Properly Mixing Silica/Protect

[evu80]

hey guys

I'd like to know how you guys mix in silica without having it act as a super PH buffer. I usually add this last to my reservoir and when I add PH down, it seems to have little affects. I literally have to use three to four time the normal amount of PH down/up to get my PH where I want it to be.

Now I hope someone can chime in, but based on my observation, depending on the order of nutes and additives I'm adding, the buffering effects of silica seems to vary.

anyone else has the same experience?

 

[KennyPowers]

add it first

 

[swisscheese]

Definitely add the silica first and let it mix in thoroughly before adding anything else. Then as you add your nutes your ph should drop down as you add your base and additives. You still may have to use more ph down than usual but still less than how you're doing it now.

 

[justsomeguy]

i add protekt last to set ph. i've seen no difference between 1 ml/gal and 5 ml/gal, and somewhere in that range will always set my ph right. if i do everything right, i use no ph up and only use ph down to maintain the res through the week.

i know that doesn't really answer your question, but its a different approach to think about.

 

[Chrondondalae]

definitely dilute with a lot of water if adding it last. i usually added it to a 5 gallon bucket of water and then to the res if using last, otherwise it'll lock up with other nutes.

 

[mountain]

Best to add it last and use it to bring your ph back up from all of the nutes. Just add as much as needed to bring the ph up to exactly where you want it.

definitely dilute with a lot of water if adding it last. i usually added it to a 5 gallon bucket of water and then to the res if using last, otherwise it'll lock up with other nutes.

What signs of lock up have you seen? Have never seen precipitate or anything adding it undiluted. Occasionally it might want to float on top and needs to be mixed in. Calnit and Magsulfate on the other hand very easily lock up and precipitate out of solution if you dont dilute them before adding.

 

[evu80]

Whenever I add Silica Blast or Dyna Grow's Protekt, it raises my PH or drops it to 6.1 and its hard as heck to adjust it without adding a ridiculous amount of PH down/up. I prefer to start at 5.6 and allow my nutes to drift to 6.3 before adjusting it. I just notice some odd growth, deficiencies or lack of vigor in my plants whenever I add too much PH adjusting solutions.

Are we suppose to use Silica with every rez change?

 

[Chrondondalae]

Best to add it last and use it to bring your ph back up from all of the nutes. Just add as much as needed to bring the ph up to exactly where you want it.



What signs of lock up have you seen? Have never seen precipitate or anything adding it undiluted. Occasionally it might want to float on top and needs to be mixed in. Calnit and Magsulfate on the other hand very easily lock up and precipitate out of solution if you dont dilute them before adding.

i used to get a bit of precipitate, even diluted. it'll mix in but not what i'm looking for.

i added it first and let the rest bring it down to where i wanted. took a little bit to get it dialed exactly but thats what worked best for me.

don't really use it anymore

 

[growinman]

......bump:eek:
Mixing a 35 gal of nutes and precipitating..... Is there any way to save, or...?
I filled a res with 33 gal of water(good water under 30ppm) and let sit with air and floom for 24 hrs . I added 90 mls of silica(ProTeKt) and mixed. Then added 13mls of drip clean and mixed. Then I added 400mls of CNS17's(50/50)Bloom and Ripe. Mixed and now cloudy, over night, still cloudy. Shit, I was still gonna add 200-300mls of the cns or maxibloom, LK.....
Any idea what happened? It's kind of cloudy--->cant see the bottom of my 35. This is my first big res of this I've done. I did my first coco run doing five gallon buckets and no problems at all!
The thing I did do different was mix in the DripClean, in 2nd position, following the silica...is that where I screwed up and is this now garbage?? I do have an air stone in there and another 396gph pump keeping it 'mixed.'
Haven't pH'd yet but that's currently 7.7
I was gonna do my repotting and get these in there.....now on hold and I 'll be out for a few hours.

Thanks for any help!!

gman

 

[Reebs]

i use pro-tekt silica in hydro, i was always told to add silica first and let it dilute in the water a lil before adding everything else.

silica is usually raises PH, you might be able to down your dose a lil with no difference and not have it raise your PH as much. i'm just now gonna try silica blast after 2 years of looking at it on the shelves. i've used pro tekt for over 3 years now

 

[BurnzYzBudZz]

I know this is an old thread, but I’ll resurrect it. Most of this thread pertains to hydro or dwc, but for soil is it the same? Add the protekt first thoroughly, then add the nutrients? I think I added it last after mixing the nutrients, pH was 6.1. I saw no negative affects of my plants. Thanks.
Burnz

 

[Glassdub]

I know this is an old thread, but I’ll resurrect it. Most of this thread pertains to hydro or dwc, but for soil is it the same? Add the protekt first thoroughly, then add the nutrients? I think I added it last after mixing the nutrients, pH was 6.1. I saw no negative affects of my plants. Thanks.
Burnz

You're supposed to add 1st per instructions, I've been reading that much less than recommended is preferable, like 1-1.5ml per gallon, I over did it & paid the cost thinking it was pretty harmless compared to other nutrients.

Overnight burn on day 16 grow question by Naturalist - GrowDiaries

Categories: . Grow Question by Naturalist. Best place to get answers to your grow questions. Worldwide community of enthusiast growers will share experience.

growdiaries.com

 

[BurnzYzBudZz]

You're supposed to add 1st per instructions, I've been reading that much less than recommended is preferable, like 1-1.5ml per gallon, I over did it & paid the cost thinking it was pretty harmless compared to other nutrients.

Overnight burn on day 16 grow question by Naturalist - GrowDiaries

Categories: . Grow Question by Naturalist. Best place to get answers to your grow questions. Worldwide community of enthusiast growers will share experience.

growdiaries.com

Understanding. 1ml is all I’ve been giving. Thanks for the info.

 

[Glassdub]

Understanding. 1ml is all I’ve been giving. Thanks for the info.

I wish I would have, but I had to burn to learn I guess, at least only 2 of 6 were effected, staying on straight fairly neutral pH water until after sometime I up pot to 2l terracotta pots within a week.

 

[BurnzYzBudZz]

1 ml is doing me well so far. No complaints.