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A question for the growers using Jacks 5-12-26

Ichabod Crane

Well-known member
Veteran
How long do those 2 jugs last? Perhaps I'll try that method, not sure if there's a "shelf life" to premixed solutions like that or if you only mix up what you'll use within a couple weeks perhaps?

There is no shelf life date for stock solutions. They will make about 375 gallons when used at 10 ml of each per gallon.
 

Ichabod Crane

Well-known member
Veteran
If you wanted to just make a quart of stock solution it would be:

145 grams of calcium nitrate
220 grams of Jack's 5-12-26
 

justanotherbozo

Active member
Veteran
If you wanted to just make a quart of stock solution it would be:

145 grams of calcium nitrate
220 grams of Jack's 5-12-26

so you're sayin' 145 grams of the calcium nitrate mixed into just a quart of water? ...will so much dissolve in so little liquid? ...and 220 grams of the base?

...and does the stock solution need to be kept in a light proof container or does being chemical make it safe from algal growth?

tia, bozo
 

Ichabod Crane

Well-known member
Veteran
so you're sayin' 145 grams of the calcium nitrate mixed into just a quart of water? ...will so much dissolve in so little liquid? ...and 220 grams of the base?

...and does the stock solution need to be kept in a light proof container or does being chemical make it safe from algal growth?

tia, bozo

It will disolve. It is actually below its solubility point at that amount.

What you do is add about 1/3 to 1/2 half of the water then the ferts and finally top it off to a quart. Don't add one quart of water then the nutes as it is to much water in the solution. I ussually leave it a little less than a quart and shake it up the finish it to the quart amount.

I don't keep it in a light proof container just a Arizona ice tea gallon jug. I think it is too strong for just about anything to live in it.

So 145 grams of calcium nitrate in a jug topped off to a quart with RO water. And 220 grams of Jack's 5-12-26 in a jug topped off to a quart with RO water. Then use 10 ml of each per gallon of you nute solution.
 

Ichabod Crane

Well-known member
Veteran
will distilled water suffice or is RO water absolutely essential?

why would tap water be unacceptable?

tia, bozo

Distilled will work fine. Tap water may have impurities that could precipitate out of solution and take some of what you have added with it. If you have clean tap water it is not a issue but you will not know unless you have it tested.
 

Arminius

"I'm not a pezzamist, I am an optometrist"
Veteran
i'm relatively new to Jack's but i was under the impression you could send J.R.Peters a sample of your water and they will tailor a nutrient mix specifically for that water supply, ...i don't know what it cost's though.

peace, bozo
Anyone have any experience with this? I spoke with JR Peters last week, and unfortunately, the lady who does the custom mix is overbooked for a couple of weeks. Planning on sending her an email, but if someone has any feedback on that process, it would be greatly appreciated.
 

Ymir

Member
Man I just don't get it. I put a heaping 1/4 tspn in some distilled water, have been shaking it now and then for 2 ENTIRE DAYS and I still have a little bit of stuff settling to the bottom. I was hoping this would dissolve after a day or so and give me the motivation to mix up the solutions you mention, but I have no faith in this stuff dissolving at all.
 

Arminius

"I'm not a pezzamist, I am an optometrist"
Veteran
Man I just don't get it. I put a heaping 1/4 tspn in some distilled water, have been shaking it now and then for 2 ENTIRE DAYS and I still have a little bit of stuff settling to the bottom. I was hoping this would dissolve after a day or so and give me the motivation to mix up the solutions you mention, but I have no faith in this stuff dissolving at all.
How much distilled water?
I mix my 40 gallon tank solution each time. 120 grams of Hydro in warm water in a quart jar fully dissolves in less than 10 minutes. I use my new 400' deep well water, ran through a sediment filter and have had no issues as described above. I keep an electric kettle in my nursery, and add about half full of hot water, stir vigorously, then add cool water to top of jar. I shake it a few times, and is ready to use in 10 minutes.
The one time I have had issues was when my assistant mixed up a few batches in jelly jars. The jelly jars are perfect for the Cal Nit, and bloom booster, but it may exceed the solubility rating at that level. He may not have stirred them up enough before letting them sit, or it may be that the Epsom salts had some impact, but stalagmites formed in the bottom half of the jar.
I just finished my first 25 pound bag, and my new bag just showed up. I have had great results so far, with multiple flower tests above 20%. My next step will be having them make a custom mix based on my well water.
 

Zen Medz

Member
I'm about done with my first grow using Jack's and have been very impressed with it. I have ultra soft tap water and mix about 3.5 tablespoons into a half gallon of warm water, shake it a little and everything is dissolved within 5 minutes. I then add this to a 30 gallon rez with some seaweed powder. Plants are very happy, I've got four different strains (Pre-98 Bubba, GSC, Green Crack, Chem Valley Kush) going and no deficiencies. Four of my plants are a little over 4 feet tall and there has been no sign of underfeeding.

Chicken, are you using a clean container or rinsed container before you add water and nutes? If there's some left over solution in there that could be causing the precipitation, you're the first person I've heard of having problems with Jack's not dissolving completely. You don't happen to work for Scott's or General Hydroponics do you? I kid, I kid. ;)
 

Ymir

Member
Yea I'm not sure what the hell I'm doing wrong unless rinsing the shit out of a gatorade bottle with bleach isn't enough to really "clean" it, but I've tried just a regular measuring cup and stirring etc and doesn't seem to make much difference. Unless 80ppm water leaves enough behind even after emptying it out and pouring in distilled to cause this. I have seen others mention this issue but they've always just said they leave it for a day or something and it eventually dissolves, so I'm definitely not trying to scare anybody away from using it :p

I just heated up some distilled water, re-bleached out my bottle and tried again, been shaking it for 20 minutes and still crap on the bottom.

I want to just do the 1 gallon mixture in a fresh bottle of distilled but it's that not-so-clear whitish plastic and I don't know if I'd even be able to see if stuff is settling.

Perhaps at higher concentrates I'll have better luck?

I feel like an idiot cuz this is supposed to be the most simple damn thing on earth to do.
 

Zen Medz

Member
Chicken, I looked at your water numbers from the lab test and your calcium levels are average (27.7) compared to mine, (9), that could be causing precipitation but I doubt it. I wanted to double check that you're not mixing Jack's and the Calcium Nitrate together? Figured you weren't but thought I'd ask. I have a small 250 gph pump in my rez that mixes things up pretty good, you may just want to try and dissolve the nutrients into a larger volume of water and see what happens, I'm scratching my head over this one. Maybe try a different clear plastic bottle rinsed out with hot tap water and no bleach? Let us know. Best of luck!
 

Ymir

Member
Well I even tried buying some plastic cups so I wouldn't even have the remnants of washing out my containers with my tap water but didn't seem to make any difference.

I'm about to make the 32 oz solution that was recommended, hopefully I have better luck with higher concentrates, will update when I'm done :D
 

Ymir

Member
Well I used a 56 oz container with 32 ounces of distilled water that I heated up, 220 grams of the jack's and over an hour of shaking there is a huge pile of stuff sinking to the bottom still.

The Cal-Nit dissolved in less than a minute and worked just fine.

PJC8HVd.jpg
 

Ymir

Member
Well I'm going to call JRPeters tomorrow and see if they will at least send me a small sample to see if I somehow got a bad batch somehow.

The timing sucks cuz my clones are just rooting now and I need to start my ebb and flow system in the next few days or so. Do you think I'd be ok switching to the regular Jacks 20-20-20 + cal/mag for now until I can figure something out for my dissolving issue on the hydro blend?
 

DamnUglyDogE

Learning the rules well,so as to break them effect
ICMag Donor
Veteran
I've been playing around with jack for a solid year now and love it.

Once you get the mix right...
It's all you really ever need as far as feed...
Some might say it to easy....:biggrin:

2 cents....

Here's what they send you...


 

DamnUglyDogE

Learning the rules well,so as to break them effect
ICMag Donor
Veteran

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