Fulvic Acid Causing Precipitation ????

[FooDoo]

I have a quick question. I just got interested in using fulvic acid and silica.

When I mix my nutes, I take 0 ppm ro water, mix in 4ml per gallon of protekt. Then I add my base micro and bloom. Everything's all good. Once I had fulvic into the mix, it turns completely cloudy.

What is causing the nutrient drop out? Should I add it before the protekt and base?

Thanks for any help on the matter

 

[Tnelz]

No always add silica first forever. What brand of fulvic are u using. Never had the problem. But I use protekt silica and Fulpower together all the time without issue. I'd say if ur fulvic product isn't golden and clear to change it. Not saying other products aren't fine but bioag has cornered the market on fulvic. Good luck man.

 

[FooDoo]

@Tnelz I'm using the clear/golden cold water extracted mad farmers n.u.t.s fulvic acid.

I did and am mixing protekt (si) first into clean 0 ppm water . then base. No cloudyness. Last I add fulvic and it goes cloudy

 

[Tnelz]

@Tnelz I'm using the clear/golden cold water extracted mad farmers n.u.t.s fulvic acid.

I did and am mixing protekt (si) first into clean 0 ppm water . then base. No cloudyness. Last I add fulvic and it goes cloudy

So to be perfectly honest if I wasn't using Fulpower that would be my second choice. It's a very good fulvic. Something is reacting but doesn't necessarily mean it's precipitating. Have u tried adding the fulvic to the water or some water just to c if it clouds that water. Maybe it just does that. Honestly when I've had precip the silica almost clumped up and fell to the bottom of the jug. So I wouldn't be afraid to use it.

 

[FooDoo]

I'll be testing it out shortly in plain water

 

[FooDoo]

Tap+ fulvic on left. Tap only on right.

N.u.t.s. is yellowish so I'm not surprised the water was slightly discolored after adding a cap full in and I see particles floating around which does "cloud" the water.

@Tnelz do you have any pictures of the Si clumping up?

Does it look like this powdery type of substance or more like huge salt rocks?

I'm stumped. I think I'll just use it as is and once it runs out I'll switch to cyco silica and fulpower

 

[Tnelz]

It basically does look like small white clumps. I wouldn't change ur si source. It's better than cyco imo. It's a preference thing I guess. But I can tell u with surety Fulpower and protekt work together well. Also Fulpower when added to water doesn't change what the water looks like at all. Instead of using it together though u can use them separately. U can add ur silica and nutes 1 day and on a water day just add fulvic to that. U would still get the benefit.

 

[Joe Fresh]

i would guess the reason for the clouding up is the ph...as you know not all fulvics are equal, just out of curiosity, i would test the ph right before you add the fulvic to your nutes, and then i would also test the ph of that jar you got only RO and fulvic....see what the ph is, my guess is its probably over 8 right out the bottle...just a guess though

 

[FooDoo]

What pH do you recommend before adding fulvic?

 

[Joe Fresh]

What pH do you recommend before adding fulvic?

its not a single ph that im talking about, what im talking about is if you nutes solution in the reservoir is say 6.2, then you add something that has a much higher solution like say for example 11ph....then the moment it hits the water it will cloud up and precipitate...thats why i said check the ph of your fulvic...if the ph of your fulvic is pretty high, i would reccomend to mix all your nutes in the rez as you usually do, then take the amount of fulvic you would normaly add, and mix the fulvic in a jar of water, ph it to the same as your reservoir, then add it in....this will solve your problem if the ph of the fulvic is off....

to be clear, this is the reason your asked to put the protekt first, because it has a ph of something like 11, so if you add it last it will precipitate

 

[Mr.X]

Definitely silica 1st, try diluting the silica itself b4 even making your solution then add all of your nutes. GH armor si is excellent and you can even foliar feed with it. GH also makes diamond nectar wich is a great fulvic acid additive. You could also alternate between the Si and fulvic including either 1 or the other every other day. But silicates are going to precipitate with whatever nutes you use micro,grow, bloom so just make sure its in solution b4 adding anything else. Ph also depends on your medium are growing in coco, traditional hydro, ie ebb N flood, nft etc... if you keep your ph between 5.8 N 6.2 you should B good regardless of the medium. Good luck

 

[FooDoo]

@Joe Fresh they say "because our fulvic is extracted without the use of chemicals, it will not effect pH or ppm"

I will test your theory but doubt fulvic is acting as a PH up

 

[Joe Fresh]

ok cool, that means they use enzymes...but in my experience even enzematic products over time, with heat and improper storage can affect ph...buyt like i said, it was just a guess...i know when i add my ph up it instantly clouds in my res...seeing that the fulvic is and acid, i would expect the ph to be low, not high

 

[FooDoo]

If anyone comes across this thread and has the same issue, I was able to solve the problem.

After adding SI to RO water the pH would shoot up to 9.8. Any pH above 8.0 makes si really unstable. So I would then add a bunch of pH down to get it to 6.0. Then I'd add base nutrients. And finally fulvic. Low and behold, no more cloudyness.

 

[Joe Fresh]

If anyone comes across this thread and has the same issue, I was able to solve the problem.

After adding SI to RO water the pH would shoot up to 9.8. Any pH above 8.0 makes si really unstable. So I would then add a bunch of pH down to get it to 6.0. Then I'd add base nutrients. And finally fulvic. Low and behold, no more cloudyness.

i knew ph had something to do with it, glad you were able to figure it out