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re: supplies and PMDD
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Roy Parker" <Roy.Parker at ix_netcom.com>
To: Aquatic-Plants at actwin_com
Date: Fri, 13 Jun 1997 20:46:32 +0000
Subject: re: Supplies and PMDD
> From: Doug Valverde <75051.160 at CompuServe_COM>
> Subject: re: Supplies and PMDD
>
> This may be dating me, but do they still make the chemistry sets for kids in
> which you can make small amounts of gun powder? My son is only 8 so while I
> know they make a variety of chemistry sets he hasn't yet got interested in
> making gunpowder. <g> Anyway, that was potassium nitrate. The refills for the
> sets I've seen are pretty cheap, so maybe, if all the bombings lately, they
> still sell these sets you could order the refills. Probably only a few grams
> but also probably real cheap.
Doug, you should be able to get this at most drug stores as
saltpeter. That's the stuff that is supposed to quell all those
nasty urges teenage boys have about girls.
It's a major component of black powder used for muzzleloaders, so I
suppose you could get some that way. I think it is in the 15-20
weight percent ratio (don't remember off the top of my head).
Sulphur runs around 8-10 percent, and carbon (charcoal) is the rest.
Probably all sorts of various trace elements in the mix since this
was designed to go BOOM rather than fertilize aquariums. If you're
really desperate, you can go out and buy a pound of powder and pour
it in the aquarium. It won't explode when wet, but keep the dry
stuff away from heat! The stuff self-ignites (explodes) somewhere in
the 500-600F range (like don't drop a cigarette ash in it). It won't
go off under any sort of moderate impact, like dropping it, or even
shooting the can with a .22 rifle.
Current price for the powder is $12-15 a pound here in Houston.
Gotta be a better way to get KNO3 than that.