[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
Re: Fertilizer Stability
Michael Grace <Michael.Grace at alza_com> wrote:
> Subject: Fertilizer Stability
> [Regarding diluted TMG]...
> > It's fine. It's only diluted, no conversions. The "unbinding" can be
> > done by time, heat, bright light, and chemicals rxns.
> I use Karl Schoeler's Natural Gold, which is similar to TMG, stored in an
> amber bottle I got from a lab where I used to work. I keep it in the hood
> on the cover glass with a 55w AH Supply CF mounted 2 inches above the glass.
> Is the amber bottle sufficient protection in this location?
Tough to say. We keep lots of light-sensitive chemicals in amber
bottles at work. Some will degrade and some stay stable. The
bottles for the ones that degrade can usually be fixed by wrapping
aluminum foil around the bottle, right up to the cap. To be safe, I'd
move it to a darker spot; in a cabinet, in the frig, inside another
container, etc. If I remember correctly, Tropica's Mastergrow says
store out of light.
> What about KNO3? I keep this in a clear bottle. Will KNO3 degrade in this
> environment? Even on other tanks where I store it under the stand it
> eventually grows a little _fuzzy_ stuff.
It's stable, as well as the vast majority of the salts we use. It's just
the chelated stuff that degrades so easy. I wouldn't worry about the
fuzzy stuff. It's probably bacteria, or excess KNO3 falling out of
solution. A 30% solution is pretty close to the saturation point. If it
bothers you, make smaller volumes of solutions or weaker
concentrations.
Jamie <"\\\>< Aquatic plants, water chemistry, and cichlids
http://www.ais-gwd.com/~jjirons