Misskiwi67
Fish Fanatic
- Joined
- Aug 25, 2005
- Messages
- 132
- Reaction score
- 0
Just curious... does it make a difference? I have a 250 mL bottle for my 5 gallon tank, I think it just might last forever...
Do You Refridgerate Your Flourish?
- Thread starter Misskiwi67
- Start date
it will last a long time.. this stuff is wicked. I live by it. I don't refridgerate.. not sure the benefit either
craynerd
Fish Addict
I think the purpose of refregerating most chemicals containing trace elements, is to reduce or inhibit the formation on fungi growing in the bottle.
You can add weak acid which does the same job.
Chris
You can add weak acid which does the same job.
Chris
JamesC
Fishaholic
Off the shelf products seem to be pretty stable, but I refridgerate mine anyway as it doesn't do any harm.
Fillet 'O' Fish
Fish Crazy
I refridgerate mine, but have not yet tried not doing so, so dont know what would happen.
Maybe it would turn into a large green fungus
Maybe it would turn into a large green fungus
craynerd
Fish Addict
Stable in what way and if it was to be unstable how would you know? If you mean stability in terms of the actual chemical molecules then fluctuations in room temperature will cause no problems. All the chemicals we dose in our tank water are stable molecules since if they were not; they would react with the water or be useless to plants. That is why we dose them as compounds e.g. Potassium Nitrate. Of course if we were to dose potassium directly to the water that would be a different story!
The only purpose of refrigerating any of our ferts is to inhibit fungi formation in the presence of trace elements. Most commercial products contain an acid such as dilute hydrochloric which does the same job. Or you can even add your own if you make up your trace element mix.
I think it actually inhibits the break down of the chelator rather than inhibit fungi directly.
The most unstable element we use is our Iron source. This should be kept in the dark since it will break down under UV light, temperature or oxygen. The mechanism by which I do not know!
Anyway, just wanted to clear that up to the best of my understanding, since it is a question that regularly comes up.
If anyone has anything different to say, please speak up, i may be wrong!
Chris
JamesC
Fishaholic
Manufacturers claim their products have a long shelf life and I'd tend to agree with them as I've noticed no change of colour, smell etc over a period of time with the ones I've used. This is why I said they were fairly stable. Also commercial products contain preservatives which we at home don't have access to to make up our mixes. There is a possibility though that some of the more complex compounds, ie amino acids, could break down over time. This is why I refridgerate mine as this process will occur slower at lower temps.
With home made trace solutions it is a good idea to add a bit of HCl as this helps prevent the breakdown of the chelator. It will still happen though but a lot slower. Fungus often grows on top of the solution because we don't add any preservatives. Keeping it cool will slow it down. The ferric iron chelate as you say is the most unstable but it is debatable if this really matters. When the chelated iron is oxidised the iron is reduced to ferrous iron in solution. Plants can use iron in both the ferric and ferrous states. Seachem flourish uses ferrous iron gluconate whereas chelated traces use ferric iron. Out of interest ferrous iron solutions are a green colour and ferric iron solutions are reddy brown. There are many very in depth articles about chelators which are beyond this post and me as well.
With home made trace solutions it is a good idea to add a bit of HCl as this helps prevent the breakdown of the chelator. It will still happen though but a lot slower. Fungus often grows on top of the solution because we don't add any preservatives. Keeping it cool will slow it down. The ferric iron chelate as you say is the most unstable but it is debatable if this really matters. When the chelated iron is oxidised the iron is reduced to ferrous iron in solution. Plants can use iron in both the ferric and ferrous states. Seachem flourish uses ferrous iron gluconate whereas chelated traces use ferric iron. Out of interest ferrous iron solutions are a green colour and ferric iron solutions are reddy brown. There are many very in depth articles about chelators which are beyond this post and me as well.
craynerd
Fish Addict
What would amino acids break down into? I didnt realise they were complex compounds, maybe a protein could be classed a complex but surely not a amino acid. Are they not an amine group a carboxylic acid group and determining R group? I would have thought a protein would fit a better description of complexity, although i don`t have a definition of the word!
My point is still, the only reason i can find to refridgerate my solutions is due to fungi growing and not for any reason of breakdown of molecules.
Like you said, any expensive products which contain amino acids and the like (hormones etc) are gonna contain a preservative of some sort.
The only reason i would refregerate is like you said, due to Iron.
Chris
Waterloo Kid
Fish Addict
JamesC
Fishaholic
You're right I used the word complex wrongly - I had a bit of a brain breakdown. What I'm trying to say is that a lot of bottled products such as tomato sauce 'go off' after a period of time which is why you are supposed to keep them in the fridge once opened. Now I know a bottle of flourish may be different but after it has been opened there is a possibility that it may 'go off' as well. Keeping it in the fridge does no harm and if by any chance it does 'go off', then the cooler temperature will slow this down. Then again if it does 'go off' it may make little difference to the plants anyway.
***Just had a quick look at the Seachem website and this is what they say under the directions for flourish "Refrigeration after opening is recommended but not required."***
Hopefully I've made myself a bit clearer this time.
James
George Farmer
ad aqua
Chill. 
craynerd
Fish Addict
Yes sorry, wasn`t really meaning to dig, i was just interested in the wording you used.
Btw, for our information (mine included):
From Wikipedia
Interesting....therefore would a protein even be considered complex?
Right i gotta shoot. No need for anyone to chill, lol, a good debate is always healthy. Everything i say is opinion or my understanding, i am certainly no Xpert! Sorry
Chris
Btw, for our information (mine included):
From Wikipedia
Interesting....therefore would a protein even be considered complex?
Right i gotta shoot. No need for anyone to chill, lol, a good debate is always healthy. Everything i say is opinion or my understanding, i am certainly no Xpert! Sorry
Chris
Similar threads
Most reactions
-
378 -
245 -
223 -
216 -
210 -
163 -
145 -
132 -
120 -
115 -
112 -
103 -
101 -
F
96
-
92