I know I saw it in a post before I will just have to hunt it down.

Thanks,

Mike

 

[MattP725]

http://www.petsforum.com/personal/trevor-jones/kalkwasser.html

 

[Sparky]

Thanks Matt,
I am sorry about asking other questions here on your Thread. Anyway, I hope you got something from it also.

Mike

 

[MattP725]

No prob... I dont think they have it locally anyways. I have no super walmarts which is where I would think it would be... I will just have to order it online or keep buying kents for $13 for 7 or 8 oz locally.

 

[revhtree]

I also dont want to hijack this thread, but should I start looking at the benefits of dripping kalkwasser?

 

[MattP725]

Everything I have heard sounds like it is a great idea... it is a cheap way of maintaining and or increasing the calcium and alk levels. If you have access to the limewater (which is much much cheaper) it is definately a benefit. However I just mixed my first batch last night so I won't see the benefits for a while. I have started to get a few black spots on my LR so I want to get it reversed before it is too late.

 

[reefrunner69]

Definitely buy it online, you can get 3 or 4 lbs for less (including shipping) than your 6-8oz from the LFS.

 

[reefrunner69]

Definitely buy it online, you can get 3 or 4 lbs for less (including shipping) than your 6-8oz from the LFS.