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Kensington Reefer said:
IIRC
Fertilizers are “salts”
That said it would be diluted with H2O
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:oops: I guess we have different tastes in ferts... yes, there are some fertilizer brands with a concentration of salts that are bound up with other compounds. Some break down quickly and some break down slowly. Sodium chloride in high concentrations kills plant life or stunts growth. Not all salts are the same was my understanding.
 
ReyDeFarts said:
:oops: I guess we have different tastes in ferts... yes, there are some fertilizer brands with a concentration of salts that are bound up with other compounds. Some break down quickly and some break down slowly. Sodium chloride in high concentrations kills plant life or stunts growth. Not all salts are the same was my understanding.
Click to expand...
Agreed
Hence my element concentration analysis question
 
Maybe the important part is differentiating a chemistry definition of a salt (things that change bonds in water) with common definitions of salt (NaCl aka table salt).

My understanding is fertilizers don't contain the latter, and it kills plants, while saltwater definitely does contain NaCl. However it's been... a very long time since I took Chem classes.

Here's Chatgpt's response:

Yes, fertilizers often contain salts, but they generally do not include sodium chloride (NaCl) because high sodium levels can be harmful to plants by affecting soil structure and water uptake.

Salts in Fertilizers
Many fertilizers are made up of ionic compounds (salts) that dissolve in water, releasing essential nutrients for plant growth. Common fertilizer salts include:

1. Potassium Nitrate (KNO₃) – Provides potassium (K) and nitrogen (N).
2. Ammonium Nitrate (NH₄NO₃) – Supplies nitrogen (N).
3. Ammonium Sulfate ((NH₄)₂SO₄) – Another nitrogen source.
4. Calcium Phosphate (Ca(H₂PO₄)₂) – A phosphorus source.
5. Potassium Chloride (KCl) – Common potassium (K) fertilizer.
6. Magnesium Sulfate (MgSO₄) – Provides magnesium (Mg).

Why Not NaCl?
Sodium chloride is not a fertilizer because:
Sodium (Na⁺) is not an essential plant nutrient for most plants.
High sodium levels can lead to soil salinity, making it harder for plants to absorb water.

Excess chloride (Cl⁻) can be toxic to some plants.

However, some salt-tolerant plants (halophytes) can tolerate higher sodium levels, and in rare cases, sodium-based fertilizers may be used in specific soil conditions.

Would you like help finding fertilizers suited to a particular type of plant or soil?
 
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Kensington Reefer said:
Side bar…
The gunk in these could be great plant fertilizer
I would be very interested in know the N, P, K
Click to expand...
Kensington Reefer said:
IIRC
Fertilizers are “salts”
That said it would be diluted with H2O
Click to expand...

Fertilizers contain “salts”. However, I can't imagine adding extra sodium chloride can do much good for the plants - especially if you skim wet

Ron Shimek did an ICP of skimmate in 2002, and he noted that "The sodium concentration in skimmate [...] is effectively the same as in the tank water, while in skimmer sludge [...], it appears substantially lower than in tank water". But even in the skimmer sludge, sodium concentration is around 1/2 of the concentration in skimmate and tank water.

That seems like a lot of salt to give a plant, especially if you do it regularly
 
tribbitt said:
Fertilizers contain “salts”. However, I can't imagine adding extra sodium chloride can do much good for the plants - especially if you skim wet

Ron Shimek did an ICP of skimmate in 2002, and he noted that "The sodium concentration in skimmate [...] is effectively the same as in the tank water, while in skimmer sludge [...], it appears substantially lower than in tank water". But even in the skimmer sludge, sodium concentration is around 1/2 of the concentration in skimmate and tank water.

That seems like a lot of salt to give a plant, especially if you do it regularly
Click to expand...
Well done
Thank you Young Master Reefer
 
A Reef Octo skimmer with built-in float switch in the cup would’ve prevented the cup from overflowing. Just saying’…;)
 
richiev said:
Maybe the important part is differentiating a chemistry definition of a salt (things that change bonds in water) with common definitions of salt (NaCl aka table salt).

My understanding is fertilizers don't contain the latter, and it kills plants, while saltwater definitely does contain NaCl. However it's been... a very long time since I took Chem classes.

Here's Chatgpt's response:

Yes, fertilizers often contain salts, but they generally do not include sodium chloride (NaCl) because high sodium levels can be harmful to plants by affecting soil structure and water uptake.

Salts in Fertilizers

Many fertilizers are made up of ionic compounds (salts) that dissolve in water, releasing essential nutrients for plant growth. Common fertilizer salts include:

1. Potassium Nitrate (KNO₃) – Provides potassium (K) and nitrogen (N).


2. Ammonium Nitrate (NH₄NO₃) – Supplies nitrogen (N).


3. Ammonium Sulfate ((NH₄)₂SO₄) – Another nitrogen source.


4. Calcium Phosphate (Ca(H₂PO₄)₂) – A phosphorus source.


5. Potassium Chloride (KCl) – Common potassium (K) fertilizer.


6. Magnesium Sulfate (MgSO₄) – Provides magnesium (Mg).



Why Not NaCl?

Sodium chloride is not a fertilizer because:

Sodium (Na⁺) is not an essential plant nutrient for most plants.

High sodium levels can lead to soil salinity, making it harder for plants to absorb water.

Excess chloride (Cl⁻) can be toxic to some plants.



However, some salt-tolerant plants (halophytes) can tolerate higher sodium levels, and in rare cases, sodium-based fertilizers may be used in specific soil conditions.

Would you like help finding fertilizers suited
to a particular type of plant or soil?
Click to expand...
I’m no chemist!
Thanks for your info
 
Is that a chocolate covered donut?
 

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tribbitt said:
Fertilizers contain “salts”. However, I can't imagine adding extra sodium chloride can do much good for the plants - especially if you skim wet

Ron Shimek did an ICP of skimmate in 2002, and he noted that "The sodium concentration in skimmate [...] is effectively the same as in the tank water, while in skimmer sludge [...], it appears substantially lower than in tank water". But even in the skimmer sludge, sodium concentration is around 1/2 of the concentration in skimmate and tank water.

That seems like a lot of salt to give a plant, especially if you do it regularly
Click to expand...
Haven’t you ever tested skimmate with refractometer ? Not sure if I’d float my hydrometer lol
 
JVU said:
If you’re serious, that won’t tell you the salt concentration
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I assume the best way would be to dilute with a known quantity until the water is "clear" then test and do the math on what the true concentration is.

Or just throw it out
 
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