[dank.frank]

If you can't get oyster shell look for a product called aragonite - it is essentially the east coast version of the same thing. (94% calcium carbonate) It is used primarily in salt water coral tanks to feed/build the coral.

If you have Hi Cal lime - use it in place of the oyster shell at 2/3c. It would be a better alternative to using excessive dolomite. So, 2/3 hi cal lime, 1/3 dolo, 1/3 gypsum.

I don't like mixes TOO heavy in EWC - no more than 18% of the media. It becomes soupy and doesn't drain as well as I like. I'd stick with the original recipe amounts. More often than not, I'm using whatever brand of EWC I can find in my area and that varies between several different brands and qualities.



dank.Frank

[moses wellfleet]

Ok I have been seeing symptoms of mag defiency with only 1/3 cup dolo. Whichever however may be from not allowing soil to cook for long enough. What are your thoughts on using Epsom salts to correct mag deficiency?

Aragonite I can get but it is not flour, much coarser granules!

[dank.frank]

Get the aragonite. It works. It just lasts longer. Keeping in mind, consistency of a product relates directly to availability...but the aragonite is pretty much pure calcium carbonate.

Mg is supplied by lots of various things, not just dolomite. In the basic amendment recipe, Sul-Po-Mg, azomite, kelp meal, crab meal, and the dry molasses (as it is sprayed on soy bean hulls) all provide additional Mg - outside of the Mg that is in dolomite.

Epsom salt works best watered in as opposed to mixed into the soil. 1/4 tsp -2 tsp (depending on deficit) dissolved per gallon of water...3 waterings in row, during wk 2 or 4 of flower, depending - should take care of any Mg def you are running into with more demanding Chem/Diesel/OG type lines.



dank.Frank

[moses wellfleet]

Hi Frank I am planning to use the personal potting medium as a starting point for a no till grow. Second time around I will re amend with half the nutritive amendments. 1 cup bonemeal will become half a cup. 1/2 cup seabird guano will become 1/4 cup etc. Mineral amendents should last more than several runs. Does this sound about right to you?

Also I am unable to get dried molasses. Would bran be a substitute for the dried molasses?

[dank.frank]

With the minerals...make up a large mix of all of it.

2c Aragonite
1c Dolomite
1c Gypsum
1c Azomite

Then every time you re-amend you'll add 1/3c of this mix.

Everything else at 1/2 strengths works fine.

The only thing not mentioned in that thread is each time you reamend, always add back some fresh hardwood / leaf compost. Soil does loose volume over time as various things are broken down. If you add 10% compost back each cycle or even 1/2 compost and 1/2 fresh EWC.

So if you are making the basic mix which is about 10 gallons, with each round you reamend add back 1/2 gallon hardwood / leaf compost and 1/2 gallon EWC. It's not much, but it is a good practice for consistently building the soil.



dank.Frank

[moses wellfleet]

d.f as I am planning to recycle is it possible to add some rock phosphate each time?

[dank.frank]

Yes. If you are trying to add it in addition to the other amendments that are there, just go with 1/4c - 1/2c at the most, unless you plan on cutting out some of the bone meal. You could run 3/4c bone and 1c CalPhos if you wanted - but essentially, the two amendments are providing the same primary elements - P and Ca - just from different sources. Noting of course that bone meal is a much more concentrated P source per volume...



dank.Frank

[moses wellfleet]

Dank you very much, I will be using 15 gallon containers for this grow. I veg for four weeks in the 15 gallon totes, then flower for 8 weeks. So I'm wondering during that 12 weeks if they will need any supplementary nutes? Do you think four weeks veg is too long?

[moses wellfleet]

Hi Dank Frank I have all the amendments ready to go except sulpomag. The closest thing I can find is Patenkali. Have you ever heard of it?

[dank.frank]

I'm not familiar with the product at all. Looked it over and it seems like a suitable substitute. When just going by a numbers game, Sul-Po-Mg is generally 0-0-22 K, 22% S and 11% Mg and this stuff you are talking about is 0-0-30 K, 42.5% S and 10% Mg, just has a lot more sulfur...

But, if you look at their MSDS sheet, you'll see the chemical composition:

It is primarily Potassium Sulphate K2SO4, Magnesium Sulphate MgSO4.

Potassium Sulfate aka "Sulfate of Potash" 0-0-50 mixed with Magnesium Sulfate aka epsom salts.

Make a mixture that is 50% Sulfate of Potash, 30% Epsom Salt, and 20% Gypsum - and you'd have pretty much the same thing, fwiw...

For example, 1/2c Sulfate of Potash, 1/3c epsom salt, 1/4c Gypsum, mix all together and use 2 Tbsp of this mixture.



dank.Frank