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Calcium bentonite.

Zebra

By Zebra
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Zebra Shrimp Lover

Zebra

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Posted (edited)

Hello, 

Just wondering where people buy their calcium bentonite in bulk?

Ive done tons of reading and research, so far I've found there's 4 main types of bentonite clay including sodium and calcium bentonite, aparrently the bentonite kitty litter is generally sodium bentonite not calcium, can anyone confirm this? 

Or does anyone know a good bulk source for calcium bentonite? 

Ive read that sodium bentonite is from volcanic ash fallen and settled over ocean or salt flats where as calcium bentonite has fallen and settled over inland river beds.

Naturally cause of the salt I'm guessing sodium bentonite is not good to use with freshwater shrimp.- I figured buying kitty litter from the super market was too simple lol.

Cheers

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jayc Shrimp Guru

jayc

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On 12 June 2017 at 5:22 PM, Zebra said:

Just wondering where people buy their calcium bentonite in bulk?

 @zebra, a little bit lasts a long time. I cannot even remember where I got my pack from. But Techden sells some, Benibachi mikronecton or tantora montmorilonite. 

http://www.thetechden.com.au/Tantora_Montmorillonite_Powder_50g_p/tmont50.htm

Our other fav site sponsor Newbreed Aquatics also sells a variety of sizes (pssst, and slightly cheaper) https://newbreedaquatics.com.au/shrimp-additives/benibachi-powders

 

I don't know how much you need, but you can get 500gm packs.

Or the 1kg pack in stones (and crush into powder yourself).

Ignore the product description of "old sea mud", they don't mine this from the bottom of the ocean.

i don't know of any other bulk sources unless there is a quarry somewhere.

 

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Zebra Shrimp Lover

Zebra

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Cheers mate, so is all the stuff from our sponsors calcium bentonite or sodium?

I know you said ignore the description but from my understanding "old sea mud" suggests that it's sodium based from my brief research on this stuff.

Tbh I really don't  like any brand that doesn't have actual listings of what's in the product, would be nice if it just said "calcium bentonite" 

I also read that calcium bentonite is composed of calcium, bentonite and montmorilonite, then I hear people buying montmorilonite individually, do you think this is just a miss naming or something?

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Zebra Shrimp Lover

Zebra

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I've just done a heap more reading and found it's most common use is fining in wine making, there's like a dozen vineyards within 5km of my house lol, so I'm going to go see if I can get a little bit from one of them as they buy it in tons like.

Im not sure if it's exactly the same and your right I will be better off just buying a proper shrimp product from one of the sponsors but I'm just heaps broke now haha I spent tons on tanks and livestock recently. Lol

So maybe if I can get some calcium bentonite really cheap it might be worth giving a go, being food grade is a good place to start I guess? Lol Eh I don't know haha. 

cheers

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jayc Shrimp Guru

jayc

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18 hours ago, Zebra said:

Cheers mate, so is all the stuff from our sponsors calcium bentonite or sodium?

Like you said ... It not like these manufacturers label their stuff. Partly its for secrecy. But largely, it's because if you and I know what it actually was ... We would just buy the cheaper raw materials in bulk. 

?

18 hours ago, Zebra said:

I also read that calcium bentonite is composed of calcium, bentonite and montmorilonite

It's the same. Montmorilonite is just the name of a place where it was initially mined. Kinda like calling a vacuum cleaner a "Hoover". The name just stuck, as opposed to calcium bentonite.

17 hours ago, Zebra said:

So maybe if I can get some calcium bentonite really cheap it might be worth giving a go, being food grade is a good place to start I guess?

Yeah, give it a go. How else will we know. It's trials like this that grows the hobby. Let us know how you go with the vineyard source. At the very worst, you have to buy a huge amount from the vineyard.

Just resell it to SKFA members.

Edited by jayc
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ageofaquariums Shrimp Keeper

ageofaquariums

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Kusuri Klay is good value for a specific calcium bentonite tailored for aquarium use. If you are interested in a journey down the rabbit hole with smectite clays, try giving bentonite a google on qldaf. You know what I mean when you find the thread.

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Zebra Shrimp Lover

Zebra

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5 hours ago, jayc said:

 It's the same. Montmorilonite is just the name of a place where it was initially mined. Kinda like calling a vacuum cleaner a "Hoover". The name just stuck, as opposed to calcium bentonite.

Wow that's very informative and clears up a lot for me, That's a really good way to explain it, thank you.

I was just about at the point where I was wondering if what I was saying even made sense haha.

 

So is mironuketon a tottally different mineral clay of its own?

5 hours ago, jayc said:

Yeah, give it a go. How else will we know. It's trials like this that grows the hobby. Let us know how you go with the vineyard source. At the very worst, you have to buy a huge amount from the vineyard.

Just resell it to SKFA members.

Sweet, will do.

cheers mate.

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inkevnito Shrimp Enthusiast

inkevnito

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Where did you end up finding some? I know a farmer who buys bulk calcium bentonite and soybean hulls for the horses. Amazing that shrimp and horses share such similar things LOL @Zebra

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