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Jacks 321 vs Masterblend/Calnit/Epsom salt analysis and questions

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  • Start date Start date May 28, 2020
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Jacks 321 vs Masterblend/Calnit/Epsom salt analysis and questions

Dredd May 28, 2020 13 Replies 11,549 Views
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Dredd

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#1
Hello everyone,
as someone that has been using Masterblend for years now with great results i decided to deep dive into the nutrient composition of both Masterblend and Jacks, both well known brands and i was wondering if anyone knows if theres any real difference between these two brands final recommended combinations, when i look at the nutrient breakdown on Jacks 5-12-26 formula:


and on Masterblends 4-18-38:


it seems like Jacks 5-12-26 is basically just Masterblends 4-18-38 with added magnesium sulfate, to the point where Masterblend has its own 5-12-26 product that is just the 4-18-38 + epsom salt premixed in it and looks almost exactly like Jack's:


since both these brands instruct the addition of the same amount of calcium nitrate theres nothing interesting there so i wont mention it going forward just assume i include it, what i do find interesting and where the differences show up is the addition of epsom salt (magnesium sulfate),

if you use Masterblends 4-18-38 they advise that you add epsom salt at a 2 to 1 ratio, for every 2 gram of masterblend 4-18-38 add 1 gram of epsom salt, or if you buy the premixed version of 5-12-26 you dont have to add anything besides the calcium nitrate,

on the other hand with jacks 321 setup, you start with the 5-12-26 that already has magnesium sulfate in it much like the premixed 5-12-26 masterblend only jacks has a tad more magnesium sulfate 6.3%/8.5% vs masterblend 4.1%/5.4% and on top of this they tell you to add even more magnesium sulfate at a ratio of 3 to 1.

So which formulation has it right? should i be adding more magnesium sulfate to my Masterblend 5-12-26 formulation similar to the Jack's ratio? and since the 5-12-26 formulation is just the 4-18-38 with added magnesium sulfate at a 2 to 1 ratio does this mean that the touted 12g/12g/6g per 5gal of water that MPHgardener made so popular on youtube all those years ago should have actually been 12g/12g/12g per 5gal? or am i just not reading this properly and its actually the same for both brands?

also both these brands recommend a ph between 6.4 and 6.7 and yet i've been told again and again that cannabis needs 5.8 or no higher then 6, any thoughts on this?

thanks :D
 
Last edited: May 28, 2020
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mistletoe

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#2
I wish you had gotten answers to all these good questions. I have the same questions.

1. Has anyone ever noticed Jacks 5-12-26 needing extra epsom? I'm confused how anyone could need more than the already high amount of Mg in 5-12-26 (~60 ppm). When I've asked the people at Jack's the guy admitted it was already high but said "We have found in our trials that the addition of Epsom salt was not completely necessary, but it did help improve growth." I don't want to leave improved growth on the table but I also don't want to add unnecessary PPM to my solution which the Epsom does. I see GreenGenes is just doing straight 3.6/2.4 in his latest grow (using LEDs also) on youtube and he pioneered the Jacks 321 popularity.

2. I'd love to hear people chime in on the pH question as well. Jack's always wants to be about 6.4-6.7 runoff in my plants and I have to add quite a bit of acid to my tap to get it down to the 6 range.
 
Last edited: Sep 15, 2020
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Beachwalker

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#3
Dredd said:
Hello everyone,
as someone that has been using Masterblend for years now with great results i decided to deep dive into the nutrient composition of both Masterblend and Jacks, both well known brands and i was wondering if anyone knows if theres any real difference between these two brands final recommended combinations, when i look at the nutrient breakdown on Jacks 5-12-26 formula:
View attachment 978857

and on Masterblends 4-18-38:
View attachment 978856

it seems like Jacks 5-12-26 is basically just Masterblends 4-18-38 with added magnesium sulfate, to the point where Masterblend has its own 5-12-26 product that is just the 4-18-38 + epsom salt premixed in it and looks almost exactly like Jack's:
View attachment 978858

since both these brands instruct the addition of the same amount of calcium nitrate theres nothing interesting there so i wont mention it going forward just assume i include it, what i do find interesting and where the differences show up is the addition of epsom salt (magnesium sulfate),

if you use Masterblends 4-18-38 they advise that you add epsom salt at a 2 to 1 ratio, for every 2 gram of masterblend 4-18-38 add 1 gram of epsom salt, or if you buy the premixed version of 5-12-26 you dont have to add anything besides the calcium nitrate,

on the other hand with jacks 321 setup, you start with the 5-12-26 that already has magnesium sulfate in it much like the premixed 5-12-26 masterblend only jacks has a tad more magnesium sulfate 6.3%/8.5% vs masterblend 4.1%/5.4% and on top of this they tell you to add even more magnesium sulfate at a ratio of 3 to 1.

So which formulation has it right? should i be adding more magnesium sulfate to my Masterblend 5-12-26 formulation similar to the Jack's ratio? and since the 5-12-26 formulation is just the 4-18-38 with added magnesium sulfate at a 2 to 1 ratio does this mean that the touted 12g/12g/6g per 5gal of water that MPHgardener made so popular on youtube all those years ago should have actually been 12g/12g/12g per 5gal? or am i just not reading this properly and its actually the same for both brands?

also both these brands recommend a ph between 6.4 and 6.7 and yet i've been told again and again that cannabis needs 5.8 or no higher then 6, any thoughts on this?

thanks :D
Click to expand...
I've been using and loving masterblend for a couple years now interesting info thanks for posting this!
 
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Frankster

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#4
Beachwalker said:
I've been using and loving masterblend for a couple years now interesting info thanks for posting this!
Click to expand...
Same with me, I just actually looked this up, cause I was wonder which was a better bargain, so I like controlling my mag/sulfur actually, and I get it for $1, so masterblend it stays.
 
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Elroyyboy

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#5
I just started using Jacks this run, 7 weeks so far, but my tap is 48-55 ppm and when I add and mix the Jacks it drops to 5.7-5.8.
 
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plumsmooth

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#6
mistletoe said:
I wish you had gotten answers to all these good questions. I have the same questions.

1. Has anyone ever noticed Jacks 5-12-26 needing extra epsom? I'm confused how anyone could need more than the already high amount of Mg in 5-12-26 (~60 ppm). When I've asked the people at Jack's the guy admitted it was already high but said "We have found in our trials that the addition of Epsom salt was not completely necessary, but it did help improve growth." I don't want to leave improved growth on the table but I also don't want to add unnecessary PPM to my solution which the Epsom does. I see GreenGenes is just doing straight 3.6/2.4 in his latest grow (using LEDs also) on youtube and he pioneered the Jacks 321 popularity.

2. I'd love to hear people chime in on the pH question as well. Jack's always wants to be about 6.4-6.7 runoff in my plants and I have to add quite a bit of acid to my tap to get it down to the 6 range.
Click to expand...
I started a thread on this a while back. Rather it was a poll: Jacks Needs Extra Mag yes or no? My theory is that maybe Epsom is hard to dissolve quickly so they boosted it to account for this. I premix mine so that would not apply. Also more importantly I noticed the true recipe is closer to 3-2-.5 then it is 3-2-1. I think it is actually around 3-2-.64!
 
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Peat_Phreak

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#7
I don't use epsom salt with Jacks. The easiest Jacks recipe that works well is 5/12/26 and calcium nitrate in equal proportions.
 
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mikeross

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#8
Peat_Phreak said:
I don't use epsom salt with Jacks. The easiest Jacks recipe that works well is 5/12/26 and calcium nitrate in equal proportions.
Click to expand...

Maybe for veg but I increase the 5/12/26 throughout flower. End up peaking at a 4/2 ratio but 1/1 works very well in veg
 
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Peat_Phreak

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#9
mikeross said:
Maybe for veg but I increase the 5/12/26 throughout flower. End up peaking at a 4/2 ratio but 1/1 works very well in veg
Click to expand...

I use a 1:1 ratio for 85% of the grow. A major reduction of N in bloom doesn't benefit my grows. This plant recently made 8.5oz of absolute fire using a 1:1 ratio plus some extras.



 
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CookiesLikeWhoa

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#10
If you're cutting out the epsom salt in Jack's would you want to add another source of sulfur or don't bother? It seems like it's a significant source of sulfur.
 
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I

Its420anytime

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#11
Beautiful buds, very tight

321 is easy as it gets, and slways ensure nutes are thoroughly mixed.
 
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BehindEnemyLines

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#12
3.79, 2.52, 0.99

 
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sportyridr

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#13
BehindEnemyLines said:
3.79, 2.52, 0.99

View attachment 1291901
Click to expand...

This is the second time in as many weeks, once elsewhere...Is there a mention about this anywhere from Jack's/JRPeters? I looked around and see nowhere where they mention changing values, improved product etc the would warrant the changes we're supposed to make.

Does this apply to the Jack's 5-12-26 nutes I bought in May?
 
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BehindEnemyLines

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#14
sportyridr said:
Does this apply to the Jack's 5-12-26 nutes I bought in May?
Click to expand...
Yes.

I pulled that directly from Jacks website here: https://www.jacksnutrients.com/cannabis-hemp-schedules

The nutrient formula hasn’t changed. The schedule/feed rate has changed.

They don’t even display the old schedules people are still using. They tweak the formula as their understanding of the needs of cannabis changes over time.
 
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Replies 13
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Started May 28, 2020
Latest post Oct 13, 2022
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Forum Hydroponics

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