Micronutrient Mix Recommendations for DIY Nute Mixing

[chameleonsc]

First off, I've been mixing my own nutes using a modified six pack formula (Calcium Nitrate, MKP, Potash, Epsom Salts). I've been using Jack's MOST (mix of soluble trace elements) for my micro blend.

What I am curious about is if there are other trace element blends out there that people are using with success. I know there is Peter's STEM (which looks mostly the same). But, the thing is MOST says it doesn't like calcium fertilizers so it's been giving me some slight trouble in my res. STEM has calcium in it, so I figure it's probably going to work a little better.

Anyone out there already tackle this one?

 

[analogue]

Add the CaN03 last - and you're golden.

 

[longwaters]

http://www.seaagri.com/

"The minerals and trace elements in SEA-90 are proportioned and balanced to sustain biological life. Consider that the elements in sea water are at essentially the same ratios as human blood, and that sea life living in pure and balanced ocean water seems to be immune to cancer and other degenerative diseases."

 

[ipa]

Vitagrow http://vitagrow.com Made by these guys http://www.americanag.com/vita-grow-supermicro-31020-p-641.html

Their grow is just calcium nitrate and their bloom is just monopotassium phosphate. Their Micro has everything else. Just add their Micro to your current regimen and you're good to go. You can also drop the potash since there is some in their Micro.

 

[Lowman]

mbferts dot com

 

[longwaters]

Sea water contains over 80 different elements but hydroponic trace mixes have only 14. Recent studies have shown sodium to be sometimes (depending on species) more essential than we thought. I give seedlings a solution of 1000 ppm sea minerals and they love it. Check out some of these videos.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2tamdF1dkk: Sea Fertilizer - An Amazing Organic Fertilizer From The Ocean
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Gl4t08zNP0: Almost no insect damage to my garden by using sea mineral nutrients
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQRH7niUIjU: Ocean Grown Vegetables Don Jansen Sea Energy Agriculture
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExHovwamDMo: Integrated Seawater Agricultural Systems ISAS Mexico

 

[queequeg152]

i mix ferts to the howard resh bell pepper profile.
ive personally used something called Plantex CSB + Boron, and scotts STEM.

http://www.aquariumfertilizer.com/index.asp?Option1=inven&EditU=2&Regit=5

stem is way higher in copper and other metals, where as the plantex is meant for aquariums and hence the copper and other metals is way way lower.

i prefer plantex in my fertigation system, but i use stem because its dirt cheep.

stem has alot of sulfate compounds, so i can see why it might not want to be mixed with concentrated calcium solutions. just mix it as A and B tho, problem solved.

 

[longwaters]

I'm using SEA-90 which is less expensive than STEM and shows much better results. A 25 lb bag of STEM is $60. A 50 lb bag of SEA-90 is $50 and they are used at the same application rates. If you are near the ocean it's free, although it may have some pollutants depending on the area.

 

[Kcar]

A 50 lb bag of SEA-90 is $50

Kinda expensive for a bag of salt, don't ya think? I'll take my micros
without all the NaCl, thanks!

 

[longwaters]

Here is an interesting study. Judging from my results with sea salt, cannabis must be one of the more sodium tolerant species. However keep in mind it's not really the NaCl we're talking about here, but the 70+ other elements that aren't being supplied to the plant under normal hydroponic conditions. This is why people always say their organic bud tastes better than hydro. I've smoked a lot of weed and trust me, I haven't found better tasting bud than hydro grown with sea salt.

Botanical Gazette © Vol. 123, No. 4, Jun., 1962

Abstract:

1. The effect of NaCl on some aspects of growth and on rates of photosynthesis and respiration was examined with twelve crop species covering a wide range of salt tolerance. Plants were grown in the greenhouse on gravel cultures irrigated with either a base nutrient solution (control) or base nutrient plus 1, 2, 3, or 4 atm. OP of NaCl. Photosynthesis and respiration were measured with tissue samples in the Warburg apparatus. 2. The growth response to NaCl, judged by the yield of fresh plant tops, ranged from a stimulation in the case of some tolerant species to a severe depression and death of the most sensitive one. 3. NaCl increased the succulence of leaves (water content per unit area) of all species except onion. It also increased the ratio of water to dry matter in the leaves of most species; the greatest increase occurred in beet and spinach, the two most tolerant species. 4. There was no correlation between salt tolerance and photosynthetic activity per unit area of leaf samples. The activity per unit of chlorophyll, however, tended to be higher in the more tolerant species. 5. Leaf samples did not indicate any appreciable suppression of photosynthetic activity per unit area by NaCl. The suppression observed in pea was probably caused by the combination of salt and supraoptimal growth temperatures. For the most part, the results are consistent with the conclusion that photosynthate is generally not a limiting factor in the growth of salt-stunted plants. 6. Respiration of leaves was more sensitive to NaCl and tended to increase in both tolerant and sensitive species on saline cultures. The effect was generally greater and occurred at lower levels of salt in the more sensitive species. Respiration of root samples failed to indicate any consistent effect of NaCl.

 

[Kcar]

But it is, as Sea-90 is 82-85% NaCl per their own website. Not to be a dick.:friends:

 

[c-ray]

the ratios usually go something like this:
Iron Sulfate - 4 to 8 parts
Manganese Sulfate - 4 parts
Zinc Sulfate - 2 parts
Copper Sulfate - 1 part
Borax - 1 part
Sodium Molybdate - 1/10th part

or the equivalent in edta versions

 

[longwaters]

But it is, as Sea-90 is 82-85% NaCl per their own website. Not to be a dick.:friends:

I just wanted to help by sharing my experience with the sea salt. My plants have been much healthier since using it instead of a trace mix. As the gentlemen explain in the videos I linked to above, pests are no longer a problem when plants get proper nutrition. I eliminated an extremely pesticide resistant spider mite population within a month of using it. I haven't had NaCl toxicity or even tip burn and I've been able to lower N-P-K by 66% percent which makes the product burn much cleaner. Yield has improved 50%, partly because of faster veg times and the potency has increased greatly as well as flavor complexity and smell. This stuff really does work, and I have seen nothing but astounding results in a year of using it.

Found another video - Late season Hydroponic Tomatoes on Sea Salt Steroids
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JiSmZI4-Aqg

 

[habeeb]

Yield has improved 50%

ok, you can stop right there man.

 

[longwaters]

Please do some research or watch some of the vids I posted. It's common to see people getting 75% better yield with sea salt.

 

[Kcar]

Please do some research or watch some of the vids I posted. It's common to see people getting 75% better yield with sea salt.

You're kinda sounding like 'Big Mike' over at AN.

So I pull an elbow every 8 weeks off a 600 with no veg time,
and your telling me I can simply add some sea salt and I'll start pulling
28z's? Sign me up! How much do I need to add? The STEM I use now is
like .05 to .1g a gallon. I don't think I'll need a 50lb bag...

 

[longwaters]

You're kinda sounding like 'Big Mike' over at AN.

So I pull an elbow every 8 weeks off a 600 with no veg time,
and your telling me I can simply add some sea salt and I'll start pulling
28z's? Sign me up! How much do I need to add? The STEM I use now is
like .05 to .1g a gallon. I don't think I'll need a 50lb bag...

Results vary based on how dialed the grow is. I live where it's very cold and dry, conditions which cannabis plants do not like. I'm unable to set up a lung room with dehumidifiers and heaters because I don't have the space or money. I have glaucoma and use everything I grow, so selling some extra bud to expand isn't really an option.

To be accused of sounding like Big Mike is kind of ironic. You don't need expensive snake oils to grow amazing bud. If you live near the ocean it can be done for free.

I mentioned earlier in the thread that the application rate is the same as STEM.

 

[longwaters]

Here are some pics that demonstrate how well the sea salt has been working. These plants are on 1/3 strength Jacks Professional and 1 ml per gallon Protekt silica, with 1 tsp per gallon of Sea 90. Keep in mind it's been -25 degrees outside and they've been getting hardly any air exchange, so they'll do even better when it warms up.



C99 x Purple Sativa (day 34/70)

Sour Diesel x Flo (day 34/63)

 

[Kcar]

Your plants look fine, but why not source the micros without the NaCl?

If I followed your plan I would have to add 240g (over 1/2 a pound) of
sea-90 in my 40gal res. 240x.85= 204g pure NaCl

You say cannabis must be salt tolerant, but that implies in itself that it's not good for the
plant. Otherwise you would have said salt loving.

And does cannabis even really utilize all '90' of those micros? Or do they just take up space on the nutrient profile?

 

[Funion]

I've been adding a 1/4 tsp of high quality sea salt to my coco/bottled organic grows for the last 2 years.
I simultaneously reduced my nutrient ratios.
I found the strain I had dialed in, AK99 had more pronounced smell,taste and overall quality of smoke.
Growth/health has always been good for me so nothing I do will ever have a tremendous effect on yield.
These days I'm playing around with ROLS and asking myself how much and how often to add sea salt.

I understand that there is a perception that there are only a few minerals necessary to grow a plant.
I do not believe in this school of thought.
I am working with the assumption that individually or synergistically the micros have a profound effect on
the "spaces in-between, for any life form.

I get a chuckle about how things like sea salt and urine are met with such fear and suspicion.
The basic explanation about how and why these things work makes perfect sense.

All roads lead to Rome
All rivers feed the sea

Peace,
F