NFT Nutrients... time to move on from Vitalink

[Guest]

Just now, mikeydoughnut said:

Because it’s easier. Just follow a few golden rules and yer good to go.

 

Whatever works for you, bud. Can't knock coco, use it myself, but mix it with compost and perlite. It is, however, inert, and does not retain nutes so needs constant monitoring.

 

Happy to be corrected if I've got that wrong ?

[mikeydoughnut]

18 minutes ago, Zipster said:

Happy to be corrected if I've got that wrong ?

Nope yer Bob on. That’s what I like about it. I know what goes in and comes out. Compost is more for people who know how to grow I think. I’ve grown some proper shit in compost. Still can’t believe no one pulled us up about it like. Coco took absolutely no getting used to. Obviously there’s levels to this but I’m happy with what I’m doing. 

[Guest]

Just now, mikeydoughnut said:

Obviously there’s levels to this but I’m happy with what I’m doing. 

 

I'm happy that you're happy. There's no 'right or wrong' way. Well, there are wrong ways...the plants die. Usually over feeding and/or bad environment. Whatever works best for each individual. Every grow space is unique.

 

And every day is a school day...

 

“The more I learn, the more I realize how much I don't know.” ―  Albert Einstein.

[rememberingnever]

Happy to admit i'm pretty caveman when it comes to what i've been putting in, trusted my old mans workings out and just ran with it for some time. Things have changed this then, many different strains in one NFT tray to try and accommodate as best possible :'). I finally invested in a bluelab truncheon and calibrated an old PH meter (which seems to be corresponding with the drip tests and have seen nothing but problems since :'). Maybe i'm just getting cold lockout.

There is a part of me that when I get into something I end up going into it to ADHD levels so I tried to keep my growing relatively simple and consistent. I'd like to get a water analysis and start calculating all the macros down but its a rabbit hole i'm not sure i'm ready to commit to fully just yet :').

[catweazle1]

11 hours ago, rememberingnever said:

I'll check out that hydrosol stuff and try look at the ratios of everything... appears you can buy from Bezo's which may be stealthier delivered but depends if you care if A know what you're up to :D.

I'm not so sure there is a consistent policy on stealth wrapping by the Bezos Crew. I recently received my Herboven decarber in its box complete with nothing wrapping it and an address label on it.

[GSZZ]

23 hours ago, Arthur Mix said:

Some are trying Terra Aquatica instead now

 

Using their Dual Part for hard water at the moment, so far so good I'm liking the results - its worth noting that all the pH buffering capabilities are in the bloom part, so some adjustment may be necessary during veg.

 

18 hours ago, rememberingnever said:

Any bioponic users wanna chip in the convo? :D.

 

Growers Ark splintered from Hydrotops.. its much of a muchness. HYT is well expensive for what it is, and their dilutions, though. 

[Goohfy]

I am using Mills full range I think it’s sound the vitalize is good but I only use it for half the grow first roots then use as a foiler spray by that time the plants are solid.This run I am using the rest of my shogun nutrition on one plant and had to raise it 10-12 inch all same cuts so I really do like mills peace Goohfy.

Edited November 17, 2023 by Goohfy
Some peace

[Goohfy]

Not cheap if you’re to buy it at rep cost I probably wouldn’t of ever bought it due to the price like I say I think it’s great but expensive.peace Goohfy.

[JonDaMon]

On 14/11/2023 at 4:05 PM, catweazle1 said:

Another clean synthetic one is Hydrosol Hydrocrop and you can alter the A and B ratio to suit growth stage.

 

I have switched to this for my current grow. 
 

at a dilution of 100g in 1L for your stock solution, my 25L container takes 150ml of A and 150ml of B to increase my 0.2 water up to 1.0EC. 
 

that’s around 6ml per litre which seems crazy to me  so next mix up I’m gonna try 200-300g in 1L to see if it can dissolve enough and make it so I am using less ml per litre. 
 

I paid £15 for 500g of A and B. I ordered mine from eBay and it came in a standard brown jiffy envelope if I remember correctly. It certainly wasn’t plastered all over it as I would have remembered (like GROWINSANE does with all theirs  )

 

at 100g/1L stock solution it makes 5L of each A and B for that £15. 6ml per litre dilution rate. 
 

if it’s 200g/1L it will make 2.5L of A and B 3ml per litre dilution rate.

 

I’m finding it fine so far no complaints. I have been adding an additional 0.2EC of Calmag which I may drop and just dose with some additional Mg as the hydrosol is 20% Ca and 4%Mg.
 

E2A 

My bad just seen there is also 4%Mg in the B aswell as the A. May just drop the additional Calmag now  
 

Edited November 18, 2023 by JonDaMon

[catweazle1]

JonDaMon. I use 2ml of Epsom per L, made up from 250g Epsom dissolved in 1L water. 5-6ml A and B for the mature stage is about right. Each ml provides about 32ml Mg.

Edited November 18, 2023 by catweazle1

[JonDaMon]

2 hours ago, catweazle1 said:

JonDaMon. I use 2ml of Epsom per L, made up from 250g Epsom dissolved in 1L water. 5-6ml A and B for the mature stage is about right. Each ml provides about 32ml Mg.

 

20Ca and 8Mg found in the hydrosol is almost 3-1 isn’t that the golden ratio of Ca to Mg that a lot of folks swear by?

[GSZZ]

5 minutes ago, JonDaMon said:

isn’t that the golden ratio of Ca to Mg that a lot of folks swear by?

 

 3:1 or 2:1 if you're increasing K - preferably by increasing Mg rather than reducing Ca. 

[JonDaMon]

16 minutes ago, GSZZ said:

 

 3:1 or 2:1 if you're increasing K - preferably by increasing Mg rather than reducing Ca. 

 

I use MgSO4 during flower when applying any additional PK anyway as I’ve found them to be Mg whores when you’re dosing with higher PK feeds (MKP is what I use). 
 

thanks for the heads up @GSZZ 

 

@catweazle1 thanks for the dilution ratio of Epsom I’ll make up a bottle of that tonight as I normally just use a pinch over my medium whenever I feel they need it or if I’m dosing with the MKP solution I make. 
 

Mono Potassium Phosphate mix ratio 

 

14g in 100ml

or

140g in 1L 

 

this makes stock solution of PK booster that can be used at 1ml per litre into your feeding solution. 
 

I don’t know the full ratios of P and K from that stock but plants seem to like the 1ml per litre of the stock solution as it increases EC by approx 0.1EC. 

[GSZZ]

Just now, JonDaMon said:

I use MgSO4 during flower when applying any additional PK anyway as I’ve found them to be Mg whores when you’re dosing with higher PK feeds (MKP is what I use). 

 

Between my base and water I run about 2:1 Ca:Mg anyway. I load with N and Ca while plants are stretching and building frame, and then switch to increasing K and lowering N but realistically you gotta increase Mg like you do, otherwise there isn't enough to facilitate the uptake of both Ca and K - I'm not a fan of MKP cos it adds alot of phosphorous and I try to keep around 60 - 80ppm max, I'm of the opinion it really hurts quality going over that when the plant starts moving P/phytic acid from the foliage to flowers in the final weeks, I like to try and reduce that as much as possible... I think it makes for the best burn/smoke quality without the actual plant material impacting the taste.

[JonDaMon]

12 minutes ago, GSZZ said:

 

Between my base and water I run about 2:1 Ca:Mg anyway. I load with N and Ca while plants are stretching and building frame, and then switch to increasing K and lowering N but realistically you gotta increase Mg like you do, otherwise there isn't enough to facilitate the uptake of both Ca and K - I'm not a fan of MKP cos it adds alot of phosphorous and I try to keep around 60 - 80ppm max, I'm of the opinion it really hurts quality going over that when the plant starts moving P/phytic acid from the foliage to flowers in the final weeks, I like to try and reduce that as much as possible... I think it makes for the best burn/smoke quality without the actual plant material impacting the taste.

 

by the last 4 weeks or so I don’t really use the MKP it’s more only as they begin to stack that I tend to use it. 
 

The biggest difference I’ve found over the years is the use of Epsom as it’s Mg and S and I find the S helps more with limonene terpenes and Mg for overall health during flower. 
 

thanks for the insight into the higher P Will bare that in mind.