Anybody care to elaborate on the effects of K2O in water. I was under the impression that sulphate of potash was as good as K2SO4. Apparently not?

I have been told by a fellow hobbyist this is not the case.

In K2O there are two parts potassium and and one part oxygen. It is this 'free' oxygen in the water that reacts and can make phosphorous and can become unstable creating problems.

Personally I cannot see this, but then I am no chemist and apparently this info came via a chemist!

I am currently using K2O so natuarally I need some reassurance.

I cannot find K2SO4 in the UK, so any help would be appreciated for a source!

Confused again.............

On Fri, 27 Jun 2003 20:02:58 +0100, Skunky
wrote:


Anybody care to elaborate on the effects of K2O in water. I was under
the impression that sulphate of potash was as good as K2SO4. Apparently
not?

Sulphate of Potash is indeed K2SO4.

I am currently using K2O so natuarally I need some reassurance.

K2O is an oxide that is used for "measurement conventions". In this
way, various sources of potassium KCl, K2SO4, etc, can be compared.
You do not have K2O.


Chuck Gadd
http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua

So if I don't have K2O, why is it saying it is K2O on the box?

In article , Skunky wrote:

So if I don't have K2O, why is it saying it is K2O on the box?

It's K2O equivalent, not the real thing. If you want to test it,
take a little on a spoon, and drop it into a shot glass of water
on a table at arms length. If it doesn't flash into steam and a
boiling concentrated lye solution, it's not K2O.

http://www.usask.ca/chemistry/course...sium_oxide.pdf

Look at the second page under "chemical dangers". Anyone who'd sell K2O
to consumers without serious warning labels deserves a severe beating
in a court room. It'll burn your hands/eyes/and lungs.

Thanx for clearing than one up Ed. By the way, the link failed!

Stuart.

On Sat, 28 Jun 2003 10:31:14 +0100, Skunky
wrote:


So if I don't have K2O, why is it saying it is K2O on the box?

Because K2O is the standardized form of potassium used in fertilizer
measurements / analysis.

But, it wasn't sold as K2O. I believe you said it was labelled
sulphate of potash. That is K2SO4.

Chuck Gadd
http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua

That was the confusing part Chuck, on the front of the box it said sulphate of potash, on the rear it said K2O (potassium oxide) nothing on the box that mentioned K2SO4!

"Skunky" wrote in message
...

That was the confusing part Chuck, on the front of the box it said
sulphate of potash, on the rear it said K2O (potassium oxide) nothing
on the box that mentioned K2SO4!

If you look under the box with the NPK component analysis, you should see a
line labeled "Sources:" That's where it should state Potassium Sulfate,
which is K2SO4.
__
Alex
pcalex (at) hotpop.com

Link worked great and has a nice msds pages for many chemicals...


"Skunky" wrote in message
...

Thanx for clearing than one up Ed. By the way, the link failed!

Stuart.


--
Skunky

'Peace On Earth.....And In The Water'
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