Fertilizers or fish killers?

[rkilling1]

I was at work today (chem lab) and for some reason it dawned on me that in those cabinets, filled with chemicals, could be some useful stuff for my aquarium. Never really gave it that much thought before, you know, work is work and home is home. but anyways, I started looking thru them and what do you know, I was like a kid in a candy store, KNO3 over here (oxidizer BTW), KH2PO4 over there, and so on and so forth.
Talked to all the right people and as they expire I may take them home, great. $300.00 per lb or KNO3 for free, not bad.

ok now the question. I printed out a list of chemicals that we keep and and went through and picked some that looked like they may work for a Fertilizer. I have not had the time to research the chemical as of yet, hence this post. I will not includ the ones I know will kill the fish. 70% nitric acid. HNO3? it has nitrates. Nor did I includ anything with a health rating of 3 or 4. onto the list.

calcium carbonate. (buffer KH and GH)
calcium chloride (buffer GH)
Magnesium chloride (buffer GH)
Potassium chloride
Sodium Bicarbonate (buffer KH)
Sodium carbonate (buffer KH)
Potassium permanganate (algae killer at low levels)
Sodium nitrate

any experience with these? Thanks.

 

[hashbaz]

I have only seen potassium permanganate used as a dip. Do people add it to their aquariums?!?!? The rest should be fine but I would avoid sodium and chlorine if possible - think that too much of these can cause problems.

 

[rkilling1]

I have only seen potassium permanganate used as a dip. Do people add it to their aquariums?!?!?

I have only ever heard of people adding it to ponds. I'm sure it would give your aquarium a nice purple color though.

The rest should be fine but I would avoid sodium and chlorine if possible - think that too much of these can cause problems.

why is that? a lot of people add salt to thier tanks. Not that I recommend it.

EDIT: nevermind, some research dictates that salt is pretty bad for the planted aquarium. It retards plant growth upto and including death.

 

[7Enigma]

In low levels both chloride (salt) and chlorine (oxidizer) are beneficial to plants. Trace levels that is....they would not like bleach nor a salt bath...

Potassium permanganate is used commonly as a snail/parasite killer for new plants prior to introduction to a tank. A pretty strong solution is normally used as it apparently doesn't damage plants much. I don't believe it kills algae.

It is also commonly used in ponds (I believe for the same reason) in much lower concentrations which I hear looks really cool as PP is a blood red/purple color depending on concentration and as it reacts. This stuff is crazy hygroscopic (water absorber). I remember in a chem class I accidentally bumped a weight boat and some flecks got on my hand. I immediately washed my hand, but had dark spots over where the PP had landed.

For those like waterpond that might use this occasionally in a pond always have a couple bottles of hydrogen peroxide around in case you see your fish gasping at the surface. Addition of hydrogen peroxide instantaneously stops the PP reaction (so I've read).

 

[frostby]

I've also seen potassium permaganate, in a small bottle of a no-name-brand 'aqua clear' i at wal-mart.. oddly, the label said may permantenlty stain aquarium equipment. How Ironic.

 

[newfound77951]

I use Potassium phosphate, calcium chloride, magnesium sulfate and sodium bicarbonate from my lab too. Since I add such a tiny bit of the phosphate, it didn't make sense to buy a whole lb from Greg Watson when all I needed was a gram! (I did ask my boss first, don't worry!).

Most of those in the small quantities used for dosing would be OK, especially if you do the EI method with a large weekly water change. I think most people try to use sulfates or potassium-whatever instead of chloride or sodium (ie potassium nitrate instead of sodium nitrate) to keep the Na and Cl to a minimum but with water changes they really shouldn't build up to dangerous levels.

BTW, isn't sodium nitrate kinda dangerous?? (ie BOOM) 8O

 

[malkore]

NO SODIUM NITRATE

potassium nitrate is the only thing you wanna use to increase nitrogen.
potassium sulfate or potassium chloride can be used for potassium

 

[JDogg]

i looked up the Material Safety Data Sheets for some of the common chemicals i use

If heated Potassium Nitrate emits toxic fumes and is a strong oxidizer, considered a 3 for reactivity and a 1 for health risk and should only be used in a fume-hood. avoid contact with reducers, fine powder metals strong acids and organic materials...

Potassium phosphate releases a toxic fumes when heated

Potassium Sulfate releases a toxic fume when heated and reacts violently with aluminum and magnesium

all three should be stored in a cool dry place and avoid contact with body tissues...

 

[Plantbrain]

Agriculture grade bags of KNO3: 22$ for 50lbs
KH2PO4: 50lbs, clearly a life time's supply, perhaps the grand kids will use the bag up finally..........22$ and so on.

Pretty cheap.

www.Gregwatson.com sells all the ferts you might need.


Regards,
Tom Barr

 

[newfound77951]

all three should be stored in a cool dry place and avoid contact with body tissues...

BTW, sodium chloride is considered a hazardous substance in RI and has to be disposed of accordingly....funny, as I watch them dump it on the roads in the winter.

of course all chemicals should be treated with respect, but as long as you don't go baking your potassium phosphate, I wouldn't worry. Oh, and keep it away from the kids and pets, too!

 

[crazyred]

I've used potassium permanganate frequently to 'de-bug' my plants and would def. not add it directly to the tank. Yes, H2O2 will stop the potassium permanganate, but it fizzes wicked crazy with some significant exothermic effects, and I can't imagine that that would be great for the fish. Incidentally, it's marginal as a snail killer. I dipped every plant that went into my 55 for a long while in the stuff and still managed to get pest snails anyway. Algae & bacteria maybe, but I wouldn't rely on it to kill snails. Just FYI.

EDIT: 7Enigma is right. That stuff is WAY purple and it stains really bad too. Don't wear your good clothes when using. I always wear gloves too.

 

[MarkP]

all three should be stored in a cool dry place and avoid contact with body tissues...

BTW, sodium chloride is considered a hazardous substance in RI and has to be disposed of accordingly....funny, as I watch them dump it on the roads in the winter.

of course all chemicals should be treated with respect, but as long as you don't go baking your potassium phosphate, I wouldn't worry. Oh, and keep it away from the kids and pets, too!

Sometimes they go a little overboard with safety. Have you ever seen the MSDS Sheet for water?

http://www.chem.tamu.edu/class/majors/msdsfiles/msdswater.htm

Some highlights...

Disposal Considerations
... Dispose of container and unused contents in accordance with federal, state and local requirements.

Fire Fighting Measures
...Fire Extinguishing Media:
Use extinguishing media appropriate for surrounding fire.
Special Information:
In the event of a fire, wear full protective clothing and NIOSH-approved self-contained breathing apparatus with full facepiece operated in the pressure demand or other positive pressure mode.

Lab Protective Equip: GOGGLES; LAB COAT

Label Precautions:
Keep in tightly closed container.

I've worked in places that had this MSDS posted on the wall.

 

[jsoong]

Sometimes they go a little overboard with safety. Have you ever seen the MSDS Sheet for water?

http://www.chem.tamu.edu/class/majors/msdsfiles/msdswater.htm

Very funny .... Did you noticed the part about "no hazadous personal health effects when inhaled" .... I personally know of many cases of fatal H2O inhaling incidents .... time to petition EPA for safe H2O inhalation guildline!

 

[rkilling1]

Potassium permanganate is used commonly as a snail/parasite killer for new plants prior to introduction to a tank. A pretty strong solution is normally used as it apparently doesn't damage plants much. I don't believe it kills algae.

This is from the University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences:

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/FA032

(note, I do not know if this stuff will harm plants or will discolor our tanks, but it WILL kill algae and not harm fish at the proper levels)

I know, I know, fixing the problem and not the cause,