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Growers ark soft water and calmag


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This is my first run in coco after a few runs in soil. Been struggling with constant cal/mag  deficiency’s even though I’ve always used calmag at full strength. So I decided to get my water tested at growers ark turns out I’ve got very soft water. So im going to use their soft water feed. My question is would I need to add calmag will There be enough in the feed? Cheers 

 

 

Calcium         5

Magnesium   0

Sulphate       7

Alkalinity       30

pH                 7.40

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@Oldbear @ratdog

 

I asked Ratty this question. He recommended using cal/mag as well throughout the cycle. I am using SW Growers Ark and putting .5ml per ltr every feed. My plants have never looked so good. I am also in a soft water area

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Just now, Larry Badgeley said:

@Oldbear @ratdog

 

I asked Ratty this question. He recommended using cal/mag as well throughout the cycle. I am using SW Growers Ark and putting .5ml per ltr every feed. My plants have never looked so good. I am also in a soft water area

I can only advise based on what GA themselves have said many times. Do what works best for you 

:yinyang:

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I have never needed cal mag with GAsoft water and been using them over a decade,  I haven't adjusted the pH for many years either as mixed up it comes out round 6.8, my tap water is 7.4 also. I only use the base nutrients with extra traces and some root tonic at the start. Start with 1ml of AnB to 4ml of traces. GA ftw

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50 minutes ago, Larry Badgeley said:

@Oldbear @ratdog

 

I asked Ratty this question. He recommended using cal/mag as well throughout the cycle. I am using SW Growers Ark and putting .5ml per ltr every feed. My plants have never looked so good. I am also in a soft water area

 

 

i haven't recommended using calmag with GA mate, although for me GA sw nutes seems to be right on the edge of if there's enough as my plants are still showing signs at 2.5ml with traces. i've actually switched back to calmag and fishmix (2ml) atm and they look much happier

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GA say on their site:

 

Quote

Our plant food is comes in 2 formulations designed to work with either hard water or soft water. Every now and again a water is neither, or has a ratio of Ca to Mg that is problematic for best plant growth. In these cases we can advise on what to add along with the food to solve the problem or if needed provide a customised version of our food that will be formulated for your water, in most cases this is not needed.

 

Your water is definitely in their problematic category as it has zero magnesium! It's not got enough minerals to be soft water, it is almost reverse osmosis water.

 

If you've paid for them to test your water they should be telling you exactly how to use their feeds.

 

Contact them and ask them for clarification.

 

The answer will be either to add calmag or buy a custom feed mix.

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Just now, latigid aikon said:

GA say on their site:

 

 

Your water is definitely in their problematic category as it has zero magnesium! It's not got enough minerals to be soft water, it is almost reverse osmosis water.

 

If you've paid for them to test your water they should be telling you exactly how to use their feeds.

 

Contact them and ask them for clarification.

 

The answer will be either to add calmag or buy a custom feed mix.

 

They said I shouldn’t need cal mag but as

you said with my water being as soft as it is I wanted other peoples opinions that have used their sw nutes. I was thinking of getting my water up to 0.2 ec with calmag before adding the base nutes. 

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If they say their nutes will work with your water without calmag I wouldn't add any calmag.

 

It contradicts their website though so I'd seek clarification.

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13 hours ago, Niallk said:

So im going to use their soft water feed

is it a coco-specific feed? daft question I know but if ur growing in coco u defo want the coco feed

I would say use calmag as coco tends to grab onto the Ca & Mg molecules, making them not available to the plant. or at least thats what I can understand 

 

 

mystic

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Just now, mysticriver said:

is it a coco-specific feed? daft question I know but if ur growing in coco u defo want the coco feed

I would say use calmag as coco tends to grab onto the Ca & Mg molecules, making them not available to the plant. or at least thats what I can understand 

 

 

mystic


yeah it’s a coco feed mate. I’ve read that myself that’s why I want to be 100% sure I do or don’t need any extra calmag as I’ve had constant issues with it in the past in soil. 

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Just now, Niallk said:


yeah it’s a coco feed mate. I’ve read that myself that’s why I want to be 100% sure I do or don’t need any extra calmag as I’ve had constant issues with it in the past in soil. 

The best advice I have is @GSZZ uses it in coco in uber soft water and has never needed calmag. If the plant shows a requirement up the feed. 2.5ml/ l of bloom is less than what many people start at. Get to know what you're feeding them don't just blindly follow tips.

:yinyang:

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Just now, Oldbear said:

The best advice I have is @GSZZ uses it in coco in uber soft water and has never needed calmag. If the plant shows a requirement up the feed. 2.5ml/ l of bloom is less than what many people start at. Get to know what you're feeding them don't just blindly follow tips.

:yinyang:


Thanks mate 

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2.5ml of bloom is as high as a few of the best growers here use, at least that's what they told me, also i used it higher, and it burned my plants.

 

it's a fucking nightmare having stupidly soft water, that's for sure

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10 minutes ago, ratdog said:

it's a fucking nightmare having stupidly soft water, that's for sure


Definitely mate. I’ve thought about throw the towel in a few times with this growing shit but I’m determined to get it right. All the problems I’ve had are water related.

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