# Is Tropica Premium Nutrition chelated or salts?



## Simon Cole (1 Jun 2020)

I just wondered because the w/w% declaration omits whether the product is chelated? 
Silly question really, but the composition of these elements is quite different to other industry-trace element formulas designed for fertigation - e.g. the ratio of iron to manganese is balanced quite low to avoid incompatibility. It might also  be cheaper and more beneficial for Tropica to use salts chelated with "organic" agents like fluvic or humic acid. I also noticed that S and K were present, which are usually salts, although I am unsure whether preventing K-substitution is less favourable with EDTA as opposed to the "organic" options. I have also found that my EDTA trace mix forms precipitates more readily and this might relate to the fact that the Tropica product is sold in a clear bottle and over considerable time is unaffected by light.
Overall, I am quite impressed by the product. It certainly has its advantages over my usual dry EI ferts.


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## ceg4048 (3 Jun 2020)

Hello,
          Typically, the macro mix (so called Specialized Nutrition) Nitrogen is supplied via combination of simple salts such as KNO3,  NH4NO3  and/or Urea.The micronutrient mix  are typically chelated and the mix is typically acidified using citric or ascorbic because these are cheaper.

Cheers,


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## alto (3 Jun 2020)

ceg4048 said:


> Hello,
> Typically, the macro mix (so called Specialized Nutrition) Nitrogen is supplied via combination of simple salts such as KNO3,  NH4NO3  and/or Urea.The micronutrient mix  are typically chelated and the mix is typically acidified using citric or ascorbic because these are cheaper.
> 
> Cheers,


is this based upon specific Tropica insider knowledge?
or...


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## Witcher (3 Jun 2020)

Listing of chelators on the labels is regulated by few EU directives, I think Tropica uses gluconates of Fe etc which are salts.


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## ceg4048 (4 Jun 2020)

alto said:


> is this based upon specific Tropica insider knowledge?
> or...


No, its based on the past history of vendors who refrain from listing their contents. This is why I used the modifier "typically".

It's also been our experience that when vendors refrain from listing their active ingredients, it's "typically" because the ingredients are easily obtainable and the product is easily reproducible. Case in point from other vendors, Excel, Brighty-K...the list is virtually endless.

In the old days it took someone with access to a mass spectrometer to discover the active ingredients of the now infamous Dosing Drops (which is still for sale and has been merely re-branded). We learned it consisted of KNO3, K2SO4 and simple chelated micronutrients. This information gave rise to PMDD and later EI at 1/100th the cost.

Perhaps you would consider sharing your copy of the MSDS (which I know you must have in your arsenal).

Cheers,


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## ceg4048 (4 Jun 2020)

Witcher said:


> Listing of chelators on the labels is regulated by few EU directives, I think Tropica uses gluconates of Fe etc which are salts.


Yes this is really odd because a member based in Holland had asked for some help regarding this. Perhaps the rules are that you must furnish the data to the governing body but that it was not necessary to list them on the label.

Cheers,


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## alto (4 Jun 2020)

ceg4048 said:


> Perhaps you would consider sharing your copy of the MSDS (which I know you must have in your arsenal).


Glucose and NaCl MSDS are among my favorites  being only slightly less dramatic than DMSO sheets


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## rebel (4 Jun 2020)

ceg4048 said:


> it was not necessary to list them on the label.


Maybe this will reduce your competitive edge? From the POINT OF VIEW of the company of course.


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## Simon Cole (4 Jun 2020)

@ceg4048 @Witcher   Thank you both for your replies


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