How to store bulk powder nutrients?

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Roguedawg

Well-Known Member
I break big bag down into large ziploc bags and squeeze all air out, then another ziplock with all air sucked out.. Eventually you will poke small hole in one bag and it will absorb water from atmosphere. When it does just make concentrated solution with that bag.
 
Drop That Sound

Drop That Sound

Well-Known Member
I say split the 25 lb bags into multiple bags\containers, however many would be, depending on how fast you think you will use it up. That way your not constantly exposing it.

For super long storage, you could spray pure argon gas (wine preserver, bloxygen; that comes in an empty feeling spray paint like can, is food safe, etc) into the smaller containers or bags before you seal them up. It will displace all the oxygen upwards, as the heavier gas sinks down,kinda like filling it with invisible water up to the brim.

It should last indefinitely this way.
 
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waterproof808

Well-Known Member
You can also minimize exposing your large bags of Jacks to moisture by mixing up concentrated solutions in 1 gallon Jugs.

In one jug, mix 13oz. Part A and 4.3oz. of Epsom Salts with warm water.
In the second jug, mix 8.6oz of Part B(Cal Nit)

Use ~35ml of each jug per gallon of water. Then you can treat it like you would bottle nutrients, which are way quicker to mix up than dry powders.
 
Drop That Sound

Drop That Sound

Well-Known Member
I probably wouldn't care if it did get exposed to moisture. I'm only using stock solutions to mix with anyway. If either the bag of A or B turned into a solid brick, I would only be chiseling a chunk off the block a few times a year to make stock batches.

I just measure my mixtures out by EC\PPM as I mix, instead of by dry weight or liquid volume. Parts A first of course (then Epsoms) until I hit the right EC ( i got the ratio's worked out), then simply top it off the rest of the way to the target EC with par B calnit. You can find the right EC ratio's by mixing the reccomended amount of the parts separately, each into a gallon of water. Then check the EC of each one without mixing them, and there you go.

I don't even really measure out the dry nutes when making stock solutions either.. I just add so many scoops that I have determined is "about a pound" to Part A jug and "about a half pound" to part B jug.

You never know when some ratio could be off when mixing nutes, due to so many variables, including losing track and accidentally under/over dosing, or even using a different water source, or recent moisture in the nutes throwing it off. Especially when mixing multiple different solutions for different stages of growth, and other garden plants at the same time, and juggling the nutes around. You could say I'm just lazy and making excuses, but..

You end up checking with your meter anyway if your doing it right, so might as well use it a few extra times from the get go, and can make damned sure your on point as you mix it up, IMO.
 
Billy the Mountain

Billy the Mountain

Well-Known Member
Drop That Sound said:
I say split the 25 lb bags into multiple bags\containers, however many would be, depending on how fast you think you will use it up. That way your not constantly exposing it.

For super long storage, you could spray pure argon gas (wine preserver, bloxygen; that comes in an empty feeling spray paint like can, is food safe, etc) into the smaller containers or bags before you seal them up. It will displace all the oxygen upwards, as the heavier gas sinks down,kinda like filling it with invisible water up to the brim.

It should last indefinitely this way.
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The issue with storing salts is moisture, not oxygen.

Anything completely airtight is good

I've used bloxygen for storing varnishes, but a $3 can of dust-off works just as well
 
Drop That Sound

Drop That Sound

Well-Known Member
Bloxygen protects against moisture too. Its also safe for food, just like the other brands that are labeled for wine preservation.

Good Idea about the dust off for varnishes, but man that deterrent they put in there to keep people from huffing it.... blahhhck!

I use bloxygen to keep my nicotine fresh.. I think dust off wouldn't taste to well in my vape lol
 
Drop That Sound

Drop That Sound

Well-Known Member
I'm not gonna waste any of it storing salts personally. Figured maybe someone in desperate need of a way to keep there dry nutes fresh for a long time after the apocalypse might benefit :)
 
Offmymeds

Offmymeds

Well-Known Member
I simply put all of my dry nutes in one thick black yard garbage bag and toss in a desiccant pack. I have small jars that I use for everyday mixing.
 
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Delps8

Well-Known Member
Lilmink said:
I have 25lb bags that don't reseal. How should I store them?
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Head over to Home Depot and grab a pair of 5 gallon buckets + a pair of "gamma" seal tops. Some gamma tops are pricey but the ones at HD latter are about $5 each. I use that setup for two sets of dry nutes and I also use them for storing 25 bags of flour.

You could store them outside but I'd be reluctant to put them in direct sun or in a non-ventilated enclosure. Perhaps check with the manufacturer re. location, ventilation, etc.?
 
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