Cheap alternatives to overpriced hydroponic nutrients

[Septooth]

That meter is 500 scale most likely, at least my yellow cheapies have been; about the rest maybe somebody familiar with mega crop could help you better, but when I used megacrop I fed 300-500 in veg & 500-800 bloom with little adjustments to each as needed, good luck

So if my ppm is supposed to be 500ppm, then that is total ppm including my water ppm? So if my water is 250ppm then I add nutes to my water until I have a total 500ppm?

 

[RickkiTX]

Anyone using current culture gear?

 

[Beachwalker]

So if my ppm is supposed to be 500ppm, then that is total ppm including my water ppm? So if my water is 250ppm then I add nutes to my water until I have a total 500ppm?

Yes total PPM. If you mixed your tapwater with ro you'd have a better starting point obviously, if that's an option? good luck!

 

[Aqua Man]

I run mega crop in my hydro. 250ppm tap should be ok but would be much better cut 50/50 with RO. Now understand it's not balanced like your base feed and should be ignored in calculation.

Use the feed calculator as a guide not a rule. Here is a basic idea of where you may want to start and feed at if you have healthy plants. So much will depend on the VPD in hydro so again these are guidelines and counting your tap water as 0 so this is over and above the tap ppm. The bonus is unlike soil you can adjust quickly to plant response.

The reason there is a range is because if you have low humidity they uptake more water and nutrients higher humidity less so like I say a lot will depend on VPD. Always start at the low end of the range.

Seedling 100-300ppm

Early veg 200-400ppm

Late veg 400-800ppm

Early flower 600-800 ppm

Late flower 600-800ppm

2 weeks before harvest 400-600ppm

Last week 100-300 ppm

 

[MIMedGrower]

I run mega crop in my hydro. 250ppm tap should be ok but would be much better cut 50/50 with RO. Now understand it's not balanced like your base feed and should be ignored in calculation.

Use the feed calculator as a guide not a rule. Here is a basic idea of where you may want to start and feed at if you have healthy plants. So much will depend on the VPD in hydro so again these are guidelines and counting your tap water as 0 so this is over and above the tap ppm. The bonus is unlike soil you can adjust quickly to plant response.

The reason there is a range is because if you have low humidity they uptake more water and nutrients higher humidity less so like I say a lot will depend on VPD. Always start at the low end of the range.

Seedling 100-300ppm

Early veg 200-400ppm

Late veg 400-800ppm

Early flower 600-800 ppm

Late flower 600-800ppm

2 weeks before harvest 400-600ppm

Last week 100-300 ppm

I agree with the numbers but i think temperature affects uptake not so much humidity.

 

[Aqua Man]

I agree with the numbers but i think temperature affects uptake not so much humidity.

I think they intertwined and both are almost equally important. Can be ideal temps and if the humidity is high it's slows transpiration if it's low it increases transpiration. But like you say if the temps in the root zone are cold it will also slow transpiration.

Personally I think if temps are ideal it's the humidity that will drive nutrient uptake because of the vapor pressure

 

[MIMedGrower]

I think they intertwined and both are almost equally important. Can be ideal temps and if the humidity is high it's slows transpiration if it's low it increases transpiration. But like you say if the temps in the root zone are cold it will also slow transpiration.

Personally I think if temps are ideal it's the humidity that will drive nutrient uptake because of the vapor pressure

Many tests for humidity have been recorded with no difference in growth or canabanoids shown. First i read was in ed rosenthals book. There are many more quotes like that.

And i just rooted all my last clones open without domes at 45% rh with no problems at all.

My room yielded the same with known clones at 40% -70% rh winter to summer. But i have to keep temps above 76 farenheight or growth slows.

Thats my experience and research anyway.

 

[One drop]

If you want the cheapest way to grow you can use urine , milk and worm casting tea I’ve used that method for years it works great I come from a old school days .

 

[Aqua Man]

Many tests for humidity have been recorded with no difference in growth or canabanoids shown. First i read was in ed rosenthals book. There are many more quotes like that.

And i just rooted all my last clones open without domes at 45% rh with no problems at all.

My room yielded the same with known clones at 40% -70% rh winter to summer. But i have to keep temps above 76 farenheight or growth slows.

Thats my experience and research anyway.

Yeah I can see that. My experience is different but I was in hydro with co2, in soil the impact would be far less imo. If I changed the humidity by 5-10% I could easily see a difference. I think as growth rates increase say even soil vs coco there is a lot more impact. So many variables play into transpiration I don't think there is a definitive answer but more so depending on the grow itself.

 

[MIMedGrower]

Yeah I can see that. My experience is different but I was in hydro with co2, in soil the impact would be far less imo. If I changed the humidity by 5-10% I could easily see a difference. I think as growth rates increase say even soil vs coco there is a lot more impact. So many variables play into transpiration I don't think there is a definitive answer but more so depending on the grow itself.

I dont think its a soil or hydro thing. Rosenthal grew hydro for testing.

I think it may be sealed room vs ventilated.

 

[Aqua Man]

I dont think its a soil or hydro thing. Rosenthal grew hydro for testing.

I think it may be sealed room vs ventilated.

Many variables

 

[MIMedGrower]

Many variables

Great pot grows at sea level at the equator to 10,000 feet up in the mountains. It is extremely adaptable.

 

[curto]

Enzymes: use septic enzymes like Bio-Clean or Rid-X
pH control: pH up- potassium hydroxide is drain cleaner. pH down- Use nitric, phosphoric or sulfuric acid. ~30% sulfuric acid can be bought at the auto parts store for batteries.
Sterile reservoir: Use 4 drops of unscented laundry bleach per gallon, or 1 ml per 5 gallons instead of Clear Rez or UC Roots
Aminos: use unflavored soy or whey protein hydrolysate 1 g per 5 gallons
Humic/Fulvic acid: Use liquid smoke (pyroligneous acid, wood vinegar). It is lignin/cellulose that has been broken down with heat and condensed. There are also other beneficial organic acids in it and it protects against bugs.
Kelp: soak nori sushi wraps in water overnight and blend until smooth. Dillute until a very weak tea.

Thanks for your suggestions, I grow in COCO with a recirculation system, will Bio-Clean or Rid-x work with my system. Have you had good results?

 

[CelticCannabis]

Good Morning :)

So I came across a very interesting thread by Sky High this morning talking about why pay more for a cutesy label and after reading some of DesertS posts on nutrient profiles, I got to thinkin.

What are large scale nurseries using in their hydroponic applications?

I really doubt any commercial scale vegetable growers are using the products we cannabis growers use,(Canna, AN, DM, Ionic, House & garden, etc...)

So In my searching I came across this product,

its a 25lb bag of Jacks Hydroponic nutrient for $36.00.

from my understanding needs to be stacked with the calcium nitrate product from jacks, which is $24.00 for a 25lb bag.
here is a little info on the products,

http://www.jacksprofessional.com/products.pdf



They also have other water soluble nutrients with different nutrient profiles as well.

This jacks brand may not be quite what we are looking for as hydroponic growers but I am sure there are other similar alternatives with different nutrient profiles.

*Has anyone used this product, or a similar product with good results?*
:wondering:wondering



Thanks :passingjoint:

Good morning from Nova Scotia, Canada.
I am also of the opinion that liquid fertilizers are over priced.
I am new to growing and have just started a new hydroponic grow using Masterblend hydroponic nutrients. I went by the manufacturers specification on the mix ratio. Soon into the grow, I discovered there was not enough Magnesium and just maybe, a little heavy on the nitrogen. I am changing the recommended ratio from 2-1-2 to 1-2.5-1.
This product is very reasonably priced. There is the Masterblend, Magnesium Sulphate and Calcium Nitrate, separately packaged of course.
I am also using a Potassium Silicate additive as well as H2O2.
I’ve had a lot of help from another member in this community of growers.
Keeping my fingers crossed now that I have the magnesium deficiency dealt with that I can get this grow through to completion.
Check out the Masterblend web site.

Cheers

 

[Dr.B]

The farm I worked at kept around a quarter million pot plants going with vats upon vats of General Hydropinics M/G/B. Nothing else went into the Argo.

 

[Dr.Green55]

I think they intertwined and both are almost equally important. Can be ideal temps and if the humidity is high it's slows transpiration if it's low it increases transpiration. But like you say if the temps in the root zone are cold it will also slow transpiration.

Personally I think if temps are ideal it's the humidity that will drive nutrient uptake because of the vapor pressure

I think your pretty much bang on Aqua, Alot of intertwined moving parts, I'd suggest Carbon dioxide and the water gradient between the plant and the atmosphere are driving factors, the plants needs carbon dioxide in order to get it, it needs to open the stomata, opening that causes the plant to draw water for the roots to leaves then atmosphere , lower humidity cause the plant to draw more, higher humidity less, due to the water gradient between the plant and the atmosphere, both low or high humidity will cause growth, yield issues etc. As long as temp are in the ballpark I don't find they play much of a apart, I'd suggest light intensity over temps. however I agree with MIMedGrower different mediums should play much of a part neither as long as their all ran optimal. everyone will experience something a little different I like 60-70 veg and 55-65 flower but that for my setup,

 

[youngOG]

never understoof people saying nutes are overpriced .. useless additive are
all you need is the base nutes nothing else
B.A.C hydro is around 40euros for 10 liters .. ionic soft water (for people using condensate water from cooling units) are very cheap and great too
let the nutrient formulation for people who know it
its very sharp and rare are the growers who know the nutrient chemistry
imo

 

[BillFarthing]

its very sharp and rare are the growers who know the nutrient chemistry

False.

The information is free on the internet. You ever heard of it?

 

[youngOG]

False.

The information is free on the internet. You ever heard of it?

not sure you are as good as you think

 

[Aqua Man]

Imo almost all bottled nutes are over priced. Hell even shit like citric acid.

never understoof people saying nutes are overpriced .. useless additive are
all you need is the base nutes nothing else
B.A.C hydro is around 40euros for 10 liters .. ionic soft water (for people using condensate water from cooling units) are very cheap and great too
let the nutrient formulation for people who know it
its very sharp and rare are the growers who know the nutrient chemistry
imo

I would say most experienced growers have a good understanding of so called "Nutrient chemistry" and @BillFarthing definitely does. Its not some rocket science and as Bill said the information and calculators are extremely easy to find.

I would say those who don't understand it to some level have not tried to learn.