[leevee]

Cheaper powdered ferts?

With a 150 gallon DWC res and all the changes needed during a grow the fert charge is like $100!

I went on the net to see what else was out there and I found this...

GUARANTEED ANALYSIS


Total Nitrogen (N)........................... .............................. ..10.00%
Available Phosphoric Acid (P205)........................ ................8.00%
Soluble Potash (K20)......................... ............................. .22.00%


TRACE ELEMENTS


Calcium as (Ca).......................... .............................. ..........5.000%
Iron (Chelated) as (Fe).. .............................. .......................0.200%
Manganese as (Mn).......................... .............................. .....0.100%
Zinc (Zn).......................... .............................. ...................0.010%
Copper as (Cu).......................... .............................. ...........0.010%
Boron as (B)........................... .............................. ..............0.020%
Molybdenum (Mo) .............................. .............................. .0.005%

They indicate that is epsom salts are needed in addition. One pound runs from 1-3 dollars (does 100 gallons) found similar prices on other sites.

BTW this is a hydroponic fert....

After all the searching on this site, it's hard to believe nobody has brought this up!

Shipping is one part of the expense, and a purchase of powdered organic ferts from a known supplier yeilded no savngs except for the small, reduced shipping cost. I feel like a robbery victim!

One site I visited a guy asked about peters 20-20-20, and was told he could use it, and just to add calcium nitrate, and epsom salts. (BTW if anyone knows the ratio of the last 2 ingredients please feel free to tell me this...)

Only thing I can't seem to find is a good flowering fert. Found 0.27.27 for the last 3 weeks, but nothing I'm really sure of for the first 3-4 weeks of flower.

Come on now, there are plenty of people using these ferts in hydro to grow a variety of plants. We are growing a weed for heavens sake, how complicated could that be?

It would be great to buy locally (like the Peters) because the safe addy guy, and me, do not need to get supplys from hydro places! Besides, one shipment of the powdered ferts would last for years!

Obviously I'm going to try this out on a limited basis. It would be great if others could share their thoughts, facts, and experiences here.

If someone is more comfortable sending me a PM on this subject, then by all means do so. All info received this way would be confidential...

Thanks in advance!

I have never used powdered ferts, so I really can't comment on them, however, I wouldn't recommend using ferts because there cheap. There's a reason why there cheap. Choose products that have a trackrecord and are proven to work. Liquid ferts are easier to mix and I beleive easier for the plants to absorb. It's OK to shop around for prices, just don't sacrifice quality. It might cost more, but it's worth it.

[So Quick]

amen to what green street said...

The only fert I used that was powder form, was supernatural 1 part mix...pretty good stuff...it was in my local shop and I've seen it in a few mags, so I decided to give it a whack...I would only use a fert that had a good track record as green said above...

SQ

[leevee]

This makes good reading...https://members.mailaka.net/norm34/growing.html

I'm trying to find out what makes the liquids better. Is it the chelated micro-nutrients? The search continues...

I did find out the powders don't have the epsom salts added due to a reaction in the mix...

[leevee]

On three different MJ sites this post is, and so far it seems like nobody is using the powdered in hydro, and nobody has come on and said "hey I tried powders, and they don't work!"

So far from what I've been able to find on the net is that any grow powdered fert will work fine with the addition of calcium nitrate, and epsom salts.

The bloom formula is still a question mark...

look , dont be usin peters thats cheap ass house plant food . why spend so much money on genetics time and money on shitty ass food fer yer plants . go with something proven anything , just not that crap . The only time i would use powder is in a supplement i.e. BigBud , KoolBloom . Alot more concentrated than liquid boosters

[leevee]

This makes interesting reading. Informative about the contents of fertilizer and interaction of elements. Also if you go to the bottom of the page and go to the home page there is some info on different hydro systems.

https://members.mailaka.net/norm34/growing.html

[leevee]

After reading the responses on 3 boards and doing the research I've come to this conclusion...

The liquid ferts are no better than powdered.

The only reason they cost more is because we (NJ growers) will pay more. Why are we paying more? Because there is more to loose, and we don't want to take chances! Ok?

I'll go back to this it's a weed!

One guy uses human urine (his onw I hope , to grow with, and gets great results. Others have followed this with success. It's on overgrow in my post there if you want to check it out...

Worried about trrace element (macro and micro nutrients) defeciencies? They are available on the net and inexpensive when used as a foliar spray. (This is something one should have on hand anyway in the event 'first aid' is needed.)

Quality of the nitrogen? Add calcium nitrate to avoid possible ph swings.

Epsom salts will need to be added @ 1/4 teaspoon per Gal., but that is not a large cost.

Actually with the liquid ferts I'm tempted to let the rez change go a bit longer. Hell with the cost of the powdered, I'll change out every 2 weeks now. Lack of rez change has probabbly hurt our grows more than anythingthing else.

As long as one is changing the rez out frequently, go ahead and use the baking soda, and vintegar to raise and lower the PH.

As always I'm open minded, but it will take some hard facts to change my mind on this one. To think there is something magical inside a bottle of liquid ferts is silly. There is no magic bullet, just avoid the common mistakes and your grow should be just fine.

[leevee]

Here is the thread where foto420 is growing using only human pee, and kool-bloom! If you don't have the time to read the entire piece, then read the first page, skip to page 10, then on to the finish. Several people are using his 'liquid gold' method and the resulte are amazing!

BTW he has some microbiology in his backround.

A few people have said it is the best grow they have ever had!

Check it out, it is getting to be very well documented!

https://www.overgrow.com/edge/showthr...5&pagenumber=1

Here is the formula. I'll be using it myself, no doubt

Liquid Gold Recipes


Soil

Small plants dilute 20 to 1 with fresh urine and a few drops of super thrive

Add in same amount on the first and second feedings. Then once
Per week or about every 3rd watering/

Med to large plants Dilute 10 to 1 with fresh urine and a few drops of super thrive. Keep the same ratio on ever feeding from this point on.

Flowering keeping the same ratio add ¼ tsp Kool bloom per gallon feed plants every 3 waterings until finished flowering


Hydroponics

VEG MODE

Small plants In hydro tank add approx 1 cup per 10 gallons of water plus about 15 drops of super thrive. Balance PH On top up add ½ cup per 3 gallons and a few drops of super thrive. Balance PH

Med plants In hydro tank add 1 cup per 3 gallons of water plus about 15 drops of super thrive. Balance PH. On top up add 1 cup per 3 gallons every 3rd top up on water. Balance PH.

Flowering

Med to large In hydro tank add 1 cup urine to 5 gallons of water plus ¼ tsp Kool Bloom per gallon. Balance PH. On top up use 1 cup of urine per 3 to 5 gallons of water and ¼ tsp. Kool bloom per gallon of water added plus about 3 drops super thrive per gallon of water. Keep your PH balanced.

You should not need any other fert for this entire regimine. As with any fert be careful not to over fert your plants. Keep an eye on them and if they are showing a burn back off on the nutes. If your plants are a lighter color green you can add more Urine to the mix to get it a nice dark shade of green. Since everbodys urine is slightly different it is not exact this is a guideline on using it.
Morning urine contains more concentration on the nutes so keep this in mind. Your morning urine also contains more nitrogen than your urine from later on in the day. I try to use my afternoon urine for the flowering mode because the concentrations of P/K are higher.

[Harry Gypsna]

The only powdered one i have is monster bloom, I am told that these powdered ones can cause probs with salt build up, and u need to mix em up a while before use. Like was said above, I wouldnt use the cheapest thing I can get. Ur right, it is a weed, and people have use all kimnds of stuff. I have read that levington tomorite was once considered to be the best thing for weed. Thing is, though, these thiongs aint meant for dro, and as such, dot have all the things they need. Id say get a good basic grow n bloom, and a bloom boster.