How to store bulk powder nutrients?

I have 25lb bags that don't reseal. How should I store them?

Maybe mason jars, or a good sealing tote. They will collect moisture in minutes. Gotta solve that right away

What line of nutrients? I use powder as well.

ProPheT 216 said:

What line of nutrients? I use powder as well.

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Jack's 321

5 gal bucket with airtight lid and a big dessicant pack

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.

5 gallon buckets with the screw top gamma lids. My calnit would be a solid brick if I tried to use anything else.

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.

3 of these 3-qt plastic jugs should do ya just fine. Total cost is around $4 from Dollar Tree. I do this for my Jacks. I'm not too sure if 25lbs of cal-nit would require the same volume; haven't tried it yet.

$9 storage bin that has a gasket. I use these exact same ones in 20 qt size to store flour, sugar, rice, dogfood, etc... They would work fine for dry fertilizer.

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.

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.

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

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

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

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.

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.?

How about it's total bs for the price they can't send you a lil tub with screw on lid. Buy a different brand and boycot

ProPheT 216 said:

How about it's total bs for the price they can't send you a lil tub with screw on lid. Buy a different brand and boycot

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There arent many options that are cheaper to use per gallon than buying 25lb bags of jacks. Veg Bloom will give you a tub, but 50lbs of it will cost you $1000 vs. $160 for 50lbs of Jacks and Cal Nit.