How do you store your EI Chemicals?

[tcampbell]

Hi,

Just wondering, since you all all in Asia area where it is hot and wet, how do you store your EI chemicals?

They come in packages of 500 g or so. And with the humidity here it is easily for them to get full of mositure and destroyed.
Even a 2.2Kg of milk powder often becomes a hard solid lump here in 2 months from daily use.

Do you use dryer packets in with the chemicals? Etc.

Please explain.

Thanks

[tawauboy]

not an issue for me.
just keep the lid closed after used.
no caking for kno3, k2so4 nor kh2po4.

you can consider using another set of smaller containers for frequent use.

milk powder will cake. i usually transfer (1 week worth) into a smaller container. this will prevent caking.

[KeIgO86]

I don't not know what chemicals you are using, but all my chemicals are inorganic, eg. KNO3 & KH2PO4 salt, seachem flourish etc. I don't see why they will turn bad in anyway.

[tcampbell]

The humidity in the last few days was really high, it was raining a lot and I had a small amount of it in a larger glass bottle.
Yesterday when I went to open it I noticed that the KH2PO4 was almost like a paste, as if water was mixed with it. But it was more the consistancy of toothpaste. Very strange, went from being a powder form to this mixture, almost like it sucked all the mosture out of the air. IT was only opened to add to the tank and then closed and no water had contact with it.

Why I am fearing is I just ordered 500 g of each and don't want to have it all go like this. Not used to the high humidity. Never had that problem?

[|squee|]

I never had that kind of problem. My bottles have been with me for about 2 years now and they are still dry.

Mine has a screw on cap, with another cover inside. They're kept under my tank.

[brianclaw]

Most of my powders and fish foods are kept(clearly labelled) in their respective containers in my fridge.

[KeIgO86]

The first thing is, why is your KH2PO4 in powder form? Is there some other component in yours? I got mine from a widely used local brand and its in the form of salt crystals (similar to common table salt) instead of powder form. It is stated on the container that its 98% pure KH2PO4.

In fact, my KNO3 salt is giving me more problems than KH2PO4 as they sometimes stick together in bigger clumps but can be easily broken up again by applying pressure with my fingers.

Is your glass container air tight? Its best to store these stuff in air tight containers. If it is, I suspect there's something else in your KH2PO4. Probably a chemical reaction turned it into toothpaste like stuff. Brief moments between opening and closing the container daily due to usage probably will not expose the salt to that much moisture that it turns into toothpaste like stuff. I live in singapore and we experience up to 100% humidity every morning, whole year round, can be seen with the condensation of morning dew on our cars almost every morning. But my ferts are still dry after 2 years.

[|squee|]

My KH2PO4 is in powder form though, still dry after all these years.

[medicineman]

Many of your ferts are hygroscopic. The best way to keep them is inside a well-sealed container and put in a package of silica gel along into the container. That should keep excess moisture locked inside the packaging low enough and prevent any wetness to your chemicals. A good place to stow away the container is your fridge. Its relative humidity, cooler temp and sealed off from UV/light will help even more. This is very important when you deal those liquid chelated trace element ferts, try it and see the difference in the shelf life of product.

[tcampbell]

Thanks for all your suggestions. I will purchase a few well sealed containers for them. Still haven't located a sourse of KNO3 in taiwan which will allow me to buy less than 25kg. Guess I need to check with some universities as I know they deal with these chemicals. Funny how difficult simple things can be at times.