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Thread: Fish Emulsion

  1. #1
    Moderator badflash's Avatar
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    Fish Emulsion

    Probably not the right area, but this is as close as there is right now.

    One of the secrets to doing things profitably is not to waste. My grandpa always said about butchering pigs "we use everything but the squeal".

    When you fillet a fish, there are always left overs. The guts, bones, head and a little meat. One very profitable way to deal with otherwise smelly waste is to make fish emulsion. The process is pretty simple. Put the left-overs in a plastic barrel or bucket, cover with water, and add enough phosphoric acid to equal about 1-2% of the weight of the fish. The pH is supposed to stay in the 3-4 range. Kept warm the stuff will break down and you'll get oil, fish emulsion and some glop on the bottom.

    The fish oil can be put to a variety of uses, including bio diesel if you have enough of it. The emulsion is neutralized with lime, filtered and bottled. It sells for up to $40 a gallon. The glop on the bottom goes into the compost for the worms. Nothing goes to waste.

    My big hold up is finding food grade phosphoric acid at a reasonable price in less than tank car quantities. If anyone knows about a source, I'd be grateful.
    The best fertilizer is the farmer's shadow

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    Moderator jackalope's Avatar
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    Re: Fish Emulsion

    Wow, good info, I learn more every day, Thanks
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  3. #3
    Members mpugh5@aol.com's Avatar
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    Re: Fish Emulsion

    there is some phosphoric acid on ebay, it's located up the road from me in allentown pa. the shipping is outrages and they have no local pick up. badflash if you could look this up tell me if this would be a good buy by comparison to what your aware of. i'll buy it if it's a fair deal due to my desire to process my fish waste. thanks and i'll be standing by to here your response.
    thanks michael
    one life one love.

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    Moderator wolfracer's Avatar
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    Re: Fish Emulsion

    Very interesting concept, Keep us informed. Bio diesel is a side interest of mine.

  5. #5
    Moderator badflash's Avatar
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    Re: Fish Emulsion

    I found a site that sell phosphoric acid:
    http://www.dudadiesel.com/biodiesel_chemicals.php

    As it turns out it is used in the production of biodiesel. This place seems to have very reasonable prices. I'll also be buying pumps, valves and heat exchangers here for my WVO diesel experiment.
    The best fertilizer is the farmer's shadow

  6. #6
    Members mpugh5@aol.com's Avatar
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    Re: Fish Emulsion

    Quote Originally Posted by badflash
    I found a site that sell phosphoric acid:
    http://www.dudadiesel.com/biodiesel_chemicals.php

    As it turns out it is used in the production of biodiesel. This place seems to have very reasonable prices. I'll also be buying pumps, valves and heat exchangers here for my WVO diesel experiment.
    wow, just got up to speed on duda today myself, talk about being on the same page.
    one life one love.

  7. #7
    Moderator badflash's Avatar
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    Re: Fish Emulsion

    I have now found why phosphoric acid and not other acids are used to make this stuff. If you use other acids and then neutralize them, you end up with salts that are no good for plants. Muriatic acid gives you regular salt, sulphuric acid give you sulphates. Phosphoric acid gives you phosphate that plants like.

    Be sure your container is closed tightly or you get unwanted guests. ewww!
    The best fertilizer is the farmer's shadow

  8. #8
    Members bcotton's Avatar
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    Re: Fish Emulsion

    I dont mean to bump an old thread but i am reading through the archives and I figured I would update for others who do the same.

    The liquid version of "General Hydroponics PH down" is food grade phosphoric acid and can be acquired at your local hydroponics store for about $30 per gallon. However, I havent been able to find the concentration percent of the product.

    (My expanded shale had a little something in it that is PH buffering my system at 7.4 so i use this product to bring down my PH a little. I mix it in the sump which goes through the grow beds before getting to the fish tank, the fish do not seem to mind. Mozambique tilapia, bluegill, redear sunfish and channel catfish.)

    brian

  9. #9
    Moderator urbanfarmer's Avatar
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    Re: Fish Emulsion

    Quote Originally Posted by badflash
    I have now found why phosphoric acid and not other acids are used to make this stuff. If you use other acids and then neutralize them, you end up with salts that are no good for plants. Muriatic acid gives you regular salt, sulphuric acid give you sulphates. Phosphoric acid gives you phosphate that plants like.

    Be sure your container is closed tightly or you get unwanted guests. ewww!
    I was just about to suggest sulfuric or hydrochloric acid (muriatic acid). The HCl would release the chlorine and that would volatilize into the atmosphere. If you have any doubt, you can always boil the mixture before adding your other compounds that would create salts. When you boil water, the chlorine cannot stay soluble and will undoubtedly volatilize into the atmosphere.

    As far s the sulfuric acid forming sulfates, the sulfates should serve as fertilizer just like the phosphates.

    Sulfuric acid, battery acid, is very cheap. And as you know, muriatic acid, hydrochloric acid, is also very cheap.

    Food grade should really not be an issue for these kinds of chemicals because their so reactive they simply can't be mixed with many substances.

    Home Depot $27
    Miracle Sealants 128 oz. Fast-Acting Phosphoric Acid Cleaner

    Try the pool or hardware stores. They should have it for cheaper than online. You should always check the MSDS, and I can help you look if you want, but again I doubt it will be mixed with anything at higher concentrations because it's so reactive.

    EDIT: Found this too: http://compare.ebay.com/like/1703784165 ... r&_lwgsi=y (it's weaker at 52%, but it's $27.88 free shipping, if this was 85% you would pay $38.84 so it is CHEAPER than the one you mentioned above)

    This is 2 gallons of the above with some more savings: http://cgi.ebay.com/Phosphoric-Acid-52- ... %26ps%3D54

    Local will always be cheaper due to shipping.

  10. #10
    Members cedarswamp's Avatar
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    Re: Fish Emulsion

    If your going to mess with this stuff, for your own safty please learn everything you can about it first, for instance always add sulfuric acid to water, never water to sulfuric acid.

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