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Re: preventing mold growth in fertilizer via acid of some type...
>From: "John W. Lemons III" <john at johnlemons_com>
>I am getting some mold growth in my dilute fertilizer dosing container.
>Conlin/Sears suggest using .5ml of 9M HCl to lower the pH. Not having
>immediate access to HCl, plus the dangers inherant in 9M HCl, I started
>thinking of other ways to lower the pH. Acetic acid (vinegar) came to mind
>as being relativly safe and easy to store/obtain. Any thoughts as to its
>efficacy or any side effects? Granted, what we get in the store is ony
>5%-10%, but that just means I have to use more. :) Any other options?
>
The mold is growing on the organic chelating agent, which is probably EDTA.
I use iron DPTA, and have a mold problem with that chelating agent, too.
I tried hydrochloric acid, but when I used enough to inhibit the mold, it
precipitated out a good deal of the iron DPTA. I found that I could kill
the mold and sterilize the solution by heating the solution to boiling. I
have my solution in a glass bottle that is not pyrex glass, and so I had to
take care when I heated up the solution to avoid cracking the glass. I put
the bottle of newly mixed up solution in a large covered pot with several
inches of water, and put it on a burner on the stove set at "low". This
heated up the bottle and solution slowly and evenly, so that no large
temperature differences developed. After an hour the water was boiling
hot, and I then let the pot cool for several hours and removed the bottle
of solution. The solution has stayed mold free, now, for a year, despite
the many times I have removed the stopper to pour out portions.
Don't try heating to boiling if you have your solution in a plastic bottle
unless you know the plastic won't melt at that temperature.
Paul Krombholz, in central Mississippi, expecting heavy rains after a long
period of cool, dry weather.