Lithaqua. Look into it if interested.

[crsublette]

For a long time, Mr. Russel Peters at PSKoi selled this product until it just became too expensive to buy due to increasing over seas shipment costs, he is required to buy it in bulk, and the decreasing value of the dollar has made it more difficult.

There is a "group buy" of it trying to be done. Trying to gauge enough interest and commitments so to order a supply that can be bought.

All I can say is that... I have experienced it to be more soluble than other calcium carbonate products I have used, which is odd since the granules of Lithaqua is actually quite large.

It is a bit expensive... Much more than the typical stuff you can buy for obvious reasons due to all of the hassle to get it... Last time I bought the stuff it was $85 for a 55 pound bag (1.25 cubic feet), which covers a 800~1000 gallons quite fine. Just last Fall I ran out of the stuff. It kept my pound at 140ppm (8dKH or drops) and pH has stayed relatively steady for a 435 gallon pond with a dozen (last I counted), approximately 8" goldfish. Although, keep in mind, I do not get any type of measurable rain here.

So, if you want to burn a hole in your hobby pocket, then this is good stuff to do it with.

If interested, give them a yell in the thread below...


Lithaqua Group Buy (http://www.koiphen.com/forums/showthread.php?143366-Lithaqua-group-buy)

 

[Dave 54]

I've used Lithaqua before now and like it its just the cost which if spread over two seasons I suppose is worth it apart from that I cant fault it as a product .
However it is made from calcified seaweed I note they say algae ?
Mine was made by Kusuri a local; company to us here in the SW of England Teighnmouth to be exact could it be differing companies using differing methods of production ?



Dave

 

[crsublette]

Nope, it is the same stuff. It is a type of calcified seaweed, that has calcium carbonate properties along with many other properties, that folk also refer to it as a macro-algae, which is what seaweed is.

I am told Kusuri is the UK supplier. In the states here, PSKoi, which is Mr. Peters establishment, was the only importer of this product, which he also sold his bulk supply to other outlets such as Laguna Koi, which is where I bought mine.

Here is another thread about the product, on a respected koi forum called Koi-Bito (and these folks are not shy about giving a good tongue lashing when it is warranted), Lithaqua and it's affect on pH. (http://www.koi-bito.com/forum/main-forum/4492-lithaqua-its-affects-ph.html)

It is definitely expensive.