K-Lite concentrated solution

[ALToronto]

I made a 4000 ppm N solution by dissolving 30 g K-Lite in 1 L RO water. I've been keeping it on the countertop in the kitchen, out of sunlight but not refrigerated. After two weeks, I have 2/3 of the bottle left, but now there are cloudy billows floating on the bottom of the bottle. I realize it's bacteria, but is the concentrate still ok to use? Or are the critters devouring all the nitrogen?

If I need to throw it out, should I keep the concentrate in the fridge from now on?

 

[gonewild]

Assuming it is bacteria...Maybe next time mix the fertilizer into boiling hot water and keep it sealed as much as possible. Or add a small amount of bleach.

I don't know if the bacteria hurts the solution.

 

[keithrs]

If your sure its bacteria and not precipitation. Microwave it for several mins.

 

[Trithor]

If you are sure it is bacteria, throw it away. Next time mix less and use boiled water, then store what is left cold.

 

[Ray]

I would agree with Keith.

 

[ALToronto]

Oh, I'm sure it's bacteria. I know what precipitation looks like, and now there are little black dots in the centre of these cloudy mini-colonies. I will try microwaving. Should I heat to boiling? Should I store it in the fridge after that?

I really like using the concentrate - even measuring out 30 g (32, actually), I wasn't sure if I was getting an even distribution of the different ingredients. The fact that some of the minerals are in the form of coarse crystals, and others are a fine powder, I really wonder if the content of one 30 g batch are the same as the next. I had trouble dissolving even that amount in a litre of water - it took several hours to get a clear liquid.

 

[consettbay2003]

As I posted elsewhere I purchased an inexpensive coffee bean grinder and blitzed the K-Lite to a fine powder. This makes sure the components are evenly distributed.

 

[cnycharles]

As I posted elsewhere I purchased an inexpensive coffee bean grinder and blitzed the K-Lite to a fine powder. This makes sure the components are evenly distributed.

there you go! something I hadn't thought of...

 

[Rick]

As I posted elsewhere I purchased an inexpensive coffee bean grinder and blitzed the K-Lite to a fine powder. This makes sure the components are evenly distributed.

Thats a good idea Consettbay. I just purchased a Mr Coffee grinder for right at $20 (to replace our old burnt out one). I need this one for beans, and didn't think about buying 2 at the time

 

[ALToronto]

Coffee grinder is a great idea. Here is an even better idea: Ray, how about putting the K-Lite through a blender before packaging it? I would gladly pay more for a homogeneous powder.

 

[terryros]

I make a 10% concentrate of K-Lite by mixing 50 g of the powder with RO water to add up to 500 g. Yes, this requires a scale, which isn't that expensive. In round numbers, it is a little short of 3 tablespoons into 500 mL of water.

I keep this concentrated solution in a nearby refrigerator when I am not using. It is always completely clear. I think the refrigeration really helps keep it this way. The 500 mL of solution is enough for 2-3 weeks so my solution is never older than this.

Adding 15 mL of this 10% concentrate into 1 gallon of water becomes a final fertilizer solution of about 50 ppm N.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[cnycharles]

I ended up receiving the advice to put the 1 lb bag into a gallon of water (or 1 gal finished solution), and have been using this for quite a few months and I don't have any bacteria growth, no sediment, all is clear. I keep it in a closet at room temp...

 

[gonewild]

I ended up receiving the advice to put the 1 lb bag into a gallon of water (or 1 gal finished solution),

So you put the 1 lb of fertilizer in a container and add water until the volume is 1 gallon?

 

[cnycharles]

yes

I often get mixed up with solutions/ppm's etc when the instructions tell you to mix up 'so much volume/weight' per 'gallon/s' water, and have to remind myself that it's 'chemical and water to equal finished desired gallonage of solution'

 

[gonewild]

yes

I often get mixed up with solutions/ppm's etc when the instructions tell you to mix up 'so much volume/weight' per 'gallon/s' water, and have to remind myself that it's 'chemical and water to equal finished desired gallonage of solution'

how do you use the diluted mixture? tsp/gallon or?

 

[cnycharles]

how do you use the diluted mixture? tsp/gallon or?

well, unless I wrote it down wrong, etc from what ray told me, if I used 2.9 oz for 5 gals (five gallon bucket), that would be around 75 ppm N. That ends up being 5.8 Tablespoons per 5 gallon bucket, or about 1.16 Tablespoons per gallon. I usually end up using a teaspoon or less per gallon of water

I did notice, though when I picked up the jug to read the rates i'd written on it, that there was a little grey/brown sediment on the bottom , but i'm not worried about it. i've seen 50 gallon drums of super-concentrated fertilizer with mold and junk growing on top and had fine plants result from it's use ... * though to be fair, I wasn't fertilizing any of 'my' prized expensive orchids with it

 

[gonewild]

well, unless I wrote it down wrong, etc from what ray told me, if I used 2.9 oz for 5 gals (five gallon bucket), that would be around 75 ppm N. That ends up being 5.8 Tablespoons per 5 gallon bucket, or about 1.16 Tablespoons per gallon. I usually end up using a teaspoon or less per gallon of water

I did notice, though when I picked up the jug to read the rates i'd written on it, that there was a little grey/brown sediment on the bottom , but i'm not worried about it. i've seen 50 gallon drums of super-concentrated fertilizer with mold and junk growing on top and had fine plants result from it's use

Thanks that is good info.