# KNO3 Ban in Canada.



## Aleks

So, here I am about to dose fertilizers, and all I need is KNO3. Turns out there is now a ban on KNO3 in Canada(One fellow even yelled at me when I asked) and you need a special licence. Hydroponic stores no longer sell it. I was told to go to a model rocket store, but the few that I called no longer carry it either. Please don't say ebay either, seeing as I'll probably be brought in for questioning when the border seizes my illegal shipment of explosive material. Where are my fellow Canadians getting Potassium Nitrate from?


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## Kilroy_1911

that is not cool. KNO3 can be used for many things, one of which includes explosives. Durned regulatory governments. Don't get me started on that. You can try saltpeter, but that is getting harder to find than KNO3 up there, and sometimes, it is a completely different substance so beware. 

What are the requirements for a liscense?

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/fertilizers-water-parameters/17668-kno3-substitute.html

Sorry im not of much help. Good luck.


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## Aleks

I was told it's an Explosives licence. Not sure I'll be able to get one for the aquarium hobby. Worst case I'll just dose potassium once in a while and hope for the best. But this really sucks for anyone who was going to use the EI method. I guess another option is to buy Super expensive nitrogen supplement in a bottle from the LFS.


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## mistergreen

wow, interesting.
How do they make ham & bacon up in canada? It's also a meat preservative (saltpeter) and coloring. Maybe you can find it through the food route.


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## rhstranger

I'm pretty sure saltpetre can be found at the Pharmacy/Homeopathic stores as well. Unless the ban has taken it out of everywhere. I would think small town pharmacies/general stores probably would still have some.


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## northey87

Sounds like I need to run up there and start sell KNO3 outta the back of a van!:hihi:


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## cheaman

I buy it on a regular basis in Manitoba at the hydroponics store. Not sure why BC would have different regulations than other provinces, but who knows. I know it is also available to the east of us as well (Ontario, Quebec, etc...).


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## plantbrain

Stump remover, see local Canadian Tire.

Grant's brand if you can get it.

Regards, 
Tom Barr


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## fish dork

plantbrain said:


> Stump remover, see local Canadian Tire.
> 
> Grant's brand if you can get it.
> 
> Regards,
> Tom Barr


 
I've been looking for that stuff for a while myself. I have not yet found it at Can. Tire or even at local garden supply.


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## fish dork

Last I read there was a problem with the transport of KNO3. Can anyone find links to new restrictions?


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## Aleks

I went to a local grocery store pharmacist (Safeway), They said the BC warehouse doesn't carry KNO3 anymore. I guess I can try some other places. Now if I get salt peter or Stump remover, will there be anything added to the mixture that I should look out for (ie on the ingredients list). I'll call around tomorrow and post my results. 

Maybe there is a different law in BC, because i'm 100% sure hydroponic/nursery stores can't sell it anymore (As I've been told by 7-8 people)


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## Aleks

So I've found 2 places that have it!

First, Art napps did have it in stump removal form. (Though she said they weren't getting anymore, perhaps it was just old inventory)

Second, A specific Pharma-save has it (only one pharma-save in BC carries it) (saltpeter). 

Of course the issue it that they are charging and arm and a leg. For 2lbs of stump remover it's $16, for 500g of saltpeter it's $17 and for 2kg of saltpeter it's $30

I'm assuming that pharmaceutical saltpeter is probably better then the stump remover (which had no ingredients list, Falling leaf stump remover). 

Perhaps I'll get the 2kg package, and maybe see if I can sell small doses to fellow Canadians (and recoup the $30!)

If anyone is wondering. 
Canadian Tire no longer carries it (Canada wide)
Safeway/superstore/london drugs/shoppers drugmart/ zellers Pharmacies don't carry saltpeter anymore. 

Home depot/Rona don't carry stump remover anymore. (A lady at Rona called me stupid for trying to buy explosives before I even told her what I was using it for)

Homeopathic/organic grocers in the Surrey area don't carry it either. 

Thanks for the great Tips, I would have never been able to find the stuff without your suggestions.


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## Wasserpest

Be careful with the stump remover. It might be pure KNO3, it might be something else, or it might be KNO3 with other things that could kill any life form in your aquarium. If you can't find a reliable source of its ingredients (MSDS or such) definitely test it on some shrimp first.


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## accordztech

get as much as you can because it may not be there later =)


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## northey87

accordztech said:


> get as much as you can because it may not be there later =)


Yeah, then they will really think he's gonna blow something up!:icon_neut


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## accordztech

lol didnt think about that. damn canadians.


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## noahs

*Where I get it*

I found it in my local garden shop in B.C, srry not garden shop but its actually a nursery and they had and also another place that sod pet food and tools and stuff also carried it put it wasnt cheap one was about $15 and at the other store $12 so ya.


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## UDGags

good job rezzing a 3yr old thread


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## blink

For what it's worth, I got some KNO3 from a local garden/hydroponic shop, they told me it had to be sold in a slurry form mixed with water so I got 250 grams mixed into 1 liter of water.

Perhaps BC has different regulations, but it can still be had in Alberta.


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## Jeffww

You could in theory use Urea and Ammonium nitrate instead. This stuff is easily obtainable and safe to use.


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## micheljq

I am in Canada and I did order from U.S. at http://www.aquariumfertilizer.com/

Ordered autumn 2011, strangely I did not have any problems and received the shipment. Maybe I am lucky.

Michel.


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## Darkblade48

Jeffww said:


> You could in theory use Urea and Ammonium nitrate instead. This stuff is easily obtainable and safe to use.


While theoretically feasible, it is harder to use these chemicals if you have livestock, since the ammonia would be toxic. 



micheljq said:


> I am in Canada and I did order from U.S. at http://www.aquariumfertilizer.com/
> 
> Ordered autumn 2011, strangely I did not have any problems and received the shipment. Maybe I am lucky.
> 
> Michel.


I believe the "ban" is more of a restriction than anything else; as long as you purchase under a certain amount, you are fine, but if you purchase larger quantities, the government will ask for identification so that they will have it on record.


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## Jeffww

Seachem's aquavitro N source uses exclusively urea and ammonium nitrate. So I have to assume it's not too bad.


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## Darkblade48

Jeffww said:


> Seachem's aquavitro N source uses exclusively urea and ammonium nitrate. So I have to assume it's not too bad.


Hmm, looking at the Seachem website for this product:



> Approximately 50% of the nitrogen in synthesis™ is derived from an organic source (urea), while the remaining nitrogen splits at about 25% each from nitrate and ammoniacal sources.





> This dose increases total nitrogen by 0.24 mg/L. This is the same amount of nitrogen that would be present if all nitrogen were present in the nitrate form at 1 mg/L. Because not all nitrogen is in the nitrate form, you will measure a 0.25 mg/L nitrate increase immediately after dosing.


Of this amount, 0.12 mg/L is urea, while 0.06 mg/L is from other ammoniacal sources. Urea slowly hydrolyzes into ammonia, so we can assume there will be 0.24 mg/L of ammonia from the urea, and adding this to 0.06 mg/L of other ammoniacal sources, we get a total of 0.30 mg/L of ammonia.

Essentially, you are adding 0.3 ppm of ammonia to your water each time you are dosing. Now, whether the plants and/or beneficial bacteria would absorb/break this down faster than it could harm livestock is another question.


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## micheljq

Darkblade48 said:


> Hmm, looking at the Seachem website for this product:


It's Seachem Flourish Nitrogen for dosing nitrates.


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## Cthulhu

micheljq said:


> I am in Canada and I did order from U.S. at http://www.aquariumfertilizer.com/


Same here. I asked them before ordering if their customers in Canada had problems ordering KNO3, and they said it was fine. 

So I ordered last month, it took longer than I expected to arrive but otherwise no problem.


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## anygma

Cthulhu said:


> Same here. I asked them before ordering if their customers in Canada had problems ordering KNO3, and they said it was fine.
> 
> So I ordered last month, it took longer than I expected to arrive but otherwise no problem.


is this site still working? i cant seem to load the link but it would be extremely helpful if it worked


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## carriej

I get almost everything from Canadian aquatics - but they do not have KNO3.

I still have some KNO3 left, but I am not sure where I will get more when it runs out.

But looks like this guy has some

http://www.theplantguy.org/Dry-fertilizers_c_27.html


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## samee

northey87 said:


> Yeah, then they will really think he's gonna blow something up!:icon_neut



ahahaha sorry that made me laugh.

Isnt there a Canadian plant site selling all these nutrients inclduing kno3?


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## nilocg

Cthulhu said:


> Same here. I asked them before ordering if their customers in Canada had problems ordering KNO3, and they said it was fine.
> 
> So I ordered last month, it took longer than I expected to arrive but otherwise no problem.


I'm pretty sure it's against the law to ship any amount of kno3 internationally. If anyone knows for sure that its ok let me know.

Thanks


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## Darkblade48

carriej said:


> I still have some KNO3 left, but I am not sure where I will get more when it runs out.





samee said:


> Isnt there a Canadian plant site selling all these nutrients inclduing kno3?


Private message me for details as I have a Canadian source for KNO3.



nilocg said:


> I'm pretty sure it's against the law to ship any amount of kno3 internationally. If anyone knows for sure that its ok let me know.
> 
> Thanks


Technically, I believe you are not supposed to ship hazardous (in this case, oxidizing) chemicals with a hazmat license (and all accompanying paperwork). This is require to ship legally, and can be expensive.

If a US seller is shipping internationally without said paperwork, and you receive the package, then essentially, you were lucky that customs did not seize the package. 

If the package is seized, you have essentially no recourse of action to reobtain the package, and may even be blacklisted/prosecuted for shipping hazardous chemicals without the proper paperwork.


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## micheljq

http://www.theplantguy.org/Dry-fertilizers_c_27.html

He is in Canada and KNO3 is advertised on his site.

Michel.


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## The Plantguy

Just as a follow up to this thread and to the pm's i was getting, we are now licensed with the federal govt to sell kno3 in Canada


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## Pyro_master

You can buy KNO3 in Canada in the form of stump remover. It can only be sold legally in low percentages but it can be purified easily (though illegally). Here is a link on how to purify KNO3 to 98-99% pure.


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## Boom Stick

Pyro_master said:


> You can buy KNO3 in Canada in the form of stump remover. It can only be sold legally in low percentages but it can be purified easily (though illegally). Here is a link on how to purify KNO3 to 98-99% pure.


Where is stump remover sold in the Lower Mainland? I didn't find any at all the usual suspects: Lowes, Home Depot Canadian Tire etc.


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## AWolf

Can you use mono potassium phosphate? http://www.plantproducts.com/us/images/mkp_haifa_product_sheet.pdf


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## tapwater

if your butcher makes jerky he should have saltpeter


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## will2000ok

I ordered all my dry ferts from here and it's cheap. Hydrotech | Hydrotech Hydroponics


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## Dman911

I think this is a license required by distributors not end users but in my experience I have been required to produce a drivers license or gov't issue picture I.D to comply with regulations.

Dan


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