Tools of the trade

Ben Belton · Post by **Ben Belton** » Sat Apr 11, 2009 12:39 pm

Supposedly it only dissolves only in a base, so you'd have to buy something to dissolve it in. Carol said you could use vinegar, but that's working in the opposite direction. I'm not sure that would work. Phytotech says it dissolves in KOH. If you buy that, you incur a $23 hazard fee and it can only be shipped to a business address. Someone might could come up with something cheaper and easier to dissolve it. Could you put baking soda in water and then dissolve it with that?

I think in this case it might be a convenience factor.

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Sat Apr 11, 2009 1:03 pm

Ben Belton wrote:Supposedly it only dissolves only in a base, so you'd have to buy something to dissolve it in. Carol said you could use vinegar, but that's working in the opposite direction. I'm not sure that would work. Phytotech says it dissolves in KOH. If you buy that, you incur a $23 hazard fee and it can only be shipped to a business address. Someone might could come up with something cheaper and easier to dissolve it. Could you put baking soda (NaOH) in water and then dissolve it with that?

I think in this case it might be a convenience factor.

Yeah, now that I look at the bottle I got from Carol it is dissolved in 0.1 M KOH.

Convenience be darned. I'm cheap.

http://store.hvchemical.com/browse.cfm/4,487,3.html

KOH can be shipped FedEx or UPS with no Hazmat charge.

Ben Belton · Post by **Ben Belton** » Sat Apr 11, 2009 1:09 pm

haha.. I knew someone might could find a way around it, so I didn't want to say you can't do it. I just wanted to mention the issues involved.

I still think making the baking soda solution might work too.

If you could make several 100ml solutions from a 1g bottle of powder, you'd save a ton of money. You could probably save more money by letting me send you my partially used 1g vial of the powder. I've only used a few mg. I learned the hard way it doesn't dissolve in water.

Oh yeah... 7. Sealing film (Phytotech A003)

I like this stuff and think its worth it. They used to carry one that was a little wider, but they discontinued it. I really liked it.

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Sat Apr 11, 2009 1:23 pm

Okay, if my chemistry serves me well you'd need 0.5611 grams of KOH to make a 100 ml 0.1 M solution to dissolve 100 mg of BAP in. It's definitely the way to go if you don't mind a little extra work.

For $36.00 worth of KOH and $34.00 worth of BAP you could make nearly 200 of the solutions they sell for $12.75 each. If others are interested in saving some cash and making their own we can split the cost of the chemicals several times over and everyone still gets several years worth for pennies on the dollar.

kerokero · Post by **kerokero** » Sat Apr 11, 2009 5:11 pm

Does the powder store better/longer than the solution? I think Aaron's idea might be a good one if there is a core of us in the club culturing on a regular basis - especially if it stores better as a powder and someone is willing to be chemist to make fresh BAP as needed. I personally suck at chemistry and would rather avoid the math involved in figuring out how to put it into solution, as well as avoid the serious safety issues related with KOH. If I can buy solution, I'd prefer it that way... and wouldn't mind being able to pick it up at a meeting for a lower price

DelawareJim · Post by **DelawareJim** » Sat Apr 11, 2009 9:22 pm

This might not work best for Ben but for the local folks this is the cheapest way to go. We could probably all chip in on the cost of the materials with someone as the holder, and maybe post to the holder of the materials periodically to make up a batch for everyone and distribute at a meeting?

Just my 2 cents.

Cheers.
Jim

Judi · Post by **Judi** » Sat Apr 11, 2009 9:40 pm

chris_todd wrote:We're in the same boat as Aaron - we pretty much need everything, but we don't really know how much of everything we need. Plus, cash is a little tight right now - our fridge died and we discovered termites in our house. Ahhh, the joys of homeownership!

Yeah, I need to figure out what I want/need, and what I can spend. Our washing machine died a messy death last weekend, and our refrigerator might be planning something similar (I think it knows I hate it --every once in a while it leaves a little puddle on the floor).

I've got a ton of canning jars, including 4 oz jelly jars, that I can use for culturing vessels. but need plastic caps for them. Or maybe it would just be easier to go the gladware route.

Anyway, I might be interested in a group order at some point, once I figure out what I want to do.

Ben Belton · Post by **Ben Belton** » Sat Apr 11, 2009 9:45 pm

Here's the updated list for y'all.

1. agar (Phytotech A296 or A111)
2. MS media (Phytotech M524)
3. PPM
4. Phytocaps (Phytotech C070)
5. BAP (Phytotech B130) I think.. or DIY BAP
6. Caps for Mason Jars (Phytotech C566?)
7. Sealing film (Phytotech A003)

kerokero · Post by **kerokero** » Sat Apr 11, 2009 9:49 pm

Judi, have you ever thought that your negative attitude might be why it's piddling on the floor? Maybe you're making it nervous!! Or really excited. Do they have fridgey diapers? Maybe a ShamWow (makes you say WOW everytime!) under one of the corners...

I like the idea of the disposable containers (I don't like the containers with the "interlocking lids" I can't seem to get the lids of the little suckers) but there was a note mentioned at the class that has made me wonder... the lids they sell for the baby food and mason jars "breathe". Aren't the disposable ones supposed to be air tight? How bad is it that if they don't breathe?

I really want to try some more of my plants right now but alas, like everyone else I seem to be in a bind since I'm looking for the new job

Judi · Post by **Judi** » Sun Apr 12, 2009 9:55 am

Hmmm, hadn't really thought about the disposable containers being airtight.

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