Cultured Solutions Usage Recommendations
Current Culture H2O recommends the use of reverse osmosis filtered water for best results. If tap water is 100 ppm or less it may be suitable for use.
When using reverse osmosis or low ppm tap water supplement the water with a Cal/Mag supplement at 0.5-1 mL/gal for water culture and 1-3 mL/gal for Rockwool and Coconut Fiber.
Recommended nutrient dosages are general and should be used as a base line. For more high performance applications (high levels of CO2 and high light intensity) increasing nutrient strength by 10-15% may be necessary. Monitor plants to optimize proper dosages.
For greenhouse applications it may be necessary to increase dosages by 15-25% to maximize plant production given the increase in lighting concentrations. Conversely, in lower light applications it may be necessary to decrease concentration slightly so as not to push plants beyond the given parameters at hand.
For soil or soilless applications it is recommended to leach with UC Roots periodically to aid in the avoidance of toxic mineral salt build ups. If pushing the plants with higher ppm regimes be sure to leach weekly.
Cultured Solutions FAQ’s
Why is Cultured Solutions 2-part better than a 1-part or 3-part fertilizer?
1 part nutrients are often limited in their solubility and deficient in one or more vital nutrients. They may work well in certain soil applications, but are not well suited for deep water culture. 3-part nutrient solutions are unnecessarily complicated and may lead to accidental over or under fertilization. They do not provide anything not available in our 2-part nutrient. Because both A and B of the 2-part solution will be used at the same rate, you are not left with uneven fertilizer levels and extra trips to the store.
Why are the usage recommendations of Cultured Solutions so much lower than with other fertilizer brands?
Cultured Solutions is highly concentrated and in a form that is 100% available to your plants. Plants grown in water culture use nutrients more efficiently because they are not competing with organisms in a soil/soilless based system.
Can I use Cultured Solutions as a foliar spray?
Yes. Use 1 mL per Quart of spray.
Is a calcium/magnesium supplement necessary with Cultured Solutions?
Cultured Solutions is formulated so that when used with tap water (100-150 ppm) it does not necessitate the use of additives such as
CalMag.
When tap water is in excess of 250 ppm we recommend the use of a reverse osmosis filter. When using reverse osmosis water add
CalMag @ 0.5-1 ml/gal to ensure an appropriate ratio of Ca to Mg is achieved before adding in
Cultured Solutions.
When is the best time to use the Bud Booster products?
a. Early? Mag booster: Last week of veg, first two weeks of flower
b. Mid? Bud Booster: weeks 3,4,5
c. Late? Powder Boost: weeks 6,7,8
How should I use the Bud Booster products in conjunction with my Bloom A & B?
Use for flower/fruit enhancement. As your flowers begin to get bigger, add more booster to keep up with their developing needs.
Can I use the Cultured Solutions Bud Booster with other bloom enhancing products?
We do not recommend using other bloom enhancing products with
Cultured Solutions Bud Booster products. Our Bud Booster products, in conjunction with our other
cultured solutions products, will provide you with all the nutrition your flowering plants need from pre-flowering to your final week of growth.
Is a silica product necessary with Cultured Solutions?
Silica is excluded from the main formulations of
Cultured Solutions because of its high pH demand to remain in soluble form for plant absorption.
Silica is a beneficial plant nutrient that can have positive effects including increased weights of fruits, increased nutritional composition and – most importantly – a very important increase in the resistance to some insects as well as bacterial and fungal diseases.
There is a chance that the combustion/inhalation of plant material that has absorbed high rates of silica could cause silicosis in the lungs. There needs to be studies to determine the safe ppm range for medicinal use.
Do I need any additional carbohydrate, sugar or sweetener products to get the best taste and flavor out of my crop grown with Cultured Solutions?
No. Adding these products is unnecessary, and may lead to unwanted bacterial and fungal growth in the root zone.
How is UC Roots different than H2O2 or Dutch Master Zone?
UC Roots is the only one that is Organic / OMRI approved. From a personal health and safety perspective it is the only product that does not require protective clothing and is safe to get on your skin, inhale or drink (when diluted).
With H202 you don’t want to get anything wrong – for you or your plant. H202 is a risky chemical that will burn your hands, but it also poses a threat to your plants’ roots. Unlike UC Roots, using too much H202 will stunt plant growth, and can even wipe out an entire plant if an accidental overdose is applied.
UC Roots is a unique electrochemically activated (ECA) solution that is a non-toxic, non-hazardous chemical that is composed of oxy-chloro compounds.
UC Roots consists of 995% water, 0.046% (460ppm) hypochlorous acid, and 0.004% (40ppm) of oxy-choro and peroxide ions. Its powerful oxidative properties at a neutral pH provides distinct reactions with water, and oxidizes harmful mineral and organic matter. Because of its neutral pH (6.8), yet highly oxidative properties, UC Roots is 100% safe for all plant and root stages. UC Roots is OMRI labeled.
Can I use UC Roots with “zyme” products?
Although we don’t recommend “Zyme” products in the Under Current system, UC Roots can be used in conjunction with “Zyme” products in grow mediums and other styles of hydroponics.
How can I use UC Roots to fight signs of root rot?
Use at a slightly higher rate, 5-10 mL/GAL. Watch for improvement, then return to normal dose.
Can I use beneficial bacteria or compost tea with UC Roots?
We don’t recommend beneficial bacteria or compost tea in the Under Current systems. You may use UC Roots along with beneficials or teas in grow mediums or other styles of hydroponics, however it isn’t recommended.
The effects of the UCR will cancel out the benefits of the bacteria. We suggest using one or the other, with emphasis on the UCR, because as is the case with beneficial bacteria, you will see an improvement in your root growth. In addition, UCR will cut back on a lot of the harmful scale, biofilm, and “sludge” that accumulates over time, which if anything beneficial bacteria contributes to.
How do I use UC Roots when doing a flush?
Use at a rate of 10 mL/gallon.
Can I use too much UC Roots?
Using more than the recommended dose will not harm your plants. Higher dosages are recommended for flushing, and when combating a potential pathogen.
Can UC Roots be used as a foliar spray?
Yes, when added at a 1:10 ratio with water as foliar spray, UC Roots will help prevent powdery white mildew.
Why UC Roots for water treatment?
Because it’s an all-in-one water treatment. It works both proactively, and preventatively. Proactively, it stimulates the root zone of your plants, encouraging robust, fast growth. Preventatively, it is a non-toxic, low ppm, neutral pH supplement that serves as an OMRI approved alternative to many other toxic chemicals out there.
Use at the standard dosage to help prevent root diseases, harmful scale and biofilm (“grime and slime”).
Help save yourself time and effort by reducing the amount of cleaning your equipment will require when using UC Roots regularly.
Simplify the number of products you need to cultivate, by adding UC Roots to your regimen to attain all of the best results you’ve ever gotten from multiple supplements in one.
Why do other company use dyes in their nutrients?
High quality nutrients should be clear. Companies that use lower quality ingredients, water and blending processes, need to add dyes to hide their product impurities and batch inconsistencies. Additionally, depending on the dyes used, they could potentially be harmful to your plants.
What are chelated micro-nutrients?
Chelated micronutrients refers to an inorganic nutrients that are enclosed by an organic molecules. The EDTA (chelate) surrounds the inorganic element forming a weak bond with it. Chelated micronutrients are useful when the pH of the nutrient water is outside of the optimal pH range for nutrient absorption. The organic coating prevents the lock out of these micronutrients and easily releases the nutrient to the plants roots. Chelated micronutrients are also useful for foliar applications. Plants have a waxy coating on their leaves that make it difficult for the absorption of the nutrients. The organic coating around the chelated micronutrient allows it to penetrate through the wax and into the leaf. Once in the leaf the chelate release the nutrient for use by the plant.
What are the advantages to using chelated micro-nutrients?
Chelated micronutrients are more readily absorbed by plants than non-chelated nutrients. Iron, Manganese, Copper and Zinc are more easily absorbed at lower pH ranges (5.0-6.5), as where Molybdenum is more easily absorbed at higher pH ranges (6.5-8). By using a chelating complex all the micronutrients are available to plants at all pH ranges.
Will Cultured Solutions fertilizer work with injector systems? What’s the rate?
Cultured Solutions works great in a fertilizer injection system. However, due to its high level of concentration it must be diluted to half strength first. Injection rates for both A and B should ALWAYS be the same. The injection rate must be adjusted as the plants grow to meet their increasing nutrient demands.
Are organics recommended in the Under Current DWC?
Typically it’s the most soluble, mineral based nutes that jive best in water culture. We would recommend using the organics as either a foliar or in small amounts applied directly to the root crown.
Is it ok to use humic acid, kelp, and the like in the Under Current DWC?
It is highly recommended that organics not be used in DWC. Organics have a life of their own and can often result in unwanted bacteria growth and pH swings along with other side effects adding less stable ions into a solution can cause.
The fundamental idea is to run DWC’s “clean”. Clean doesn’t only mean sterile. You can run inocs and teas but they need to be used in homeopathic doses so as to avoid the side effects of biofilms in the system and on the root zone. It’s this biofilm that can inhibit liquid and gas exchange in the root zone slowing plant metabolism and lending to anaerobic conditions.
Do selective inoculants, such as Great White or SOS ( “Super Organic Stimulator” ), have a place in the Under Current?
Yes, but it’s bacterial products that will tend to do better as they are naturally adapted to colonizing in water. Having said this, fungal inocs are also useful but are best served when introduced to the root crown so rhizoshere colonization can occur.
Great White has Trichoderma, which keep those roots clean, and Streptomyces to prevent fungal-related infections. But the problem is the bio residue these organisms produce as they biosynthetize either the glycine carrier or fulvic acid. Then there is the 10-14 day water aging period for inoculants, which might not suit more frequent reservoir changes in a high-performance system. Trichoderma and streptomyces are both very over bearing microbes. Either can be used but it’s keeping them from over populating that is the dance.
Remember, water culture is hydroponics and not a tea brewer. Tea brewing is purposely over populating a solution to be disseminated vs. hydroponic solutions which are looking to provide a stable environment for mineral and water assimilation. When using teas in heavier doses it does necessitate more nutrient change out. If SOS is working for you I’d recommend it as a compliment to your nutrient regime in the UC, but consider a lower dose than recommended.
A worm casting tea is the form of inoculant recommended. (Add two cups of worm castings to five gallons of water, aerate or stir, strain and then use that liquid at approximately 10 mils per gallon in your system) Steeped or aerated worm casting or vermicomposting has proven to be the most effective means of providing ecological balance in a water culture setting. The unique nature of red worms intestinal tract makes the likelihood of disease organisms almost impossible.
Avoid adding any input with sugars and carbs into your water culture system, AACT or otherwise. Most out of the bottle/can/tub/bucket inocs have plenty included as a food source for the bacteria so be thoughtful when using.
Root Pruning To Aid in Proper UC Function
When growing in any water culture system, it’s important to keep your root system as healthy and well maintained as possible. Aside from the typical means of promoting root health such as solution aeration, balanced water chemistry and proper water temps, there are other things to keep in mind.
One important element in keeping a functional, yet maintained root system is root pruning. As your plants proliferate it’s fairly common for the root systems to begin heavily populating the growth module and in some cases the circulation conduit. Here are a few simple tips to help avoid this from becoming an issue and hindering the circulatory function of the system.
1) Once plants are introduced into the system, monitor root growth to be certain roots are developing well. While examining keep an eye out for roots that tend to be growing longer than the rest of the root mass. Simply prune these “runner” roots with a clean pair of scissors to help maintain a more compact and uniform root mass. This pruning will also promote the proliferation of more lateral root growth which will aid in your plants developing a healthy root mass.
2) Occasionally repeat the examination process to ensure roots are developing well. Root prune as need be applying the same method as above. If necessary, reach down into module (thru port hole in lid) and pull out any runner roots that may be growing into the return manifolds. Keeping this return manifold clear with provide for better function of your UC.
3) Avoid the use of supplements that aid in root proliferation beyond the vegetative cycle. Plants will continue producing roots throughout the bloom cycle naturally. Use of these supplements into bloom can cause unnecessary energy to be put into root growth and focused away from flowering.
Root pruning rule of thumb: Be certain to not ever prune more than 15-20% of your root mass at any one time to maintain optimum plant health. Always prune the most anterior (outer) points of the root mass and use sterilized tools to avoid infecting plants with pathogens.
