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Dry/powder Cal-mag recommendations?

Rabbi

Rabbi

Member
Can anyone here recommend a good dry cal-mag that I can mix myself?

I somewhat recently moved to a new place and have been battling to get my plants to stop turning yellow once put into flowering.

Finally the other day I decided to try to give my plants double the recommended manufactures(AN) dose of cal/mag(cause they looked so nitrogen starved) and the plants finally started looking better.

After that I gave them a triple dose and they finally look healthy now.

Problem with that is that I'm going to be going through a boat load of cal-mag now and looking for a cheaper alternative to the bottled ones.

Any have any suggestions?
 
AgentPothead

AgentPothead

Just this guy, ya know?
Pretty sure dolomite lime is mostly calcium carbonate and magnesium carbonate, exactly what you are looking for. It's hella cheap too, I got 50lbs for 10$ at local hydro shop. It will raise your PH though too.
 
AgentPothead

AgentPothead

Just this guy, ya know?
I didn't even think to ask are you growing in hydro or soil? I don't think you can use lime in hydro, it won't mix well at all. I also have no idea on dosage. I've only used it as a top dressing and soil mix.
 
AgentPothead

AgentPothead

Just this guy, ya know?
Yeah I dunno I'll google around for how to make a suspension but lime seems pretty insoluble in straight water.
 
T

Teddybrae

Yeah ... Slaked (Builders) Lime will mix with water but it has no Magnesium component. there are lots of Cal/Mag "suspensions" around the place. these are liquids with particles of the ingredients floating about in it, mixed in it, SUSPENDED in it ... rather than dissolved and made liquid ... hope that helps.
Shalom! (PS be careful not to use too much! balancing acid/alkilinity is almost impossible if you overdose with Ca.)
 
D

Dirt Bag

Member
You can definitely add both calcium and magnesium independently. Both are readily available online. So are your micronutrients (yes there are other ingredients) like chelated iron.
BUT try as I might, I have been unable to mix a cal-mag concentrate as it always precipitates. Botanicare Cal-mag Plus isn't cheap but (and I'm as cheap as they come) it's phenomenally better than adding the stuff myself and magnitudes easier.
Try it yourself. You'll see.
I too used to think I could build a better mousetrap.
 
GOT_BUD?

GOT_BUD?

Weed is a gateway to gardening
ICMag Donor
Veteran
Dirt Bag said:
You can definitely add both calcium and magnesium independently. Both are readily available online. So are your micronutrients (yes there are other ingredients) like chelated iron.
BUT try as I might, I have been unable to mix a cal-mag concentrate as it always precipitates. Botanicare Cal-mag Plus isn't cheap but (and I'm as cheap as they come) it's phenomenally better than adding the stuff myself and magnitudes easier.
Try it yourself. You'll see.
I too used to think I could build a better mousetrap.
Click to expand...

try this stuff - https://customhydronutrients.com/ca...47_452&zenid=abfae65de2d6c7cb904c0407d075a3df

I just received mine in the mail today and mixed up some nutes...

60 grams in half a quart of hot ro water. 30 seconds worth of shaking and the water was clear again. According to the instructions, that should give me 100ppm of Ca in my solution.
 
C

clearheaded

Active member
The easiest would be get some epsom salt for mag and calcium nitrate. any seed and feed will have calcium nitrate.

u could source chelated calcium or other salts of magnesium but those are cheapest and most avaialble. its what most of ur cal mags are made of.

Also gives u ability to just add mag if thats all ur in need of. Alot of the time tap water has a good amount of calcium already available. calcium nitrate of course will add N. and infact what the micro is in ur hydro and why "micro bottle" has N in it. only mix once other parts have been watered down.
 
D

Dirt Bag

Member
GOT_BUD? said:
try this stuff - https://customhydronutrients.com/ca...47_452&zenid=abfae65de2d6c7cb904c0407d075a3df

I just received mine in the mail today and mixed up some nutes...

60 grams in half a quart of hot ro water. 30 seconds worth of shaking and the water was clear again. According to the instructions, that should give me 100ppm of Ca in my solution.
Click to expand...

I can also easily dissolve calcium phosphate or calcium nitrate, of which I have both, into RO water.
The precipitation happens when magnesium enters the picture. Separate they all seem to dissolve easily, but when they are combined a chemical reaction occurs and something along the lines of gypsum precipitates to the bottom.
I could and have added nutrients individually, but it's much more work. I like less work. Take the extra time needed, divide it by the cost difference between Calmag and the separate ingredients and I guarantee you wouldn't work for that wage. This, besides the fact that the Calmag Plus is just better. Perhaps they should rename it Braundo...
 
C

CrushnYuba

Well-known member
I started a thread about this a while back and some people chimed in with some great stuff.
Cal mag + is:
Calcium nitrate, magnesium nitrate, iron edta.

If you use magnesium sulfate with calcium nitrate it will precipitate. You can make cal mag + with identical ingredients and have identical results.

But think about this. Why are your plants yellowing? What deficiency do you have? Calcium? Magnesium? Or is it NITROGEN!?. Cal mag has soo much nitrogen in it, allot of that nice green you get from it is from the nitrates. Calmag is NOT 2-0-0. It's a guaranteed MINIMUM analysis. It's more Like 8-0-0.
so you can definitely recreate cal mag + with cheap dry ferts. But if your plants really just need N, give them N. You shouldn't need a ton of calmag to keep your plants from having calcium or magnesium deficiency. Especially if you are in soil. I use zero calmag in my soil. I only use diy calmag in soiless mix.
New growers Think they dont need N in flower. They are so wrong. Most of these flower nutes don't have enough N. I bet if you start mixing a little grow nutes in with your flower, your plants stay green.
 
D

Dirt Bag

Member
CrushnYuba said:
I started a thread about this a while back and some people chimed in with some great stuff.
Cal mag + is:
Calcium nitrate, magnesium nitrate, iron edta.

If you use magnesium sulfate with calcium nitrate it will precipitate. You can make cal mag + with identical ingredients and have identical results.

But think about this. Why are your plants yellowing? What deficiency do you have? Calcium? Magnesium? Or is it NITROGEN!?. Cal mag has soo much nitrogen in it, allot of that nice green you get from it is from the nitrates. Calmag is NOT 2-0-0. It's a guaranteed MINIMUM analysis. It's more Like 8-0-0.
so you can definitely recreate cal mag + with cheap dry ferts. But if your plants really just need N, give them N. You shouldn't need a ton of calmag to keep your plants from having calcium or magnesium deficiency. Especially if you are in soil. I use zero calmag in my soil. I only use diy calmag in soiless mix.
New growers Think they dont need N in flower. They are so wrong. Most of these flower nutes don't have enough N. I bet if you start mixing a little grow nutes in with your flower, your plants stay green.
Click to expand...

I have tried repeatedly to create a calmag concentrate that can replace Botanicare... Because I'm cheap and handy. I did my research. I amassed the proper ingredients. I mixed them in the most typical different manners and was unable to stop the precipitation. There is definitely more to Calmag Plus than just the active ingredients mixed together. You can tell this just by examining it.
I am certain it's calcium and magnesium that's needed as I use RO water and GH Flora Series in a Growstone/Hydroton mix. As I said, I have successfully used the independent ingredients and still have plenty on hand, but have found the Botanicare stuff much easier. I am usually the guy bashing brand name shit, but until I see someone actually successfully make a DIY calmag, I'll stick with what's working. We use 2.5ml/gallon in addition to GH flora and koolbloom.
We do make our own Clearez though 😉
 
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