Magius - 2-4-2005 at 15:58
So its spring again, and multiple department stores and home garden shops have started selling fertilizers. now, having read over this tread
(http://67.15.145.24/~sciencem/talk/viewthread.php?tid=74) I decided to go hunting for some Potassium Nitrate.
After searching the chain stores(and some local wisconsin chain stores) I was unable to find any products pure enough for my liking, many being
contaminated with Urea or Urea Nitrate. So, taking Polverones advice, I tracked to the local Co-op only to find that, lo and behold, they didn't
have any 13-0-46 (KNO3) fertilizer either. 
. However, while there I did manage to
pick up 50 pounds of 95% sulfer ($12.60), so the trip wasnt and entire waste. While there, I observed multiple fertilizers, the usual Urea and Calcium
Nitrate, as well as a 0-0-60 fertilizer. Now, not being a farmer, or knowing the deep significance of why someone would want a fertilizer with 60%
availible Potassium, I wondered, 'What could be its chemical composition?' Pulling out my calculator(always in my side pocket) I did some
quick calculations of the usual Potassium Salts (KCl, KOH, K2O and KO2) and found that none of them matched. The closest were 53% with KCl and 55%
KO2. I doubt that its KO2, but could they get off with passing KCl as fertilizer? That seems too easy.
Any Ideas?
Also, seeing as I'm out of KNO3 and NaNO3 for a while, are there any other Nitrates, such as Calcium or Urea, that could be used as a
substitute(ajusted by moles ofcourse) in pyrocompisitions?
JohnWW - 2-4-2005 at 16:15
Mined KCl, which has a pale orange-pink color due to vacancies in its crystal lattice, is used as a fertilizer, either straight, as coated granules,
or mixed with other fertilizers to give balance.
12AX7 - 2-4-2005 at 19:12
Hm, the KCl I'm familiar with (though probably recrystallized) is completely white. That would be mixed with NaCl in ice melter, which makes ye
most enjoyable aluminum flux.
Tim
Scratch- - 2-4-2005 at 20:23
I got my KCl mixed with NaCl in the No-Salt substitute. I too havent been able to find pure fertalizers and other things that people have been able to
find at the hardware and garden stores (KNO3, NH3NO3, graphite rods, CuSO4, etc.). I only recently found sulfur, its only 90% though. Do you live in
the US also?
EDIT: Er, forget that last question lol, didn't see that part where you answered it.
[Edited on 4/3/2005 by Scratch-]
Darkblade48 - 2-4-2005 at 21:57
I've gone to a hydroponics store close to where I live, and they often sell 500 grams of KNO3 as a plant fertilizer for $3 (CAD). If you try, you
actually might be able to persuade the hydroponics store to sell you it in bulk as well.
Unfortunately for me, the KNO3 I have are in round balls (prilled, I believe is the term?)
On a different note I've also found my sulfur at a local Home Hardware, but it was only 92% pure.
[Edited on 3-4-2005 by Darkblade48]
KNO3
MadHatter - 3-4-2005 at 01:46
There's always the option of ordering online but the drawback is a paper trail.
I ordered from: http://www.atlantishydroponics.com in the past. However, their
price on KNO3(50 LBS) went up from $19.95 to $45.99. I hope that's a price that
includes shipping because in the past I always had to pay the $20 HAZMAT fee
plus actual shipping charges. Search on the product code KN50.