Questions For Cal25 And Jacks User

[stanklungs]

Hey guys planning out a run. Looking to amp up my calcium. Im switching to ammended coco.

Keeping it simple.
Botanicare 5kg bricks
Pre charged with calmag.
Large size perlite.
Vegan Mix
Fossil shell
Liquid micos

I prefer the simple soil bc I like the wiggle room for my teas and feedings.

I was looking at jacks calcium Nitrate. I'm gona start off slow and work my way into it. I'm thinking if I switch out my grow nutrients w bloom at 1/2 rate plus the calcium Nitrate should work nicely for veg.

Now for the cal 25 do you think it would be overkill to use this as well. I would be applying foliar. Or do you think it would be better to do cal25 without the jacks. Also I noticed they have 5 different cal25 products. Depending on plant use. I've heard use the one for oats and alfalfa can anyone verify this for me.

Any input is appreciated thank you.

 

[Seamaiden]

It's the fossil shell that's getting me, I really wanna tell you to leave it out of that mix. I also really prefer rice hulls over perlite for every mix I use. It doesn't float. Honestly though, the coir doesn't need the added 'drainage' or aeration unless it's a heavy mix and I use those same bales (flushed and precharged with *both* Ca and Mg as well as a mild vegging solution, this is super important). I use rice hulls to make the coir stretch further, that's the only reason I do it.

I alsi say get rid of the cal-mag altogether, use the Ca-25 with Epsom Salt (aka MgSO4) and you're getting a good bit of S in the deal.

Be careful using the Ca-25, it can burn. I use the one for veggies.

 

[stanklungs]

Thank you @Seamaiden for the info. I have been disappointed with calmag which is why the interest in cal25. I will be gentle to avoid burn.

Out of curiosity why don't you like the fossil shell? I use it for silica not bugs. I've definitely seen a difference since I started using it.

Though I wouldn't be heartbroken to leave it out. My grow store guy hooked me up with a bunch of samples. Gave me a gallon of shrimp shell from Nectar for the silica.

I hear the rice shells are nice for composting and will be giving em a shot in the future.

 

[Seamaiden]

If it's high in carbonates then I personally would stay away from it. I wasn't sure what you meant by fossil shell, if you're talking about diatomaceous earth then it's relatively harmless, but I don't know how available the S that those diatoms are comprised of is. Rice hulls will give you potassium silicate as they break down, but they break down very slowly in my experience.

I would go easy on the shrimp shell, it's got CaCO3, that will drive up pH and alkalinity.

 

[stanklungs]

The bag says amorphous fossil shell but yeah I think it's just diatomaceous earth. I just put fossil shell bc I knew I was going to butcher spelling diatomaceous lol.

 

[stanklungs]

Also unfortunately I ordered my soil before I saw your reply. I went with growstone super soil aerator.

Basically my understanding is it's man made lava rock from crushed glass. All they had was small size perlite at the store it seemed like a better option.

 

[Seamaiden]

If it doesn't float, that automatically makes it better in my world.

 

[organix4207]

I highly recommend adding approx 1/4 tsp per gallon of mashed up mosquito dunks per gallon of coco. This was the best thing I learned my first run with coco. Fungus gnats can be a major problem when growing with coco. Mosquito dunks contain the bacteria BTI and it kills fungus gnat larvi dead !!!

 

[stanklungs]

I was starting to have a fungus gnat issue but they went away when I switched to led. No idea why didn't treat for them at all, hopefully they don't come back now that I'm switching to lec. Hate those little suckers.
Though that's a handy tip to know thank you @organix4207