Cheap alternatives to overpriced hydroponic nutrients

[Fresh Starts]

This is an okay mixture, u need to re formulate and add a couple more key ingredient to make it a solid profile..

At these ratios u running a high nitrogen which is the reason why the flowers are looking a little airy.. But that's just my .02 cents...

You have not posted an optional nutrient profile to compare to Jacks and I highly doubt your understanding of ionic chemistry- you sound like a hydro store employee who thinks "adding a couple more key ingredients" will complete a profile. Don't just stroll into this thread and drop a two cents opinion that derails discussion with no factual information to back it up. Stop blowing smoke up my ass and GTFO :asshat::asshat::asshat::asshat:

 

[Owlfarm]

Thanks for the info fresh starts. Thats a nice looking dry shot of herb. Is that the platinum og? I'm a few weeks into og ghost train haze, and I'm excited to see how it turns out. Then I'm doing a malawi diesel cross... I'll cut out the bloom booster next week when I change the res's. Are you flushing with EC .3 all the way till chop without any plain water?
I've been trying to find info on large scale greenhouse grows for tomatoes and such to see what those guys are doing. Anyone know if they use the same formula all the way from veg till harvest?

 

[Fresh Starts]

Thanks for the info fresh starts. Thats a nice looking dry shot of herb. Is that the platinum og? I'm a few weeks into og ghost train haze, and I'm excited to see how it turns out. Then I'm doing a malawi diesel cross... I'll cut out the bloom booster next week when I change the res's. Are you flushing with EC .3 all the way till chop without any plain water?
I've been trying to find info on large scale greenhouse grows for tomatoes and such to see what those guys are doing. Anyone know if they use the same formula all the way from veg till harvest?

Yeah the .3 EC works for my standards of flushing which leads to white ashes in a bong bowl- but you may want to lower it even more for your tastes. That bud up there is a Jack Herrer shot. Jack on Jack is what I've been saying.

As for green house tomato growers- they change the fertilizer profiles at certain stages of growth. Furthermore, the pro's take samples of leaf tissue and the fertilizer used on those plants and make adjustments according to the results in order to fine tune their crops.

Jacks is a great formula for veg or bloom but it's not built for the flexibility of profile changes between growth stages. Is it really necessary? Well that's up to your own standards but there are people who would argue otherwise (H3ad's recipe and Lucas formula users)

I recommend anyone truly interested in knowing what the F*** is up with ionic chemistry to read "Hydroponic Food Production" by author Howard M. Resh

 

[FlyinJStable]

I may be new but I know a good thing when I sees one. So I switched to jacks at the end of my 2nd micro grow. And I am very pleased with that So much so my mother plant is staying in my closet. Now I started this to show how Jacks works for the beginner (Me). The one and only problem I have had was not waiting till the mix of Jacks 5-12-26 and the separate Calcium Nitrate salts FULLY DISSOLVED and when the Mg salt caused precipitates to form on the bottom of my res tank. I have sense learned to use warm water in separate 3 one gal containers to dissolve all salts WELL (I only make 5 gal

at a time) and add (1)Jacks WAIT !! add (2) Mg WAIT !! add (3)cal last. In my 5 gal tank and use a large air stone 24/7. My mix is 920ppm @ 100% with my meter and always 5.9 after making I then add my Ph plain water to make my 25% 50% 75% So far this works for me and it is very simple.

Here are results using Jacks from germination to 1 Month.
I am 60/40 coco clay and due to my new room I am keeping everything low. . . .

 

[Owlfarm]

Thanks for the book recommendation. I'll order it. You have any other books you would suggest?
That's a real nice looking jack bud. I grew jack a few years ago. Great herb.
So you don't feel it's necessary to play around with different profiles?

 

[Fresh Starts]

You have any other books you would suggest?

It depends on what you're interested in learning about but if you are interested in microbiology I would suggest reading "teaming with microbes"

So you don't feel it's necessary to play around with different profiles?

My goal is to be able to tailor my own custom hydroponic formulas for veg and bloom using raw elemental salt compounds- so yes I do believe it is necessary to play with profiles. My first few steps in that direction will be to emulate some of the prescribed fertilizer recipes made by plant biologists in that book I recommended.;) Right now I'm still observing my results with Jacks and understanding the chemistry behind it.

 

[EveryOneSmokes]

You have not posted an optional nutrient profile to compare to Jacks and I highly doubt your understanding of ionic chemistry- you sound like a hydro store employee who thinks "adding a couple more key ingredients" will complete a profile. Don't just stroll into this thread and drop a two cents opinion that derails discussion with no factual information to back it up. Stop blowing smoke up my ass and GTFO :asshat::asshat::asshat::asshat:

@Fresh Starts u are total correct I don't know anything about ionic chemistry or how to grow..
What I was trying to convey is u will need another source of calcium in order to achieve a more well rounded formula as calcium nitrate has a lot of nitrogen when trying to achieve a higher calcium level...I actually formulated something for a buddy of my that has proven good results..

once ur ego gets over my comment about ur flowers try looking to reformulating and get more of a 1-1-3, 1-1-4,2-1-5 or even 2-1-4 formula.. Again this is just my .02cents and take it for what u will..
Don't were I won't bother derailing ur jacks hydro thread anymore ... Lol.. GTFO....

 

[Surfandgrow]

Im mixing my Jacks at 3g/G and my epsom at 1g/G and my cal/nit at 1.8g/G and MOST at .5g/G and my ph is at 4.7 why so low? By the time I finish adding ph up to my solution I have added another 140ml of potassium silicate. Is there a non potassium based ph up adjuster? Anyone have any idea where to get silicic acid powder?

 

[Fresh Starts]

@Fresh Starts u are total correct I don't know anything about ionic chemistry or how to grow..
What I was trying to convey is u will need another source of calcium in order to achieve a more well rounded formula as calcium nitrate has a lot of nitrogen when trying to achieve a higher calcium level...I actually formulated something for a buddy of my that has proven good results..

once ur ego gets over my comment about ur flowers try looking to reformulating and get more of a 1-1-3, 1-1-4,2-1-5 or even 2-1-4 formula.. Again this is just my .02cents and take it for what u will..
Don't were I won't bother derailing ur jacks hydro thread anymore ... Lol.. GTFO....

I've been a little on edge lately and you're post came off as dismissive. If you have things to share with the community then drop the knowledge and ignore my hot headed post.

Im mixing my Jacks at 3g/G and my epsom at 1g/G and my cal/nit at 1.8g/G and MOST at .5g/G and my ph is at 4.7 why so low? By the time I finish adding ph up to my solution I have added another 140ml of potassium silicate. Is there a non potassium based ph up adjuster? Anyone have any idea where to get silicic acid powder?

If you're PH is so low you are probably working with a water source low in alkalinity- which is good. I think the Ph up you are looking for is sulfuric acid. Potassium silicate adds too much K into the mix- and Jacks has a little too much K to begin with for use in coco. Thats why the magnesium is so important to use with the mix. (Thanks to Yo for pointing that out) Since I never have to use a PH up product (luckily) i'm curious to see this work out.

 

[GR33NL3AF]

Im mixing my Jacks at 3g/G and my epsom at 1g/G and my cal/nit at 1.8g/G and MOST at .5g/G and my ph is at 4.7 why so low? By the time I finish adding ph up to my solution I have added another 140ml of potassium silicate. Is there a non potassium based ph up adjuster? Anyone have any idea where to get silicic acid powder?

I use the pH up Product from Nectar for the God's called, Olympus Up. It's Limestone and offers and additional source of Ca.

 

[Fresh Starts]

I've been a little on edge lately and you're post came off as dismissive. If you have things to share with the community then drop the knowledge and ignore my hot headed post.



If you're PH is so low you are probably working with a water source low in alkalinity- which is good. I think the Ph up you are looking for is sulfuric acid. Potassium silicate adds too much K into the mix- and Jacks has a little too much K to begin with for use in coco. Thats why the magnesium is so important to use with the mix. (Thanks to Yo for pointing that out) Since I never have to use a PH up product (luckily) i'm curious to see this work out.

NVM what I said about sulfuric acid surf I was thinking about down.

 

[Surfandgrow]

My EC is at 2. with this combo. Is that Bad? What will that do to the plants? Its never been more then 1.5 and that was in flower. Im running the same mix for flower as veggie. Do you think the MOST could be responsible for the low PH? I just started using Jacks so im unfamiliar with it at this time and will be conducting several more experiments. Great find @GR33NL3AF Im going to try the limestone. I found a 25ld bag for 54 dollars. Is calcium carbonate the same as limestone?

 

[GR33NL3AF]

My EC is at 2. with this combo. Is that Bad? What will that do to the plants? Its never been more then 1.5 and that was in flower. Im running the same mix for flower as veggie. Do you think the MOST could be responsible for the low PH? I just started using Jacks so im unfamiliar with it at this time and will be conducting several more experiments. Great find @GR33NL3AF Im going to try the limestone. I found a 25ld bag for 54 dollars. Is calcium carbonate the same as limestone?

This is all the info I've got on the product so far, Ground limestone (natural calcite).

 

[Fresh Starts]

My EC is at 2. with this combo. Is that Bad? What will that do to the plants? Its never been more then 1.5 and that was in flower. Im running the same mix for flower as veggie. Do you think the MOST could be responsible for the low PH? I just started using Jacks so im unfamiliar with it at this time and will be conducting several more experiments. Great find @GR33NL3AF Im going to try the limestone. I found a 25ld bag for 54 dollars. Is calcium carbonate the same as limestone?

If you're room humidity is low (35-45%) then you will want to run lower EC. I've never run the EC over 1.8 personally.
I don't think that the MOST mix would cause a low PH but its worth more research to confirm. Try to mix without it and see what happens to EC. What is your water source Ph to begin with?

 

[Surfandgrow]

Here is how it works Gentiles!

Adding protekt @ 3ml/Gallon or 150 ml
PPM-.20
EC-0
PH-7.9

Jacks @ 3 grams/Gallon or 150 grams
PPM-410
EC-1.4
PH-6.0

MOST @ .5 grams/Gallon or 25 grams
PPM-410
EC-1.4
PH-5.6

Magnesium sulfate @ 1. gram/Gallon or 50 grams
PPM-450
EC-1.4
PH-5.3

Calcium nitrate @ 1.8 grams/Gallon or 90 grams
PPM-650
EC-1.8
PH-5.3

Started with RO water 0 ppm. I had to add 50ml of protekt to final solution to PH to 5.8 bringing my final formula balance 113-41-204 or 3-1-5 + or - a few. Im going to start with 4ml of protekt instead of three this should get me to my proper PH without having to add more potassium silicate at the end of mixing. If I dont use the MOST my ph will be right at 5.7. Anyone not using MOST with Jacks in Coco with RO water? I keep my humidity around 60% in flower never had any issues.

Also on a side note @GR33NL3AF limestone is not water soluble how do you get it to break down and dissolve? I ordered the Olympus up from my hydro store but it wont be here for a few more days.

 

[GR33NL3AF]

Here is how it works Gentiles!

Adding protekt @ 3ml/Gallon or 150 ml
PPM-.20
EC-0
PH-7.9

Jacks @ 3 grams/Gallon or 150 grams
PPM-410
EC-1.4
PH-6.0

MOST @ .5 grams/Gallon or 25 grams
PPM-410
EC-1.4
PH-5.6

Magnesium sulfate @ 1. gram/Gallon or 50 grams
PPM-450
EC-1.4
PH-5.3

Calcium nitrate @ 1.8 grams/Gallon or 90 grams
PPM-650
EC-1.8
PH-5.3

Started with RO water 0 ppm. I had to add 50ml of protekt to final solution to PH to 5.8 bringing my final formula balance 113-41-204 or 3-1-5 + or - a few. Im going to start with 4ml of protekt instead of three this should get me to my proper PH without having to add more potassium silicate at the end of mixing. If I dont use the MOST my ph will be right at 5.7. Anyone not using MOST with Jacks in Coco with RO water? I keep my humidity around 60% in flower never had any issues.

Also on a side note @GR33NL3AF limestone is not water soluble how do you get it to break down and dissolve? I ordered the Olympus up from my hydro store but it wont be here for a few more days.

It's already in liquid form... I believe the creator of this product feeds his microbes limestone and he bottles the bi-product. Which is enzymatic-ally digested limestone, making it readily available. In any case it works well, you will get VERY minor sediment but nothing that will clog or hinder your current lineup.

 

[Surfandgrow]

Sweet. Good to know. If Im running 3 jacks and 1.8 cal/nit would my ratio stay the same if I lowered it to say 2 jacks and .8 cal/nit? Im trying to lower my ppm and EC its a little high for my comfort zone for veggies although Im not seeing any adverse effects from the high numbers. Damn I wish I had a room just to run all of my experiments.

 

[Camdawg]

Sweet. Good to know. If Im running 3 jacks and 1.8 cal/nit would my ratio stay the same if I lowered it to say 2 jacks and .8 cal/nit? Im trying to lower my ppm and EC its a little high for my comfort zone for veggies although Im not seeing any adverse effects from the high numbers. Damn I wish I had a room just to run all of my experiments.

Couldn't you just add more water?

 

[Surfandgrow]

Im mixing in a 55 gallon rez. It would be easier to use less salt since the rez is already at max capacity. I cant add more water.

 

[GR33NL3AF]

Im mixing in a 55 gallon rez. It would be easier to use less salt since the rez is already at max capacity. I cant add more water.

Are you monitoring your runoff??? This is the most important, it will tell you if youre overfeeding...