Is it "Lucas Formula", or is it "Mel Frank's Target"?
- Thread starter clowntown
- Start date
it's called lucas formula because mel pointed out the requirments, but was lucas to post on OG all of his experiments with the different variations of waters and nutrients.
You can reach Mel's target with different lines, but if you're doing in the 5/10-8/16 fashion, than it's lucas formula.
You can reach Mel's target with different lines, but if you're doing in the 5/10-8/16 fashion, than it's lucas formula.
I "discovered" the Lucas formula on my own about 13-14 years ago. Long before I was on the web or had heard of Lucas. The discovery was made because there was no way GH could approximate Mel Frank's/Ed Rosentahal's NPK numbers (found in their Marijuanas Growers Guide of 1977) using all 3 parts. By dumping the green Grow bottle I could kinda', sorta', get close.
At the time I was having a Mag problem. Because Grow contained none and all other nutes were available in the other two bottles, there was no reason to keep using it. The plants never noticed that it was gone.
While it was Frank and Rosenthal's work that led me to "inventing" the Lucas Formula, do we know that's where Lucas started? I don't recall them ever mentioning GH nutes. Further, I'd imagine the NPK numbers were, at least in part, the result of "prior art". Do we credit those who came before Mel and Ed as well?
I look at it like the NGB cab. NGB and Lucas both took existing items and put them together in a new way. If Lucas was first to publish his formula (and I don't know if he was) I have no problem with his name being used.
At the time I was having a Mag problem. Because Grow contained none and all other nutes were available in the other two bottles, there was no reason to keep using it. The plants never noticed that it was gone.
While it was Frank and Rosenthal's work that led me to "inventing" the Lucas Formula, do we know that's where Lucas started? I don't recall them ever mentioning GH nutes. Further, I'd imagine the NPK numbers were, at least in part, the result of "prior art". Do we credit those who came before Mel and Ed as well?
I look at it like the NGB cab. NGB and Lucas both took existing items and put them together in a new way. If Lucas was first to publish his formula (and I don't know if he was) I have no problem with his name being used.
clowntown said:Did you bother reading the post, or skip it and choose to reply right after reading the title?
the second one man. My bad, i just answered out of boredom...
Lucas has a 'formula'
LC has a 'mix'
H3AD 'goes coco'
You do it in PB&J n sheeaatt. I got 'all mixed up' 1 time, but I don't remember how...
Can't call it the 'Fat, rich, happy hippy formula for the best nugget'. But I bet that's how it came to be. I am mentally gearing up for a refined nute coco run. Reading, and wishing that I had a buckfity to spend on a ec/ppm meter... I can't bring myself to buy shitty tools...but I love me some pb&j... WTF, the nutes cost like $8 per run, but the meters are $150?? Just sprinkle some Algamin on that shit, you;'ll be fine....
LC has a 'mix'
H3AD 'goes coco'
You do it in PB&J n sheeaatt. I got 'all mixed up' 1 time, but I don't remember how...
Can't call it the 'Fat, rich, happy hippy formula for the best nugget'. But I bet that's how it came to be. I am mentally gearing up for a refined nute coco run. Reading, and wishing that I had a buckfity to spend on a ec/ppm meter... I can't bring myself to buy shitty tools...but I love me some pb&j... WTF, the nutes cost like $8 per run, but the meters are $150?? Just sprinkle some Algamin on that shit, you;'ll be fine....
P
PonicalChillin
pH created it using Mel Franks specs.
Lucas doesn't take credit for any of it - just preached it to the world so that everyone can grow great hydro so simply.
Lucas doesn't take credit for any of it - just preached it to the world so that everyone can grow great hydro so simply.
I think we should all credit Mel Frank for the ratio and hence the formula but since Mel Frank isn't really his real name the credit would be in vain.
There's a video (on cannabisculture.com pot-tv grow show with marijuana man with an interview with "mel" explaining how he came up with the magic ratio). Basically it was just a lot of trial and error. I guess pH (like ponicalchillin said) just applied that ratio to GH, lucas posted it and then GH in turn produced floranova which is exactly mel frank, pH, lucas formula.
But you're right clowntown, basicaly ALL nute companies today owe their success to "mel" becuase in the plant world each species requires it's own ratio and mel did the work and everyone else just capitalized on it.
Can you imagine where we'd be today if we were still trying to figure out cannabis's ratio and all the nute companies were still guessing.
Mel in a way is kinda my hero for this. Not only that but basically he played a large part in the exporting of some potent cali strains to the netherlands early on and they in turn hybridized them into the the majority of seed lines out there today.
Mel is like a GOD.
There's a video (on cannabisculture.com pot-tv grow show with marijuana man with an interview with "mel" explaining how he came up with the magic ratio). Basically it was just a lot of trial and error. I guess pH (like ponicalchillin said) just applied that ratio to GH, lucas posted it and then GH in turn produced floranova which is exactly mel frank, pH, lucas formula.
But you're right clowntown, basicaly ALL nute companies today owe their success to "mel" becuase in the plant world each species requires it's own ratio and mel did the work and everyone else just capitalized on it.
Can you imagine where we'd be today if we were still trying to figure out cannabis's ratio and all the nute companies were still guessing.
Mel in a way is kinda my hero for this. Not only that but basically he played a large part in the exporting of some potent cali strains to the netherlands early on and they in turn hybridized them into the the majority of seed lines out there today.
Mel is like a GOD.
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Pharma Geddon
Member
Although Mel Frank discovered the mix many years ago, people still used different mixes for veg and flower. Was it because they didn't believe him or because they hadn't heard of his discovery?
Either way, it was lucas that shone the beacon for the 'one mix fits all' that Mel Frank first published. Without lucas there would be just FreezerBoy using the mix plus whoever else discovered it for themselves.
Either way, it was lucas that shone the beacon for the 'one mix fits all' that Mel Frank first published. Without lucas there would be just FreezerBoy using the mix plus whoever else discovered it for themselves.
barletta said:
off topic original poster, but Barletta, thats funny because i've gone through that at the grow shop plenty of time. I got a few soil(less) amendments that are a perfect substitute for a EC meter.
LOL, one day i'll get one though. Thats just a lot of cash for something i've always done "okay" without. I'm sure when people like us take the plunge though they never look back.
gregor_mendel
Active member
PonicalChillin answered the thread completely.
