Cheap alternatives to overpriced hydroponic nutrients

[cheech]

getto i'd like to see you jump on board with this. I'm still uncertain and bought some sensi bloom for another room of the same strain to see how it compares just to be certain. Things look very good though.

my answer's are yes you can add the nutes to the undercurrent so long you add them in the correct order, and yes you can do add backs so long as the mixture is prepared in one rez in the correct order before it's added to prevent fall out. I don't recirculate, and it's grams.

 

[ttystikk]

After what I just heard about the owners of AN sexually molesting a small child, I think the more people I get to convert to Jacks or straight salts and off the ANal train, the better!

 

[Bangarang]

Jacks Hydro and Cal-Nit 3-2-1 w/1.25 Proteck Silica in 40 gallons of tap water EC=1.9 dilute it down with 16 gallons of water and EC=1.6. I believe some of my problems where coming from the lack of Cal and Mag in my res. I started adding 5 ml a gallon to the initial 40 gallon res but wanted to get some input. This is for veg and i like for my EC to be 1.4ish. But you guys let me know. Could i up the CalNit?
If your runoff EC is higher or lower than what you feed what does this tell you? How can you tell what the plant is taking in or rejecting?
Cheers

 

[ttystikk]

@Bangarang I too would like to know how much calcium nitrate would compensate for not using cal-mag. I'm already getting magnesium from epsom salt.

 

[connoisseurde420]

I can only answer about the runoff bangarang... if it is higher ec runoff that means there is some build up of says in ur medium, can't say how bad without numbers tho . I got alot of experience with this from my change to salts.

 

[GR33NL3AF]

Jacks Hydro and Cal-Nit 3-2-1 w/1.25 Proteck Silica in 40 gallons of tap water EC=1.9 dilute it down with 16 gallons of water and EC=1.6. I believe some of my problems where coming from the lack of Cal and Mag in my res. I started adding 5 ml a gallon to the initial 40 gallon res but wanted to get some input. This is for veg and i like for my EC to be 1.4ish. But you guys let me know. Could i up the CalNit?
If your runoff EC is higher or lower than what you feed what does this tell you? How can you tell what the plant is taking in or rejecting?
Cheers

I know Cap was looking into meters that read each nutrient specifically but they were very pricey.

Other than that you just need to be able to read your plants in order to figure out what they're taking in and what they are not. A calcium or magnesium def. seem to be the most common and are fairly easy to pick up on because the signs are almost always the same.

I've been doing feedings similar in ppms to yours and I just keep adding shit (molasses, amino acids, kelp, humic, sea green etc.) to raise the ppms after my base nutes because my ladies have no sign of build-up/burn.

What media are you in?

 

[Jalisco Kid]

I'm getting salt build up in the rockwool so I have to start flushing every rez change!

I you irrigate say every 3-5 cycles with a 250 ppm solution you will shock your plants less and have a healthier root system. Flushing your girls with water gaks up the plants internal chemistry. JK

 

[Jalisco Kid]

@Bangarang I too would like to know how much calcium nitrate would compensate for not using cal-mag. I'm already getting magnesium from epsom salt.

Why don't you run it thru a calculator to see what weight you need to add to hit your desired ppm. JK

 

[ttystikk]

Why don't you run it thru a calculator to see what weight you need to add to hit your desired ppm. JK

I've tried and I keep getting weird numbers. There is something about it I don't know.

 

[Herb Forester]

I you irrigate say every 3-5 cycles with a 250 ppm solution you will shock your plants less and have a healthier root system. Flushing your girls with water gaks up the plants internal chemistry. JK

JK, how do you like to adjust for fading in the last weeks? I phase out nitrates, then P, Mg, leaving just K, S, Si, micros, and the Ca from my tap water.

 

[GR33NL3AF]

JK, how do you like to adjust for fading in the last weeks? I phase out nitrates, then P, Mg, leaving just K, S, Si, micros, and the Ca from my tap water.

And how does your final product look, smell, taste and burn?

 

[Jalisco Kid]

I slowly fade down to 40 ppm N starting week 6.5/7(here I am around 80 ppm of N) of 10 week, Last 10 days is aminos,kelp,K nitrate.My add backs then fade down to 250ppm. Last day just pH water and a little simple sugar. JK

 

[Herb Forester]

I slowly fade down to 40 ppm N starting week 6.5/7(here I am around 80 ppm of N) of 10 week, Last 10 days is aminos,kelp,K nitrate.My add backs then fade down to 250ppm. Last day just pH water and a little simple sugar. JK

Do you fertigate the aminos or foliar spray? I've been looking at using this: http://www.ferti-organic.com/products/amino-acid-fertilizer-grade/.

Is there much free Ca in your source water? Mine is ~50 ppm, and I'm hesitant to add any extra during fade, after seeing delayed ripening with higher levels.

And how does your final product look, smell, taste and burn?

Probably something better for others to judge, but finish quality is the whole reason I'm using this approach.

 

[tconch]

They make their nutrients in two ways. Special order is no dye. Dirty run is with leftover dye in the process. This is why the color could be dark blue, blue, or clear.
Same thing goes for the CalNit except that this one will be in pellet form.
Hydro is more granular like sand.

wondering if any jacks users are having trouble if they received the greenish 5-12-26 hydro? about 2 months ago got a 5lb tub called jr peters about color they said it was the end of a run where the dye was depleated but nutes were same, my plants look like aspen leaves in the fall almost all yellow . i ordered 25 lb. bag 2 weeks ago and same color i,ve been using jacks for about 1 1/2 years and have had not a bit of trouble using same ratio wondering if anyone else has had trouble now with the greenish jacks hydro.

 

[ttystikk]

@tconch Yours is the first word I've heard about this. My nutes are always the same dark blue, I got my last one several years ago.

 

[Bangarang]

I haver seen blue and and dirty yellowish. Both the same. Call them up with the batch number on the bag and they can tell you what they think

 

[GR33NL3AF]

Hey @tconch I just received a 25lb sack yesterday and it is this color you speak of... I used it yesterday as well. If I run into issues I will let you know and JR Peters..:nailbiting::shifty:

 

[Bangarang]

Ok someone just told me the 3-2-1 formula was wrong. He is a credible dude but i am not sure of it. He was telling me to change to 3/8tsp of Hydro and Calnit. Something about the ratio being 1:.67. I was trying to find this info on icmag but was unable to locate it. Can anyone here educate on this little change?

 

[GR33NL3AF]

Ok someone just told me the 3-2-1 formula was wrong. He is a credible dude but i am not sure of it. He was telling me to change to 3/8tsp of Hydro and Calnit. Something about the ratio being 1:.67. I was trying to find this info on icmag but was unable to locate it. Can anyone here educate on this little change?

Hmmm, not sure it could be WRONG I am currently running it with zero problems... Though several of the experienced growers here have changed things up to a more specialized formula, and I am one to believe there is always room for improvement...

 

[ttystikk]

Ok someone just told me the 3-2-1 formula was wrong. He is a credible dude but i am not sure of it. He was telling me to change to 3/8tsp of Hydro and Calnit. Something about the ratio being 1:.67. I was trying to find this info on icmag but was unable to locate it. Can anyone here educate on this little change?

Hmmm, not sure it could be WRONG I am currently running it with zero problems... Though several of the experienced growers here have changed things up to a more specialized formula, and I am one to believe there is always room for improvement...

I've recently gotten the word on Jacks, so here's the straight scoop;

2.5g Jacks Professional 5-12-26
2.0g calcium nitrate
.5-.75g epsom salts

The above is NOT a recipe, it's a RATIO, meaning you mix this relative proportion of ingredients and then add to your water until the desired EC is reached. For high humidity environments, EC 1.8.

Do not add anything; Jacks is a 'complete' formulation which includes micros, calcium, mag, sulfur, etc. I will confess to adding 1-2ml/gal of Mineral Matrix, an organic micronutrient mix with naturally occurring chelates in it, but that's it. NO cal-mag! No need for several grams per gallon of epsom salts, either.

Temp 76-85
RH 65-75%
CO² 1000-1500ppm
water temp 60-66

...and then stand back, cuz your girls are gonna BLOW UP!