pro-silicate vs silica blast

little-soldier · Jul 30, 2007

hi guys,
ive been looking for silica blast but couldnt find any except for the pro-silicate from GROTEK. Now my question is, has anyone ever tried this product? I would like to know how it performs compared to the silica blast.
thx

meduser180056 · Jul 30, 2007

That's fine I've used that kind. They are all pretty much the same thing. Very little difference between products. I've tried at least 3 different silica products and never a noticed a difference between em.

little-soldier · Jul 30, 2007

well here is the difference I have seen.
The silica blast claims that a 5 ml dose will add 105 ppm to your solution so I tried it with pro-silicate and the ppm hardly changes. I had a ppm of 415 and after the 5 ml dosage it went up to 420. Is that normal?
Also I have realised that the longer I let my solution sit the higher the ppm goes but not by much. So far It was at 405 like an hour ago and now its at 415.
weird but I wanna hear your comments before I start thinking something is wrong.

coolx · Jul 31, 2007

There's also Pro-tekt from DynaGrow which I bought just the other day - never used any silica before, so I don't know which is better, but they all seem the same reading the labels.

stonedeconomist · Jul 31, 2007

I've never used either product so i can't give you any first hand knowledge but if you are looking for hydroponic potassium silicate this place seems to have the most concentrated stuff at the best price. but it's a commercial greenhouse supply place not a grow shop so no stealth shipping.

http://www.hydro-gardens.com/fertcomp.htm

little-soldier · Jul 31, 2007

so can someone explain why the reading of ppm was 5 when its supposed to be 100??

meduser180056 · Aug 1, 2007

That's weird, but don't worry about it.

Listen I've tried Dynagrow's silica, Botanicare's silica blast, and the Grotek silica. With all of those you dose between 1-5 ml/gal. Just use 2 ml/gal throughout the grow maybe up it a little in mid flower and you'll be fine.

Personally I think silica is one of the best additives out there. I wouldn't want to grow without it. Definetly helps in protecting plants from disease, PM, etc. Makes em super tough. I've seen a friend's grow tables side by side one with silica one w/o everything else the same and the table without silica was having problems with PM while the other table had NONE! Same strain same conditions silica was the only difference.

inflorescence · Aug 1, 2007

meduser, I'm using dynagro protekt as a pH up and silicon supplement. The reason I use it as a pH up in my FNB (which drops the pH) is becuase if measured alone, the protek is like a 9 pH. Did you find this to be true also?

meduser180056 · Aug 1, 2007

Oh yeah silica definetly brings your PH up. Be careful about that. Whenever using silica check your PH cuz it likes to raise the PH a lot.

Greenskies00 · Aug 1, 2007

I've been using Grotek's Pro-Silica for years, but I'm a soil grower.

Regardless of what you call it, the stuff is potassium silicate--and you'll be HAPPY you used it. It foils insects and fungi.

whycombinator · Aug 2, 2007

If you mix up the potassium silicate with pHd water and let it sit for a day it won't screw with your res pH so much.

Lizard Fish · Aug 2, 2007

I believe that barricade made by advanced nutrients is the MOST concentrated form of silicate on the market. I only have to use like 25ml for a 75 gallon res. Important to note that AN claims that silicate should be added to the res FIRST as adding it to your res after other nutrients may cause a form of lockout. people using it as a ph up should use caution.

inflorescence · Aug 3, 2007

Lizard Fish said:
Important to note that AN claims that silicate should be added to the res FIRST as adding it to your res after other nutrients may cause a form of lockout. people using it as a ph up should use caution.

Good info lizard Fish. Here's what I don't understand. If you add it after say FNB then there is potential for lockout as you say but if you add it before how does this eliminate the potential lockout?
I've never understood that notion, like always add micro first.
Lets say I'm mixing up a 5 gallon bucket of solution for my soilless.
How can adding one nute 5 seconds before the other change the way the lockout occurs.
I mean I'm done mixing my nutes in about a minute in a 5 gallon pail so after a minute they are all in there together so how does 60 seconds change anything?

coolx · Aug 3, 2007

^^^ always add micros first?

I don't have much experience with other nutes, but I know with H&G you always add macros (A) first!

Also, I add silica first and ph up before adding any nutes, cos no matter how much I dilute the ph up if I add it after nutes, I get a cloud or precipitate and my ppm's drop 100. I can guess roughly how much I need.

As far as the order, think about this ... you know you never add water to concentrated acid, right, you always acid to water .... similar thing

Lizard Fish · Aug 3, 2007

inflor- adding Silicate first means you are adding nutrients to a DILUTED silicate solution. Adding it second means you are adding CONCENTRATED Silicate solution to diluted Nutrients. The potential for reaction comes from having such a concentrated silicate. I have experienced this myself and upon adding the barricade, tons os little precipatates(sp) start floating around in the RES.

little-soldier · Aug 3, 2007

very good info guys. So now ill make sure I add the silicate and micro first. Although I have added the silicate after with my feeding, I didnt see any kind of reaction happening in my solution. Next time it will be added first anyways, just in case.

Guest · Sep 10, 2007

can silica additives be used in flower or can it accumulate in the buds? i've got some that was grown till the end of flower with a silica supplement. it's very tough and springy but i don't know if it's just the strains characteristics. it tastes okay but leaves you with sticky dry mouth. there was a small flush at the end but not a proper one.

FOE20 · Sep 11, 2007

I use SBlast..but only in micro amounts as said prior..Im in DWC/aero and I dont start useing it till 3rd wk of Veg if even needed..I look at silica as a strengthening agent and not a root protection even tho it will help alot in the water bios..I mainly use it in wks 2-6 of bloom as it will make shoots and stalk more rigid which helps support the plant..I use Hydrogaurd as a root protection way more than SilicaBlast..Thats what I know anyway..
FOE20

snowkitty · May 1, 2009

This thread is a few years old but it is one of the few that talks at length about pro-silicate. Any growers care to comment on their use of pro-silicate or other potassium silicate products?

Is Advanced Nutrients Barricate Potassium Silicate a comparable product to Grotek Pro-Silicate?

This is a pretty ringing endorsement for using potassium silicate of some sort:

meduser180056 said:
Personally I think silica is one of the best additives out there. I wouldn't want to grow without it. Definetly helps in protecting plants from disease, PM, etc. Makes em super tough. I've seen a friend's grow tables side by side one with silica one w/o everything else the same and the table without silica was having problems with PM while the other table had NONE! Same strain same conditions silica was the only difference.

Here's some info from GreenCoast Hydroponics on Silicates:

Silicates

Silicate helps strengthen plant tissue helping plants flourish in adverse environmental conditions such as heat, drought, and frost. For use in container gardens or soilless hydrogardening applications

Pro Silicate - Pro-Silicate toughens the cell walls of your plant to form a physical barrier against insects and disease. The major building block for plant cells, silicone increases resistance to mildews, fungus and insect attacks, where the stronger cell walls counter predatory probings. Pro Silicate protects your plants from wilting and droughts by acting as an insulation against water loss through transpiration at higher temperatures. Plants can grow at higher temperatures. Will also help increase flower count and prolong bloom life.

Silica Blast - Silicate is a beneficial nutrient supplement to be used in conjunction with standard nutrient program. Silica Blast was designed by American Agritech to be used specifially with their Botanicare Line of products.

mattkilla420 · Aug 10, 2012

Silica as PH up?? Add Silica 1st??

Silica as PH up?? Add Silica 1st??

yea i know i ressurected it, but i am goin to start using a silica product so i need to know. If i add the Silica Product before i Add the nutrients then how in the world could i Get an accuracte ph reading. I am Using MaxiBloom and will be using the silica as a PH up adjuster. So if by what ive read about adding the silica first, How could I make a reasonable guess on what my final PH would be after adding Nutes 2nd? If anyone had a logical answer it sure would help...

pro-silicate vs silica blast

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