This is my first post and perhaps this question has been asked a hundred times already, but, where can I buy alum? I live in Georgia and have been online searching but it seems most manufacturers only sell large quantities to water treatment plants. One manufacturer suggested I get liquid alum. Anyway, where can I purchase alum in any form for a pond about 1 acre +or -?
Thanks for the help
Ask your local water treatment plant. Alum is best priced from major chemical suppliers like General Chemical, GS Robins, etc.
Do a search for Aluminum Sulfate --- Buy the powdered (BEST) or granular alum.
Welcome to the Forum, kirk.
Kirk, I apologize for not having first welcomed you to the forum. Theo---Thanks for covering my poorly mannered butt!
Whoever recommended the liquid alum offered an very good suggestion. In my first post I said powdered is best because you need a HazMat certification to haul any quantity of liquid alum. Plus a 55 gallon drum has the equivilant alum as a 50 pound bag but is around 5 times the price. Here is the link to the main manufacturer in the world for Alum. They do NOT sell to the public (except for Tactor-trailer loads), but they will provide you with local distributers.
http://www.generalchemical.com/ Please be sure to read some posts on the proper ways to apply alum so you have the best and most cost effective experiance.
If after reading some posts you still have questions, send me an email and I'll be happy to help any way I can.
And again, WELCOME TO THE FORUM!!!
Kirk,
Your local nursery probably carries alum. If they don't carry 50# bags, they will most likely order it for you.
Welcome to Pond Boss Kirk and thanks for joining in. That's what makes this place work.
Kirk, Welcome to Pond Boss, If you strike out on any of the above contacts also try PVS Chemicals as they have an Operations Office in Augusta, The Corporate Office in Detroit should be able to supply you with dealers in your area, They can be reached at 313-921-1200 or Customer Service at 800-284-9735 , or
http://www.pvschemicals.comGood Luck
Thank you everyone who has responded. I emailed Kemira today and am patiently awaiting a reply. I might be too impatient with the water clarity as the pond was only completed in October and just completely filled up to the point of running through the spillway pipe this weekend. We got about 4 inches of rain from Saturday morning through Sunday afternoon. Should I wait and see if it clears up on its own? It has had water in it since October but like I said, is only now completely full. However, the water has been very murky from day one. I'm mainly concerned because my pond overflow goes into my neighbors pond and it is starting to taint his some.
Any words of wisdom would be appreciated.
You can get a "pondLog" to control the spillway water here;
http://www.siltstop.com/Pond-Lake.htm . Do a jar test to see if the water clears---Put water in a jar, leave it undisturbed for a few days, then see if it clears. If it clears, no need to do anything, if not, there are several ways to clear the water.
Have any of you guys heard of or used
this stuff?
I found a supplier here in the Houston area. I called Delta Chemical and a very helpful lady named Lynn (713-896-9966 ext 170) gave me the name of local company she had just sold two pallets of 50lb bags of granular/powdered aluminum sulfate to. I am off to the store...
Kemira does not sell to public. I got routed to three folks then given sales rep #, wrong #. Trying to find for client in Macon, county GA. Most local feed stores can get it. Phosclear on a decent size pond for purpose of clearing would be very prciey.
I thought so. I got routed to Estes here in the Houston area. He told me this morning that the Alum is going for $30 per 50lb sack. I have calculated that I need about 180 lbs. I'm buying 5 sacks to have some for later.
I am thinking about mixing it in a 30 gallon barrel and using my gas powered trash pump (2 inch) rigged with an old fire hose on the discharge side. The hose came from one of those hose cabinets in the facility where I work. It has the fire spray nozzle on it. I think it will spray fine from the banks to cover all areas of the pond. I could use a pump sprayer and my paddle boat, but that would take many trips back to the barrel!
Any other suggestions?
Kemira was bought out by someone a year or two ago and closed all public sales. Alum goes for around $8 per 50 pounds at retail. Feed stores usually double that.
Well, I paid $30 for a 50lb sack. Searching the internet, I was not able to find it cheaper. I guess I got screwed if it is out there for $8 a bag.
Man rainman I wish i coudl find it like that. So far billfish feel good it is $48/50 lb bag.
I think I found it for $11.00 per 50 pound bag here a few years ago.
Greg, I would think there has to be a half dozen companpies in Atlanta that would sell Alum. Contact some local municipal water employees, I bet most still use alum in their systems to find a supplier. Or use a link I edited earlier in this thread to contact General Chemical. They are the main producer of Alum. If you are getting it for $50/bag, who are THEY getting it from? Probably at least 5 steps in the sale to get to that high of a price. What major city are you near? I'll try to find you a reasonably priced supplier.
Greg, there may be better prices, but I paid $30.00 a bag from Estes Sept 2008 in the D-FW area. I don't know if there are different forms of Alum, but the stuff I bought was almost like very tiny beads, so there was no dust. I did some searching around on-line & in the phone book and that was the best deal. That price was for me to go and get it..good luck..du
I actually got the number for Estes from the lady at the plant that sold it to them. I suspect they are the ones who imported it. She told me that she had just sold them 3 large pallets of alum to them and gave me their phone number. I drove over and picked it up. The stuff I bought is manufactured in Mexico. (at least the bag is all in Spanish...hecho in Mexico)
Im near Atlanta but client is near nowhere but Columbus or Macon closest big city. I think we got it down to $38/bag with a little drive for them to get it.
Greg, I put a call in to my sales Rep at General Chemical for suppliers in the Ga. area. GenChem has 8 distribution centers in or near Ga. for Alum. It may be a few days since they don't sell direct and have a corner on the market----no real incentive!
Greg, just in case you lose the # from our conversation (and everyone else). In Atlanta call Kara w Industrial Chemical @ 800-476-2042. Granulated is $.30 per pound or $6.00 per 50 lb bag. Their minimums are $100 if picked up or $250 plus 1% if delivered.
The other company with several locations in the south is Brenntag. In Atl. their # is 770-429-1405. I spoke w/Julia and imagine pricing is very similar.
I just found a couple of suppliers in Katy (west Houston). Ashley Gardens in Katy can get it for $27,95 for a 50 lb bag. Also I checked with Ace Hardware store on Mason road and they can get it from NitroPhos (fertilizer manufacturer) for $30/ bag.
Last year I bought some for $15.50 bag so the price has basically doubled in the last year. Hope that helps someone.
did you ever try
http://www.phosclear.com/html/phosclear_pond.html ?
Did it work? I didn't see any responses.