Using Silica - what's the real scoop? Contradictory info everywhere

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ninjadip

ninjadip

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What about fulvic acid?
I use humic acid in reservoir and fulvic as foliar. I read somewhere that humic acids can benefit roots and uptake, and the fulvic is better utilized as a foliar. A lot of products have a combination of the two, whereas I am using two isolated products
 
BehindEnemyLines

BehindEnemyLines

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Agsil16H clear winner in this specific study.

Source: https://www.thcfarmer.com/threads/p...tilizer-sources-aafpco-approved-method.76318/

1E9539BE FFC2 47B8 83E3 60E06A0D24CA
 
effexxess

effexxess

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There is this by Bruce Bugbee, rides the fence a bit.
Here's a terrific new dissertation from a grad student at Utah State Univ (studying with Dr. Bugbee).

The study was done using cannabis plants. She extensively documents procedures
and outlines the USU growth media mixes.

12-2022
"Approaches to Supplementing Silicon in Soilless Media and the Value of Silicon in the Mitigation of Drought Stress"
Mackenzie Grace Dey, Utah State University

Fascinating discussion on silica for plants, some excerpts below.:

"As pests masticate through the silica layer, the glass-like barrier wears down pests’
teeth and jaws, rendering them useless (Frantz et al., 2008). Moreover, this barrier
reduces bacterial infection and fungal spore proliferation due to the decreased surface
area of accessible tissue."

"Once introduced to the xylem, orthosilicic acid polymerizes to amorphous
silica gel and is mobile throughout the plant body. Once transported,
the amorphous gel polymerizes back to silicon dioxide
depositing Si cells or aggregates known as phytoliths.
These immobile phytoliths are found throughout the plant body from roots to shoots
to floral structures and fruits to add protection and rigidity until plant death, when
they are introduced back into the soil to be recycled by new plant generations."
 
SweetLeafGrow

SweetLeafGrow

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Use General Hydroponics PH Up in place of Potassium Hydroxide.

1. Add 1/2 gal. distilled water

2. Using GH PH Up, raise PH to approx. 11.3

3. Add 560 grams of Agsil 16H, stir/agitate until completely dissolved.

4. Add 1/2 gal. distilled water PH’d at 11.3

5. 1 gallon stock 7.8% potassium silicate completed.

P.S. I use 2ml/gallon in my recirculating ebb and flow system. 2ml/gal = 40 ppm SiO2 (approximately)

Thanks for this detailed explanation, exactly what I was looking for with the Agsil 16.
 
M

Max420

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I read that the cells that make up a trichome, have a high amount of Si. If the flowers are frosted over with trichomes, and the plant has overall thick & strong branching, I assume my silica needs are being met. I mix my own nutrients, keep my Si at 15-20 ppm throughout flower, and have had great results. Only source used is Agsil 16.
 
Peat_Phreak

Peat_Phreak

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AgSil needs specific microbes to convert it into MSA. This takes time and it's not an efficient process. It also raises media pH.

That's why people use bioavailable forms silica such as MSA. The plant can uptake all of it immediately. It does not raise media pH.
 
SweetLeafGrow

SweetLeafGrow

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That's why people use bioavailable forms silica such as MSA. The plant can uptake all of it immediately. It does not raise media pH.
I actually like this trait of raising the ph using silica. I'm not sure how accurate your other claims are about Agsil 16 and it's availability, but I use the silica instead of PH Up to build my buffer. It's like killing two birds with one stone, giving the plant something it likes, and one more product I do not need to use to keep the ph in line, ie PH Up.
 
M

Max420

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If I saw anything that would suggest my plants were deficient in, or in need of more Si, I would say you're right, but again, shoulder to shoulder trichome production, and rigid branches strong enough to not need support. What else should I be getting? A baby-arm trunk? Trichomes on my trichomes? I don't add microbes, and i use a soilless mix that gets changed out every grow. The results of my grows with agsil says it's assimilating this form of Si just fine, and doing so in a standard length grow time.

The cannabis industry, like all industries, is designed to keep the consumer buying product. This industry is notorious for hawking products that don't work, or just aren't necessary, and imo, this is one of them. Again, just my opinion, but no need to pay the added cost of "bioavailable" forms of Si.
 
M

Max420

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Great vid. Bruce is at the top of the list of people to listen to, when it comes to growing cannabis.
My point to my statement of shoulder to shoulder trichome production is not to say it adds extra trichomes, but rather, if trichomes are present, especially in great numbers, means the plant is obviously assimilating Si, simply because trichomes are almost pure Si. Bruce states that trichomes are comprised of almost pure Si in this very vid.
 
GreenGalaxyFarm

GreenGalaxyFarm

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Great vid. Bruce is at the top of the list of people to listen to, when it comes to growing cannabis.
My point to my statement of shoulder to shoulder trichome production is not to say it adds extra trichomes, but rather, if trichomes are present, especially in great numbers, means the plant is obviously assimilating Si, simply because trichomes are almost pure Si. Bruce states that trichomes are comprised of almost pure Si in this very vid.
yes, i would assume that new soil would have an abundance of si to begin with but wouldnt run soil for years or even more than one cycle not adding si
 
Anthem

Anthem

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AgSil needs specific microbes to convert it into MSA. This takes time and it's not an efficient process. It also raises media pH.

That's why people use bioavailable forms silica such as MSA. The plant can uptake all of it immediately. It does not raise media pH.
It is hard for most to understand this. Once you have used a MSA product it is all you will ever use.
 
T

twojoints

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I've been following various grow guides both here and at cocoforcannabis.com. I've gotten great advice, and my plants are looking fabulous. First grow in coco coir, and plants are about 7 weeks, 2 into flower.

All along I've been using Silica Blast at initially 2.5ml/gallon. (I mix 10 gallons, dump into a 14 gallon container and often top up with some RO water that might have some cal/mag in it. I do this to reduce EC as I'm feeding 5x/day anyway and don't need high EC.)

I mix the Silica Blast first, then wait an hour, then add cal/magic, GH nutes, and finish with some humic acid, yucca powder and finally some h2o2. I adjust the pH to 6.0 and keep it there with a Bluelab controller.

Now for the questions:
1. pH: I've seen a couple of articles on general use of Silica that state it won't stay in solution with a pH under 7.0. True? I'm at 6.0.

2. Delay after adding: I've seen virtually no mention of mixing Silica and waiting before mixing other nutes. I have seen articles that mention mixing it separately, and I've seen articles stating to add it at the end of mixing up nutes. And I've seen various forum messages stating it being added at the end as a pH increaser and not much more.

Where is this 1 hour delay coming from, and is it universal or only apply to specific Silica formulations? In particular is my Silica Blast any different? It mentions nothing about interaction with other nutes on the bottle.

3. Quality of flower without Silica" I ran across an argument that basically said your flowers would smoke better if you discontinued silica at some point during flowering. Thoughts?

4. Interaction with nutes: There seems to be a clear dichotomy of views depending on where you look. Don't add it to nutes because it causes some sort of problems versus add away, no issues mentioned.

Hoping for some clarification here. I'd like not to have to wait that hour...
what people forget when using potassium silica is that.... your smoking it..when it is heated it releases a gas similar to pgrs . This is part of the ignorance of many in the business and one in which will work against them.
 
T

twojoints

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I've been using Silica for years. The last 4 plus years it's been NPK Ind. Raw Silica starting at 1/8 tsp per. gallon at two weeks. Then switching to 1/4 tsb per. gallon at four weeks until two weeks before harvest. I mix the RAW in with my regular weekly fortified water which is the silica, cal-mag and molasses. I also use Mad Farmer Silica as a foliar feeder starting at 4 weeks mixed 1/4 tsp per. quart until buds show. Silica has been really helpful with leggy sativas with good stalk and stem development. Very noticeable across the board in all plants when I don't use it.
molasses when broke down is calcium nitrate...poisoning people by spraying your weed with potassium silicate? when heated while smoking it releases a gas similar to pgrs these are just some of the things that growers are doing to make people sick
 
Anthem

Anthem

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263
what people forget when using potassium silica is that.... your smoking it..when it is heated it releases a gas similar to pgrs . This is part of the ignorance of many in the business and one in which will work against them.
Do you have any white papers or Pier to Pier reviewed studies showing Potassium silicate is going into the plant as Potassium Silicate?
 
Moshmen

Moshmen

8,218
313
what people forget when using potassium silica is that.... your smoking it..when it is heated it releases a gas similar to pgrs . This is part of the ignorance of many in the business and one in which will work against them.
I only use in veg -gone ten weeks later
 
Glassdub

Glassdub

1,293
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what people forget when using potassium silica is that.... your smoking it..when it is heated it releases a gas similar to pgrs . This is part of the ignorance of many in the business and one in which will work against them.
What gas & what temp there is all kinds of gases expelled from burning weed that's why I chose not to over vaping which is also not risk free.
 
GreenGalaxyFarm

GreenGalaxyFarm

1,700
263
what people forget when using potassium silica is that.... your smoking it..when it is heated it releases a gas similar to pgrs . This is part of the ignorance of many in the business and one in which will work against them.
how are you smoking it are you spraying buds?
in soil the breakdown products of the potassium silica are potassium and silicon dioxide, both naturally occurring in practically all animal species and ecosystems.
 

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