People who moved from lucas ratio to jacks hydro, questions for you!!

gmanwho · Apr 11, 2015

Hey there, so recently i moved from the Lucas ratio/head ratio using GH micro & bloom over to jacks hydro & calnit. Wasnt sure if i should've posted over in nute section, but the key thing here is HYDRO, DWC, recirc systems. i use ebb& flood bucket & bucket with growstones. so thats whay i posted here, not in the nute section.

I watch my ppm meter an log it down 1-3 times a day. An i have noticed quite a difference in uptake. Jacks is much slower, but plants are happier & greener.

i switched from micro/bloom cause i wasnt getting the results i once did. When i switched from hortilux bulbs to 1000w e-pap DE setups the plants never seemed to green up or have enough food with the new de lights. Since i have also removed a few lights from the room down to 6 lights vs the prior 8.

So i noticed that with the micro bloom ratio i could witness anywhere from 50 to 100ppm of food consumed from the rez every day for a few straight days, then it would slow. What i think that means is after a few days the plants exhausted what nutes they wanted an then it was time to change the rez.

With jacks now i see slow uptake, like 30 ppm a day. but plants seem happier.

prior ppms with micro bloom it wasnt uncommon to be near 13-1400 ppm. with jacks i stay around 1050 an let it go lower.

I Read more then a few jacks hydro threads., delta9 suggestions etc. Im looking for some feed back an opinions on people in hydro who used micro bloom & jacks an also use meters to monitor rez quality. co2, maybe even de lighting as it creates a demanding environment. Just looking for some others thoughts.

Does it seem that jacks is stronger even at lower PPPm's? Have you obtained better results from switching or did you go back??

Hope some of that made sense....... be safe everyone...

BigNev · Apr 12, 2015

i switched about 2 yrs ago from Lucas. Running a top feed modified ebb and flow w/ hydoton and lava rocks, Co2 and 100 watts/sq. ft. Jacks is the best product I've used and love the stabel Ph. I always adjust Ph down to 5.8 after rez change and after a week it would be 6.0 maybe 6.1. I also started out running 11-1200 ppms and it seems as I went lower with the ppms, thanks DHf that, the better my plants look and grow. this grow was 600 ppms start to finish Ph 6.0-6.1, no Co2-2x room air exchange per min. and with 10 days to go the all elusive < for me anyway, GPW is in my sight.

gmanwho · Apr 12, 2015

hey bignev, i appreciate your post. Im running about 1300 ppm of co2.2/3rds call nit to jacks hydro. so thats like 3 tbsp of jacks hydro, 2 tbsp of cal nit. i have a 100 gal rez but usually run 75 gal. i end up putting 12 tbsp of jacks hydro an 9 tbsp of cal nit.

100 w a sq foot is a demanding environment. im glad you posted. What ratio are u using the jack to cal nit???

appreciate the post.....

delta9nxs · Apr 12, 2015

gmanwho said:
hey bignev, i appreciate your post. Im running about 1300 ppm of co2.2/3rds call nit to jacks hydro. so thats like 3 tbsp of jacks hydro, 2 tbsp of cal nit. i have a 100 gal rez but usually run 75 gal. i end up putting 12 tbsp of jacks hydro an 9 tbsp of cal nit.

100 w a sq foot is a demanding environment. im glad you posted. What ratio are u using the jack to cal nit???

appreciate the post.....

hey, buddy! the 3 spoons to 2 spoons is not the right way to measure by volume. by volume you use equal parts. so if you use 3 spoons of jack's you use 3 spoons of calcinit.

this will approx give you the ratio 1/.67.

say you want 900 ppm at the .5 conversion. the ratio is 540 ppm/360 ppm or 1/.666 jack's/calcium nitrate.

750 ppm is 450/300, 600 ppm is 360/240, and so on.

if you have a meter you can take a container of water (assuming ro or distilled) and add jack's first until you hit your target. for 900 ppm add jack's to 540 ppm but count how many spoons it takes to reach it at the same water level in the same container every time. then simply put the same number of spoons of the calcinit on top of that and you are good to go.

your 3 spoons to 2 spoons is leaving you way short on the nitrogen.

you are correct that your lighting requires more concentration but maybe start at around 900 ppm and see which way it goes. i don't know what kind of system you are using but that is a safe starting point.

later

BigNev · Apr 12, 2015

i never meter for exact ratio, but use the same scoops of each. I go 2 weeks inbetween rez changes, just add tap and bump ppms up as needed and Ph down to 6.1 where it seems to like to stay.

sidenote- Delta you almost have me convinced to try a PPK when i do my new build

McKush · Apr 12, 2015

I followed a post by Ichabod Crane on this subject. I mixed two 1 gallon milk jugs for stock solution (not all posts mention it but you cannot mix 5-12-26 and calcnit into the same stock container, don't work. calcnit precipitates out and will not mix if you combine them.) You weigh out 880 grams of Jacks 5-12-26 for one jug and then ~ 580 grams of Jacks Calcnit for the other jug.

Then it is 10ml each per gallon of RO water to mix feed at 600PPM (500 scale), 5ml each for 300PPM. easy peasy lemon squeegee or something along those lines.

A gallon stock jug should mix about 375 gallons of RO water.

Don't know my PH and by all accounts here on icmag, if you use RO water, you never need to bother checking PH.

gmanwho · Apr 12, 2015

hey delta, im glad you stopped in. The 1 to .67 ratio is why i started measuring the way i did. i figured .67 is 2/3rds of a scoop. Sometimes the simplest things dont click right away. then the most complex make sense.anywys. i just went back an added anther 3 tbsp back to the rez, i was runnng at 810 when i checked, an 260ppm of that is the water.

i see now.. an delta im running a 24 site 10in net pot made for buckets. theres 3 seperate controllers flooding for 15min every 3 hrs.

delta thanks fro clarifying... i know i still got a bunch of tweeking...

bsafe

delta9nxs · Apr 14, 2015

BigNev said:
i never meter for exact ratio, but use the same scoops of each. I go 2 weeks inbetween rez changes, just add tap and bump ppms up as needed and Ph down to 6.1 where it seems to like to stay.

sidenote- Delta you almost have me convinced to try a PPK when i do my new build

shameless proselytizing does pay off!

delta9nxs · Apr 14, 2015

gmanwho said:
hey delta, im glad you stopped in. The 1 to .67 ratio is why i started measuring the way i did. i figured .67 is 2/3rds of a scoop. Sometimes the simplest things dont click right away. then the most complex make sense.anywys. i just went back an added anther 3 tbsp back to the rez, i was runnng at 810 when i checked, an 260ppm of that is the water.

i see now.. an delta im running a 24 site 10in net pot made for buckets. theres 3 seperate controllers flooding for 15min every 3 hrs.

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delta thanks fro clarifying... i know i still got a bunch of tweeking...

bsafe

you're welcome! when you gonna go the ppk way? you know you want to!

gmanwho · Apr 15, 2015

Delta i have read many pages of the ppk thread, an i lurk often, i do have an interest in it. i have a 3rd room im still debating on what to do for this next fall. its a 10x12 room. it is an option. but for now my 2nd room im doing a top drip an nft table system. some past experiences is tellin me to explore the top drip 24/7 recirc systems again. Love your input, your an asset to this community delta.... be well an b-safe

gmanwho · Apr 19, 2015

jacks color

jacks color

beautiful color. this photo is day 20. An at-least at this point, comparing this room last 2 cycles, this 3rd round is was ahead on development. i think jacks has been one of the main positive factors.

gmanwho · Apr 21, 2015

ya man waxy taxi no lie!!! i put the GH micro bloom to the supposed "no add" soil an early stage veg hydro systems. Putting my gh days behind.

thanks everyone.

b-safe

gmanwho · Apr 21, 2015

McKush said:
I followed a post by Ichabod Crane on this subject. I mixed two 1 gallon milk jugs for stock solution (not all posts mention it but you cannot mix 5-12-26 and calcnit into the same stock container, don't work. calcnit precipitates out and will not mix if you combine them.) You weigh out 880 grams of Jacks 5-12-26 for one jug and then ~ 580 grams of Jacks Calcnit for the other jug.

Then it is 10ml each per gallon of RO water to mix feed at 600PPM (500 scale), 5ml each for 300PPM. easy peasy lemon squeegee or something along those lines.

A gallon stock jug should mix about 375 gallons of RO water.

Don't know my PH and by all accounts here on icmag, if you use RO water, you never need to bother checking PH.

Not sure how i missed this post earlier mckush. appreciate you taking the time to post. at the moment im dealing with a 75-90 gal rez. my 3rd room will be 150 gal. Been mixing jacks an cal seperate an treating them like an " A & B " solution.

bsafe

McKush · Apr 21, 2015

Hey G,

Not a problem buddy. I really included it for others who might be searching for the recipe/process to use jacks/calcnit. Credit due to Ichabod Crane for that. I did add the part warning to not mix the two in the same stock solution though... learned that one the hard way and hoping to prevent someone else from wasting fertilizer.... lol

peace

McKush · Apr 22, 2015

No at least not in my experince with RO water. I cant remember the maximum amount that will disolve in a gallon but i rember reading it somewhere online and it was alot. Much more than what a stock 600ppm amount is.

Just dont try to mix the two into a single stock container. Hardly any calcnit disolvees.

2 Legal Co · Apr 23, 2015

Small threadjack please.

Which Jacks are you using.... and where's the best place to get it? I'm presuming the calnit is Jacks?

I've tried several Hydro shops and all they want to talk about is selling me water by the gallon. lol Hate paying to ship water.

McKush · Apr 23, 2015

WaxyTaxi said:
What am I doing wrong then... Maybe is because I'm using the 4lb tubs instead of the big bags? I pour half of the gallon with RO water, add 880gs of jacks, fill the rest up. Shake like piss. Still sediment..

Hi Waxy,

5-12-26 takes a lot longer to go into solution than Jacks Calcnit. But it does go into solution. I use 1g milk jugs and have to shake it a bit off and on for 10 or 15 minutes. Using warm RO water should speed that up, but I don't bother with warming it up. How much is at the bottom? if it just a smidge I wouldn't worry about it. but a teaspoon or tablespoon amount would be surprising and I'm not smart enough to proffer you a reason for that.

The Jacks Calcnit dissolves readily in plain RO water, much quicker than the 5-12-26.

BTW I'm using the 4lb tubs also, don't think there is a difference in the product according to the amount you buy.

McKush · Apr 23, 2015

2 Legal Co said:
Small threadjack please.

Which Jacks are you using.... and where's the best place to get it? I'm presuming the calnit is Jacks?

I've tried several Hydro shops and all they want to talk about is selling me water by the gallon. lol Hate paying to ship water.

i use ebay and order from out of state sources. Hydro store near me carries the 4lb 5-12-26 but not the calcnit.

gmanwho · Apr 23, 2015

waxi.....ya it takes a bit to get them to dilute into the water. not difficult thou. i use hot tap, an after 5 mins an 4-5 stirs there pretty much diluted. i use quart containers (with 6 tbsp worth at a time). sometimes i let it sit for a minute after the initial stirs , pour off the solution an let the sediment stay at the bottom, then top of with more hot tap, few more minutes an couple stirs an its diluted.

i went ahead an ordered the 25lb bags. been going thru 150 galls of rez solutions a week, an soon i will be up 300 gals a week. so it made sense to go with the 25lb bags since it was only double the price of the 4lb containers. so 2 4lb containers was the same price as the 25lb bag.. no brainer. hoping ill be good to next winter or so, we'll see.

my plants with the current de cetup;s have never been happpier. i really am 10 days ahead of the last 2 runs. plants are digging it.....

bsafe eveyone

Bueno Time · Apr 23, 2015

Thinking about trying the 3-2-1 after this bottle of Floranova Bloom runs out. 4lbs of each jacks and calnit would last me forever in my little tent. I can get 2-3 flower runs out of 1qt Floranova @ 4-4.5mL/gal.

People who moved from lucas ratio to jacks hydro, questions for you!!

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