I have seen this a few times now, so I thought I would post a warning here for anyone interested in trying SR Aquaristik dosing products. I would like to start out by saying that I have never heard anything negative about the products themselves. However there is a major issue with the directions on the calcium chloride. The instructions on their website and what is on the product instructions reads:
Instructions for use: Add 500ml of the Calcium Chloride to a clean dry 1 gallon container. Fill the container about ¾ full with RO/DI or filtered water; shake vigorously for about 2 minutes. Fill the remaining portion of the container and let sit overnight before adding to the aquarium. For best results, drip Calcium slowly into the sump of the aquarium.
If you follow those instructions, there is a good chance that your jug will look like this afterwards:
This is not my photo. It was recently on a FB post and I have seen several different ones in the past. When you add water to calcium chloride there is a violent reaction that creates a crazy amount of heat that could even burn you. For this plastic to melt it meant that it was close to or in excess of 200 degrees Celsius. Twice the temp of boiling water. Most other products have a warning: CAUTION: WILL PRODUCE LOTS OF HEAT WHILE MIXING. Please make sure your mixing jug is adequate. That is assuming that you actually mix it correctly. If mixed as they suggested, you can melt plastic or burn your skin.
It is similar to the ice cube challenge where you put salt on your arm and then an ice cube. It creates a frozen burn that you may not feel, but can burn right down to your muscle and leave permanent damage. They previously also never suggest to remove or loosen the cap which could cause a container to explode with pressure from the gas. Several people contacted SR-Aquaristik, myself included, with the complaint on the potential dangerous mixing instructions. They have since updated their webpages to reflect the below, but I have not heard anything about a recall or relabel of current stock out on the market.
Proper instructions are posted on their site now:
Instructions for use: Fill a 1-gallon container 3/4 full of RO/DI or distilled water, add 500 ml of calcium chloride into the container using the supplied scoop and a clean dry funnel. Secure the cap on the container and shake or swirl for 30 seconds to aid in dissolving the product. Remove the cap and fill the container the rest of the way with RO/DI or distilled water. Let the product sit overnight with the lid loosened before adding to the aquarium. For best results, drip calcium slowly into the sump of the aquarium
Instructions for use: Add 500ml of the Calcium Chloride to a clean dry 1 gallon container. Fill the container about ¾ full with RO/DI or filtered water; shake vigorously for about 2 minutes. Fill the remaining portion of the container and let sit overnight before adding to the aquarium. For best results, drip Calcium slowly into the sump of the aquarium.
If you follow those instructions, there is a good chance that your jug will look like this afterwards:
This is not my photo. It was recently on a FB post and I have seen several different ones in the past. When you add water to calcium chloride there is a violent reaction that creates a crazy amount of heat that could even burn you. For this plastic to melt it meant that it was close to or in excess of 200 degrees Celsius. Twice the temp of boiling water. Most other products have a warning: CAUTION: WILL PRODUCE LOTS OF HEAT WHILE MIXING. Please make sure your mixing jug is adequate. That is assuming that you actually mix it correctly. If mixed as they suggested, you can melt plastic or burn your skin.
It is similar to the ice cube challenge where you put salt on your arm and then an ice cube. It creates a frozen burn that you may not feel, but can burn right down to your muscle and leave permanent damage. They previously also never suggest to remove or loosen the cap which could cause a container to explode with pressure from the gas. Several people contacted SR-Aquaristik, myself included, with the complaint on the potential dangerous mixing instructions. They have since updated their webpages to reflect the below, but I have not heard anything about a recall or relabel of current stock out on the market.
Proper instructions are posted on their site now:
Instructions for use: Fill a 1-gallon container 3/4 full of RO/DI or distilled water, add 500 ml of calcium chloride into the container using the supplied scoop and a clean dry funnel. Secure the cap on the container and shake or swirl for 30 seconds to aid in dissolving the product. Remove the cap and fill the container the rest of the way with RO/DI or distilled water. Let the product sit overnight with the lid loosened before adding to the aquarium. For best results, drip calcium slowly into the sump of the aquarium
