Where do you guys buy dry ferts? I'm out of potassium nitrate and I've been to B&B hydroponics every now and then for the past 2 months and they never have it. It definitely looks like they went downhill in the past few years. That place used to be great with great stock and selection of ferts. Now, they have a few jars and normally stuff that we don't need. The guy at the counter doesn't seem to even know what he has in stock and always looks puzzled when asked...
So, where to buy. I really need KNO3 now. Still have the other stuff for EI, but that won't last too long either...
Have you tried this place?
http://maps.google.ca/maps/place?um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=Hydroponics+ottawa&fb=1&gl=ca&hq=Hydroponics&hnear=Ottawa,+ON&cid=10804222601575124915
Yes, I went there today but unfortunately they don't carry dry fertilizers. The only thing they had is a regular NPK fertilizers for potted plants and stuff like that...
I called Ritche's but they told me that KNO3 is a restricted item and cannot be sold to general public without a government-issued license and it comes in 50lb bags... :( So it looks like I'm stuck. My tank looks like a slime-covered mess with cyanobacteria starting to grow everywhere. I'll look at some online resources and see if I can find anything...
Alex
I was doing some further research into regulations as to sales of explosives such as potassium nitrate and I found this document: Restricted Components Regulations/Explosives Act of Feb 28, 2008: http://www.gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p2/2008/2008-03-19/html/sor-dors47-eng.html
The key points are that ammonium nitrate is the highly controlled substance. Others, including KNO3 is not as strict. The seller needs to ask for photo ID for (paragraph 19) and record buyer's name, address, phone, date of sale (paragraph 20). And seller might decline to sell the restricted component if they have a reasonable grounds to suspect that it is going to be used for a criminal purpose (paragraph 18). And all of this applies to sales of potassium nitrate in the amount of 25 kg or more.
The bottom line is it is not illegal to sell this stuff. The sellers must be registered with government though and small quantities (under 25 kg KNO3) should be no problem to sell...
Will keep looking...
Try Cal1956 (member on this site). He's located in Richmond - good guy, sells plants and ferts.
Quote from: OttawaFolkFestivum on December 21, 2010, 04:33:35 PM
Try Cal1956 (member on this site). He's located in Richmond - good guy, sells plants and ferts.
Looks like he hasn't logged in to this site in about a year. Is he still around? I guess I can give him a shout...
Yes, he's around. Comes to meetings sometimes. This is his ad:
http://www.usedottawa.com/classified-ad/LIVE-AQUARIUM-PLANTS_7984708 (http://www.usedottawa.com/classified-ad/LIVE-AQUARIUM-PLANTS_7984708)
Thanks everyone. I was able to get some KNO3. I hope the tank will slowly get back to normal now...
Quote from: alexv on December 24, 2010, 06:16:27 PM
Thanks everyone. I was able to get some KNO3. I hope the tank will slowly get back to normal now...
Where'd you end up getting the KNO3? I want to move to dry ferts as well...
Mike
Quote from: rkmike on December 26, 2010, 06:15:33 PM
Where'd you end up getting the KNO3? I want to move to dry ferts as well...
Mike
Mike,
I ended up contacting Cal1956 as suggested above. Well, not him but his ex-wife (since they have separated and she has the tanks and ferts :)) I just sent an email to the address listed under Cal1956's profile...