Using chemicals from work?

[ellena]

I've just been reading an article about mixing up your own ferts and realised I have easy access to most of the chemicals as I work in a school science dept. Is there any reason I couldn't use stuff from work? As long as they don't mind obviously!

 

[BINKSY1973]

Cant't see any reason why not, as long as it's the right stuff, maybe put a list up here, and let's see what there is.

Cheers Gordon.

 

[ellena]

Thanks Binksy Do you mean a list of the chemicals we have in stock at work? We'd be here till next christmas I have to do the stocktake every year and it's a huge job!
They are labelled up with the chemical formula as well as name, so it should be easy to make sure they match those in the 'recipes' on here. I only have a small tank to set up (27l) so the amounts involved would be minimal.
Some of the stuff might be quite old, that's the only thing, but it's mainly straightforward inorganic stuff isn't it, so I can't see that it would degrade?

 

[TLH]

Aslong as they are pharmaceutical grade they should be fine. Main ones are KNO₃, MgSO₄, KH₂PO₄ and to a lesser extent K₂SO₄. Then of course you'll still need some form of Trace mix.

 

[ellena]

Not sure if they are, I'll check tomorrow.

 

[aaronnorth]

they should be fine, make sure if you have trace elements that is uses some form of chelator.

that is taking cheap dosing to the max

 

[ellena]

Chelator? Is that some kind of binding agent?

 

[ceg4048]

Aslong as they are pharmaceutical grade they should be fine.

This is not true at all. They can be any grade. In fact, the cheaper the grade the better, because you save £££.

Cheers,