Am I mixing my nutrients in the right order?

[zone 8]

Hi, I use RO so i have to add everything to it that my plants need, and I wanted to make sure I was doing it right!

This is my current order:
1) Silica blast (Helps with the CMH lighting)
2) Cal-mag (Until I reach 150-200ppm)
3) Rhizotonic OR Great white AND Liquid Karma
4) Canna Aqua A+B (Add A stir like crazy, then add B)
5) Cannazyme
6) PH up until I hit 5.6-5.9

I am not a chemist (yet) but I know that there is a proper way and a wrong way to mix the nutrients, and I want to be sure everything I am adding is ordered so that the nutrients are not combining to form something other than what is desired.

Any advice on this would be much appreciated!

 

[Midnight]

That's a lot of stuff. I subscribe to the kiss principle myself.

 

[stonedar]

sounds right to me, most manufacturers of silica products put a warning on the label to add it 1st just like you are doing. only thing I can tell you I would do different is only add rhizo or great white like every two weeks not every feeding. stop the silica, cal/mag, rhizo once the buds are set no need for it after that.

 

[zone 8]

Really? I was under the impression that cal-mag was needed for cell division... And from what I hear/read/see The plants suffer under a CMH without the Silica.

The Rhizo is just being used until its gone (1 more batch at 1/8th strength will use it all up)

I will try out using the GW every other week too....

In case I didn't say it before this is in DWC 5gal buckets, using Reverse osmosis water with 0 cal-mag in it.

 

[zone 8]

oh and thanks for the quick responses!

 

[zone 8]

Oh, and to midnight, I do like the KISS idea, but I have a chest full of nutrients that was given to me and I would prefer to use what I got before I go buy anything

I guess I am keeping it simple stupid for my wallet >_<

 

[TheBioMaster]

You especially want to keep using the silica through flowering, this is one of the most overlooked very much needed nutrient IMO......you can cut the cal/mag about week 7 or 8 depending on the strain and your flushing plans......you can drop the GW after about week 3 or 4 of flowering.......

As mentioned you want to add the silica first like your doing.......

Peace!

 

[Vape-pro]

I do Pro tekt silica , then cal mag , then A , then B , then Rhizo , then technaflora humics. Also using RO water , shaking like hell after every addition. I would use the cal mag and rhizo nearly up to flush . My brother with a plant science degree explained to me how the plants use cal mag and they sound like vital components that I have been under utilizing. Running about 8 ml/gallon cal mag plus. peace

 

[dansbuds]

the way your mixing sounds good to me . the only difference that i do is add the silica first & the calmag last cuz the calmag interaction is what clouds up the nute mix .
during flowering you need the calmag cuz of your RO water but you don't need as much cal as you do mag . so i recomend using 5ml of calmag all the way till flush & a 1/2 tsp of epsom salts per 5 gallons of nute mix to give the girls the extra mag they need during flowering .
heres some great info on calmag usage in coco ....

Many people think that the Cal-Mag Plus will add a good deal of additional calcium to the solution. This is a misconception. Canna Coco A contains 4.5% Calcium, compared to just 3% in the Cal-Mag Plus. What the Cal-Mag Plus does is even out the Magnesium level (running 1.5% to Canna's 1%) and add the iron to the mix. If there is anything in your water that will cause issues I'd imagine it'd be Sodium and Chlorides rather than Calcium. 2ml/gallon shouldn't contribute to any issues in coco, if you choose to run RO filtered water I'd suggest using up to 5ml/gallon during weeks 4 and 5 of vegetative growth as this will be a period of great vigor.

The elements to watch out for imbalances with are Magnesium and Potassium. Ca++, Mg++, and K+ are all cations and will compete for osmosis by the root system. An over abundance of one element in the media can cause the inability to obtain the proper elements to develop (similar to low pH issues). For the most part choosing to reduce the presence of one element is generally a better idea then to provide more of the elements that are lacking. In this case though, I generally start to provide more Magnesium and Potassium rather than to decrease my Calcium use.

You'll have to keep an eye on your plants and make the decision yourself, but keep an eye out for interveinal chlorisis (the parts between the veins goes yellow, then dies). This may indiciate a cation imbalance and can usually have the symptoms relieved by a foliar spray dominant with Magnesium; as well as an extra 10-15ppm of Mg from Epsom Salt added to the reservoir solution.

Epsom Salts are 10% Magnesium and 14% Sulfur. I usually use somewhere around 1/2 tsp in 5 gallons of water for the gentle nudge it gives my Mg levels. Magnesium is used at 30 to 60ppm on average, so an increase of just 10ppm of this element could be a pretty big addition to this low concentration, percentage wise.

So 2ml/gallon Cal-Mag plus for sure, maybe up to 4ml or 5ml if you're running pure RO. During flowering, starting right at the transition, I suggest adding just a touch of extra Epsom Salt to the mix. If you'd like, you can mix 100g of Epsom Salt ( a little less than 7 tablespoons) into 1L of water for a 1% Mg solution. You can then use this solution at 3-5ml per gallon for the extra kick you're looking for

i went through the same thing when i switched to coco & a member here named snowcrash helped me alot to understand the plants needs in coco as a medium . i'll post the link cuz theres a ton of great info to go by & the reasonings for what he recomends .... its a lengthy read but well worth it ... i still go back to it every now & then if i get confused about something .
heres the link & good luck brother .... coco is the shit !!

https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=218226

 

[zone 8]

I appreciate the responses!!! I will keep it up with the silica and cal-mag till late flowering then... My flowering times will be quite varied since I have Blueberry, LSD, and chocolope going, and i am sure chocolope will take much longer than the rest. Supposedly its 95% sativa, and if its anything like Utopia haze was for flowering, I will be waiting close to an extra month (or more) for it.

Is Magnesium as needed in DWC mid flowering, like with coco? Or should my cal-mag take care of what my plants need, without the added epsom salts?

By the way this is a 5gal DWC bucket "attempt".

Lastly, should Liquid karma be the LAST thing that I add?

Thanks for all the help so far guys and gals!

 

[YosemiteSam]

If you are putting your nutes into a res full of water the only order that really matters, imo, is silica first and then pH it back down before adding other things. If the pH is high at this point you can run into trouble with various P salts precipitating.

If you are doing concentrated solutions you could run into problems with gypsum (CaSO4) or Ca and P precipitating out. This is why you see CaNO3 in a seperate bottle from SO4 in two part formulas.

 

[zone 8]

What would you consider a "concentrated solution"? I run my DWC buckets anywhere from 1.0-1.5 EC (or 500-750ppm using hannah).

Also, BIG THANKS on informing me to PH my solution to a reasonable level using the silica

 

[Biatchzxz]

Truthfully you should always add Silica LAST! Because silica raises your PH ( who need PH up). I been always wondering about the order myself but I try to mix cal-mg first then Macro. And followed by additives I don't know if it's right or wrong sometimes I do opposite but always always Silica is the FINAL addition before checking and adjusting PH

 

[psg1]

Listen to YS on this one. Though there is little chance of precipitation when working with final, diluted solutions, there are real (IE non-anecdotal) reasons to add the silica first and then pH. Otherwise, simply ensure complete dissolution before adding the next ingredient.

 

[Mephi]

Hi,

or you use FloraNova instead. GHE. If available.

No need for anything more. Check the Thread about this One-Part-Wonder.

I agree.

Mephi

 

[toohighmf]

Hi, I use RO so i have to add everything to it that my plants need, and I wanted to make sure I was doing it right!

This is my current order:
1) Silica blast (Helps with the CMH lighting)
2) Cal-mag (Until I reach 150-200ppm)
3) Rhizotonic OR Great white AND Liquid Karma
4) Canna Aqua A+B (Add A stir like crazy, then add B)
5) Cannazyme
6) PH up until I hit 5.6-5.9

Why add a silicate first if it is used to adjust PH? I use it LAST.
here's my order of how I would mix up all that.

first condition the water w calmg.
then add base ferts.
after that your rhizo or LK.
Cannazyme
Silica blast.

Silica does a lot more than help with CMH lighting. it supercharges your transport of solution, and thickens cellular walls to hold up them big ass buds your gonna grow.

 

[Biatchzxz]

Honestly. Since I started using silica a while back. I wont do a run without it It helps with photosynthesis as well buy making theleaves point up in the direction where most of the light can be soaked up. U could see the difference within a few hours sometimes Plus ull see a shiny coat on the leaves as well which is great for pests and stuff as well. 100% it will increases yield due to the fact of stronger structure The thing is I always add it last now I would like to hear why you would add first. If u think there's a benefit in adding it first. You have to explain Because it is the first time I hear to add first which is silly if it raises PH

 

[Groseph]

Silica should be added 1st as it is a pH up.

Ever notice the clouding which occurs when adding pH up or silica to an already nuted tank? I dont believe many experience any adverse effects, but why not avoid it if you can.

Who cares if silica makes your pH go up? Just because it moves your pH doesnt mean it needs to be added last. Its still bringing your ph up regardless if your mixing it 1st or last. Mixing it 1st eliminates the cloudiness and potential lockout/ nutes dropping out of suspension.

I prefer to mix silica 1st - raising the ph of my water - then my nutes which brings me back down to where I need to be. pH Down further if necessary.

- -

 

[toohighmf]

Silica should be added 1st as it is a pH up.

Ever notice the clouding which occurs when adding pH up or silica to an already nuted tank? I dont believe many experience any adverse effects, but why not avoid it if you can.

Who cares if silica makes your pH go up? Just because it moves your pH doesnt mean it needs to be added last. Its still bringing your ph up regardless if your mixing it 1st or last. Mixing it 1st eliminates the cloudiness and potential lockout/ nutes dropping out of suspension.

I prefer to mix silica 1st - raising the ph of my water - then my nutes which brings me back down to where I need to be. pH Down further if necessary.

Yeah I only see precipitation when I'm using 10+ bottles of crap I don't need that only reeks havoc on my PH. Aside from that, when I mix bloom food, the PH is always on the acidic side. Why would I PH up and then Down? when I do see a precip, it's for about 30 seconds, but it may the h2o2 I sometimes add...

I don't recommend using Calmg or silicates after week 4-5 of bloom if you don't want to taste it..