What is wrong with Cal-Mag Plus?

[ChunkyToad]

So, I'm a professional grower in a legal state, and I buy all my equipment at the same place in town. I prefer to spend my money locally whenever possible. Anyhow, I grab a bottle of Cal-Mag + because I run RO water and I need to supplement those minerals. On more than one occasion, I've had somebody tell me that the stuff is full of heavy metals and it won't flush out of my plants, and it will kill my patients....yadda, yadda, yadda.

So, I go to www.aapfco.org/metals.htm to look up Cal-Mag Plus. According to this organization, there are zero heavy metals in this product, and there are no warnings about its use on crops destined for human consumption or inhalation.

Does anyone here know why so many people are taking shit about this stuff? I changed over to the organicare line to replace the Cal-Mag, but this new stuff is a pain in the ass to use. You have to mix it, and use huge volumes comparatively.

Unless someone can give me a link to some legitimate information on any ill effects of using Cal-Mag Plus, please send them my way. I want to use the best I can on my girls, but I also don't want to abandon a product that has worked perfectly well just because some some dude (including store employes) told me some inaccurate info.

 

[Burt]

you can try sea-mag or even organic molasses
amended with a sprinkle of dolomitie lime on top of medium and your good to go-toss that cal mag

 

[kushking20]

Love it never had any issues. Works great.

 

[pushlimits]

I don't have a "legitimate link", but I have a very good idea were the Anti-cal-mag+ hype is coming from. If you've ever read Skunk Magazine there's a all organic guy named -The Rev-, who has gained a very large following recently. This guy hates the Cal Mag + (among other synthetic products) because it contains EDTA, (which is a pretty nasty chemical) a chelating agent that kills most organic life in your soil. This is why recently everyones talking shit about it.If you use synthetics (like I do) It makes not one bit of difference. It also doesn't help that The Rev bags on this product specifically in almost every issue. It works fine though, fuck what other people say. If it works for you use it, cause it works for me too.

 

[mrwags]

Of all of Bio's nute's and additives Cal-Mag is the only one that cannot be considered organic.

To grow without it tho and still use Biotanicare nutes is what will kill your plants imho.

And yes it flushes out just fine.


My Penny
Mr.Wags

 

[Zendo]

For the most part, taking the advice from the 'bro' at the hydro store is not advised.

They seem to have a agenda as to why they are pushing or steering away from products, or, they have no idea what they are talking about.

I would recommend you just supplement your soil with minerals and such that you don't have to you use the cal/mag+, but I did use it before with no issues.

hth

 

[tokinafaty420]

I don't have any links for ya, but I have used Cal-Mag from bontanicare for the past 4 years and it never killed my plants. Without it I would have Mg issues constantly.

 

[praisehim.]

fuck what people say bro. if its working for ya, and supplying great meds, then why stop ? the thing that stays in there is the calcium.. but thats why u should stop using cm at week 4.5 for best results i believe.

 

[!!!]

Both calcium and magnesium are essential metals. A "metal" is not necessarily a heavy metal, which is a meaningless term that usually denotes toxicity.

CalMag+ is a basic product that gives your plants Ca + Mg.. don't buy into organic hype or chemophobia.

 

[whodair]

it smells like the hydro store

 

[2Lazy]

I had no idea about the EDTA killing off biologicals in the media.

I've used it for a while, but I'm constantly looking to get off of the stuff.

I tried the Organicare line as well. And you're right, it's rediculous. I have to mix 150ml of the Huvega for 5 gallons of water?!?!?! They also don't list the complete contents of Huvega on the bottle. They want you to believe it's 1% Mg, but it also has 3% calcium in it already. Supplementing the Calplex with the high level of Huvega has caused calcium toxicity in coco for me.

Next time around I'm moving to Humboldt Nutrients Sea Cal and Sea Mag. I HATE not having control over individual nutrients, constantly stuck to the 3:1 ratio of calcium to magnesium with my MJ plants always want more Mg. The Sea Mag is used at 10ml per gallon on the high end, which is 1/3 of the amount of Huvega I use.

Calcium and Magnesium are practically macro-nutrients in Marijuana. I think it's pretty sad that the individual nutrient needs are ignored at large by the nutrient makers. I want Calcium. I want Magnesium. I don't want them together.

It's like Humboldt Nutrients is the ONLY company that gets it.

 

[Baddog40]

I love the way it smells.

 

[supermanlives]

blackstrap molassis instead. i never had any probs with cal mag but molassis has calcium and magnesium and its organic. good luck

 

[ChunkyToad]

Thanks for all the input so far guys and girls! I'm going to have to do some research on the EDTA stuff you mention. I'm in soil and definitely don't want to kill off my beneficial bacteria and fungi. I've never had any problems using it, and honestly didn't see any difference in quality/taste/smell when I used the organicare Cal and Mag supplements.

I've used the Sea Mag, but that was a long time ago. Maybe I'll give it another go.

I already use powdered dolomite lime when I mix my soil, and I use Hi-Brix molasses as part of the feeding program.

During the last 10-15 days of flowering I water with RO water mixed only with the Hi-Brix.

I'm not having any problems with deficiency of any kind, but I just want to use the best products to help produce the best harvest.

I guess the experimentation continues.... as always.

 

[9240GrnMachine]

ive switched to general organics cal mg.... works great!!

 

[ChunkyToad]

For the most part, taking the advice from the 'bro' at the hydro store is not advised.

They seem to have a agenda as to why they are pushing or steering away from products, or, they have no idea what they are talking about.

I would recommend you just supplement your soil with minerals and such that you don't have to you use the cal/mag+, but I did use it before with no issues.

hth

Believe me; I don't assume that people working in a grow shop know what they are talking about. I worked in one (still do, but had to take undetermined time off due to possible brain surgery). I'm not new to the game, but I'm not one of those guys who thinks they know everything because they've "been growing for over 25 years". Doesn't matter how long you've been growing, or where you work..... there is always room to learn and improve.

Thanks again all!

 

[Zendo]

Believe me; I don't assume that people working in a grow shop know what they are talking about. I worked in one (still do, but had to take undetermined time off due to possible brain surgery). I'm not new to the game, but I'm not one of those guys who thinks they know everything because they've "been growing for over 25 years". Doesn't matter how long you've been growing, or where you work..... there is always room to learn and improve.

Thanks again all!

If you are already using the lime and molasses then you should be good to go without it.. Oyster shell and crab shell also would be good.Both provide a good amount, along with trace minerals and chitin.

I simply use dolo lime, and a mix of azomite/glacial rock dust/rock phos. , and occasionally use molasses (more to feed bacteria than for cal/mag, but it helps). Haven't used a cal/mag since..

hth

 

[the gnome]

ive switched to general organics cal mg.... works great!!

I checked on this stuff and this is what the site says

""CaMg+ helps optimize plant nutrition resulting in enhanced growth and healthier flowers and fruits. CaMg+ is a blend of fermented calcium and magnesium complexed with organic acids and sugar chelates. These low molecular weight acids may facilitate calcium and Magnesium transport into the plant.""

sounds like it might be using molasses, any time you see the sugar stuff in the ingredients its porbably molasses.
read the molasses thread in the nutrient-ferts thread
its stickied I think

 

[michaeljordan]

Nothing wrong with it at all, unless you are an organo snob

 

[Nicoli]

Nothing. It works great.