CaSO4 vs K2SO4

[BenB]

I bought and just received some K2SO4 from a vendor.
When I opened it, it was soft and fluffy like flour. There is no visiable particle or gain Every time I've bought K, it has been small grainy like sand.
I'm wondering if I didn't get mislabeled CaSO4. It looks and smells like it Ca, but when I've bought Ca, it has been smooth white with some chunks.
Is this a high grade of K that I've never had before, or has yours always been grainy too and I should write the vendor?

 

[ElleDee]

If you have a GH test you can add some to water and see if it increases or not. That wouldn't tell you that is was K2SO4, but you could exclude something with calcium.

 

[SkaleyAquatics]

I bought and just received some K2SO4 from a vendor.
When I opened it, it was soft and fluffy like flour. There is no visiable particle or gain Every time I've bought K, it has been small grainy like sand.
I'm wondering if I didn't get mislabeled CaSO4. It looks and smells like it Ca, but when I've bought Ca, it has been smooth white with some chunks.
Is this a high grade of K that I've never had before, or has yours always been grainy too and I should write the vendor?

Is this from nilocg? Because I bought my original batch from gla and it was grainy. Bought a bunch of k2so4 from nilocg cause bulk and mine came in the same way. Honestly I never questioned it. And plants are not potassium deficient so I never gave it a second thought. Same thing happened with Kh2Po4, again haven't had an issue with it.

 

[BenB]

If you have a GH test you can add some to water and see if it increases or not. That wouldn't tell you that is was K2SO4, but you could exclude something with calcium.

I had thought about this, but I was trying to be lazy.

Is this from nilocg? Because I bought my original batch from gla and it was grainy. Bought a bunch of k2so4 from nilocg cause bulk and mine came in the same way. Honestly I never questioned it. And plants are not potassium deficient so I never gave it a second thought. Same thing happened with Kh2Po4, again haven't had an issue with it.

Yeah it is. That's why I'm curious. It could be a very high grade. I haven't used it yet. My current fert mix has ~20ppm K from the KNO3 and the KH2PO4, so it might take awhile anyway to show K deficiency for me. I'm not sure what you dose.

Another thought is that, in my experience, CaSO4 dissolves slowly. K2SO4 dissolves quickly. If I put a bit in a test tube, it might give me a hint.
We should both attempt ElleDee's suggestion.

 

[BenB]

I did the test
I put a tiny bit into a tube with some distilled water and my GH was 7.
It dissolved right away, so I thought it was K. Usually Ca sits there a bit.
I guess I'll be writing him.

 

[BenB]

I wanted to follow up on this one.
I wrote the vendor back and he said their K2SO4 was very powdery and asked me to put 1/16th tsp in a gallon of distilled water and re-test.
It hasn't been a big priority, so I hadn't gotten to it. However, .....
Because of THIS fiasco, I decided to test.
I put about 1/4th tsp into a gallon of distilled water and the GH was 0. I'm glad.
I swear, if you guys could see this powder, you'd say, nope it's calcium.
At least one thing is going right today.
@SkaleyAquatics wanted to tag you since you had mentioned.

 

[SkaleyAquatics]

I wanted to follow up on this one.
I wrote the vendor back and he said their K2SO4 was very powdery and asked me to put 1/16th tsp in a gallon of distilled water and re-test.
It hasn't been a big priority, so I hadn't gotten to it. However, .....
Because of THIS fiasco, I decided to test.
I put about 1/4th tsp into a gallon of distilled water and the GH was 0. I'm glad.
I swear, if you guys could see this powder, you'd say, nope it's calcium.
At least one thing is going right today.
@SkaleyAquatics wanted to tag you since you had mentioned.

I was wondering about this just the other day. And mine is from Nilocg is it just powder and looks exactly like caso4. So I can see your hesitation.

 

[BenB]

I was wondering about this just the other day. And mine is from Nilocg is it just powder and looks exactly like caso4. So I can see your hesitation.

I put some in the tank because obviously my plants have been starved for K for months. It clumped up and fell to the bottom like Ca also, BUT is has dissolved pretty fast, unlike CA.

 

[SkaleyAquatics]

I put some in the tank because obviously my plants have been starved for K for months. It clumped up and fell to the bottom like Ca also, BUT is has dissolved pretty fast, unlike CA.

Ca definitely dissolves very slowly compared to K but they both dissolve slower then all my other ferts.

 

[Jeff Miotke]

My last batch of K was the same way. All powdery and didnt dissolve as readily before i put it in the tank. But within a few minutes it isnt a problem. I hope they revert back to the fine sand texture when I order another’s batch in 5 years.

 

[BenB]

My last batch of K was the same way. All powdery and didnt dissolve as readily before i put it in the tank. But within a few minutes it isnt a problem. I hope they revert back to the fine sand texture when I order another’s batch in 5 years.

Well, if you want to see a real electrolyte problem, look HERE