Re: Buying KNO3

["Giancarlo" <gp at isaconsulting_com>]

I don't know why I didn't think of that before, my father used to buy
saltpeter from the pharmacy years back when he showed me how to make fire
crackers for my 15th birthday. Funny how times change, I'd be arrested for
giving my child a match these days :)

Anyway so I went to 2 local pharmacies and when I asked for Saltpeter or
Potassium Nitrate I got some weird looks and a big "What's that? what is it
used for?" I tried to explain but you know what it's like, if they don't
know what it is then they don't carry it. No one there had ever heard of it
before, I even had to spell it for them. Anyway, they took me for some crazy
guy who is looking for chemicals at a local pharmacy. Bummer!

So can anyone help me either identifying the product or come up with a
better description to give to the people at the pharmacy? Perhaps it's used
for .......... (please don't say gun powder as I'll probably get arrested
these days). It was probably on the shelf there right in front of me but
didn't have the time to go through all those products. What is it used for
these days that a pharmacy would stock it for? Is it an over the counter
item?

P.S. What happened to the good old days where a pharmacy would employ at
least one person who knew something about medicine or pharmaceutical
products? I have doubts if some of the people I met today could hold a job
at McDonalds.

Thanks
Giancarlo

--- Original Message ---

  a.. To: Aquatic-Plants at actwin_com
  b.. Subject: Re: Buying KNO3
  c.. From: john wheeler <jcwheel76 at yahoo_com>
  d.. Date: Sat, 26 Oct 2002 02:24:12 -0700 (PDT)
  e.. In-reply-to: <200210260848.g9Q8mGIY030450 at mailhub_actwin.com>

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Hey Gang,

Giancarlo Podio asked about a purchasing KNO3.

You can buy it at the Pharmacy for cheap. Just ask
your Pharmacist for Salt Peter, or Potassium Nitrate
(They're the same;). I got a 12oz of powder for less
than $2US. It's pharmaceutical grade so I never feel
weird about putting it in my tanks.

I couldn't find a stump remover here that listed
ingredients, either.

Hope all is well!,
John Wheeler