The nutrient companies are ripping us off. Let's talk about it!

jonnynobody

Well-Known Member
This is an issue I think deserves consideration and open discussion because we work hard for our money and we should stop giving an inordinate amount of it to these nutrient companies that are making MASS profits off of confusion in the cannabis growing community.

I've been doing this for about 3 years now and in the process of that time, I have learned to ask questions as to what the plant actually needs and how it functions. When I learned to understand what the plant needs (still a lot to learn) as far as macro and micro elements, I began to feel like the nutrient companies did a fantastic job of confusing me as to what I really needed. What does mass confusion create? Mass profit!

Every time you buy another bottle from another manufacturer and you don't understand what is actually in the bottle and how the plant is going to use it, then you don't even know if you're getting what you need because you never took the time to research how the plant works and what it really needs. Now fancy this; I finally heeded the advice of the seasoned growers on RIU as well as ICMAG (great community as well) and finally asked the question, WHY?

Why does advanced nutrients want to sell me 15 bottles, and GH, and fox farm, etc. to grow some smoke able flowers? Because they are trying to maximize profits and when you are confused and don't have your own information, you accept their information as truth, and then you subsequently have 15 bottles of crap you don't need that you spent too much money on, sitting in your closet. In reality, you probably only needed about 4 or 5 bottles at the most.

Let me share a secret with you that's not really a secret (just don't tell the nutrient companies):

The only things you need are the building blocks that plants require. So what do plants require?

The essential macro elements
The essential micro elements
Healthy roots
Healthy leaves

If you have all 4 of those things, you will produce healthy beautiful flowers. The plants don't care if you spent $400 on your nutrient line, they care about the 4 things listed above which does NOT require 15 different bottles with pretty pictures and silly names like bud blood and so forth.

Simplify your life and use a simple base nutrient that has all of the macro elements, micro elements, and keep your roots and leaves happy. That's it!

Now you will eventually accumulate some bottles as individual situations arise as I have done, but any seasoned grower that understands the plant also understands what the plant needs and it's not expensive nor is it very complicated. It just takes time, initiative, and lots of gumption to sort out for yourself what the nutrient companies don't want you to figure out.

My current line up is general hydroponics flora Grow, Micro, and bloom which contains all of the essential micro and macro elements in the proper proportions for each stage of growth: vegetative and flowering.

I supplement the base elements with floralicous plus from general hydroponics for the sea kelp content and beneficial microbes that help with root zone problems. Every now and then if you have a micro heard going (i.e. beneficial microbes / mycohorrizae) that you need to feed as I do, then once every couple of weeks you will need to feed the micro heard some carbohydrates (i.e. sugars / molasses). GH (and the others) sell it as a carbo load which is only to feed the micro heard which then benefits the roots which then benefits the leaves which then benefits the flowers.

There are of course many factors that a grower will still need to zero in on and adjust to dial your entire environment in other than just nutrients, but a thorough understanding of just what the plant needs will give you a solid foundation for your journey into the mastering of the cannabis plant. Now once you master the plant, you can then train the next Jedi or start a nutrient company and obfuscate the ingredients of you mystery cocktail and sell if for $50/pint. Once you have the knowledge, you hold the power and you can then educate others and help free others from the shackles of misinformation and greed. I'll leave you with the famous last words of Mr. Robert Van Winkle (A.K.A. Vanilla ice):

WORD TO YOUR MOTHER ;)

BTW, I did post this to 2 separate threads to spread the discussion to both advanced and new growers so this information will assist both new and seasoned growers alike (hopefully). My apologies for being redundant if you saw this in the other sub forum.
 

Diabolical666

Well-Known Member
Word
I researched many lines and found out they all pretty much have the same shit in them. Some are alot more expensive then others, Im thrifty I go with the cheaper line. And I also want to go with what works for the plant, I want to use the whole line to insure I dont have any problems with my plants. I have also seen the difference nutrients make in a grow compared to not using much nutrients at all.
I put so much time and love into each plant that when I harvest them I get a little emotional, therefore I want them to give me some big ...juicy...buds to let me get over it faster:weed:
 

az2000

Well-Known Member
My current line up is General Hydroponics flora Grow, Micro, and bloom which contains all of the essential micro and macro elements in the proper proportions for each stage of growth: vegetative and flowering.
I used GH Flora 3-part with soilless (Pro-Mix HP). It worked great. IMO its strong point is the ph buffers which help hold the soil's ph. I used the so-called "useless" schedule (<<link) which perfectly hit the boundary for nute burn. However, I got tired of the tedium of mixing different proportions of 3 parts. Also, the expense of shipping/storing mostly water.

I switched to Grow More Sea Grow, an organic'ish product. Costs a fraction of GH 3-part. Two 5lb tubs (and a 1lb can of Hawaiian Bloom) was about $40 delivered. That stuff's gonna last about 100 plants. I spent that much on GH Flora for maybe 1/2 to 1 grow.

The only downside I've encountered is that my soil turns drastically acidic around flower time. I have to water around ph 7.0 to help hold the soil ph up around 5.8. The first time it happened I wasn't expecting it and the plant suffered. But, now that I anticipate it, it doesn't get out of hand, and the plants do as well (or better) than GH 3-part. (I use 2Tbsl dolomite per gallon of medium. Might help. But, not enough.).

Photos taken a few minutes ago. 9 weeks old, 5 weeks till harvest. (Autoflower, Northern Storm. Blackstar 135w/85w actual UFO.).

IMG_20140721_123605.jpg

IMG_20140721_123624.jpg

I posted details/schedule here. (<<link) You might want to try it. You can get 1lb containers delivered for about $20. Cheap to try it out. And, if you like it, that quantity will last you about 20 plants.

If you really want to go cheap, mix your own raw compounds. But, at about $1 per grow with Sea Grow, I can't justify that tedium.

I'd like to try GH Flora Nova (2 part) which is also organic'ish, more concentrated (simpler to use), but also has the ph buffers like 3-part.
 

Wilksey

Well-Known Member
Having grown nothing EVER, I couldn't believe how many nute bottles I was going to "need" to grow some g'damn weed.

Fortunately, I found growers that posted threads and grow logs that showed me I DIDN'T need to spend a gojillion dollars on nutes, nor use 15 different bottles to grow ONE g'damn plant. I used ONE bottle for veg, and ONE bottle for flower....which I probably didn't even need, and I used ONE additive (silica) due to my expected high heat issues. Amazingly enough, they worked great, and I was able to grow some excellent weed that I enjoyed very much.

Don't believe the hype.
 

st0wandgrow

Well-Known Member
I reported this thread for containing factual information about plant nutrients that may upset the additives and organic herd. Shame on you sir.

Why would this upset an organic grower?

The fewer petro-chemical bottles consumed, the better.
 

st0wandgrow

Well-Known Member
You're right, they're too blind to see what it means anyway :)

Why? You still don't understand what an element is do you? Would you rather store it or dump it in the ocean?

Da fuck?

Please enlighten me. There could be a language barrier in play here (I hope).
 

st0wandgrow

Well-Known Member
Why? Is English difficult for you? :rolleyes:I have no desire to enlighten someone that fucking ignorant.

Well, I was hopeful that the smartest guy on RIU could help me out a bit.....

In summary, using more petroleum based products is better for the planet.

-Sativied
 

jonnynobody

Well-Known Member
Having grown nothing EVER, I couldn't believe how many nute bottles I was going to "need" to grow some g'damn weed.

Fortunately, I found growers that posted threads and grow logs that showed me I DIDN'T need to spend a gojillion dollars on nutes, nor use 15 different bottles to grow ONE g'damn plant. I used ONE bottle for veg, and ONE bottle for flower....which I probably didn't even need, and I used ONE additive (silica) due to my expected high heat issues. Amazingly enough, they worked great, and I was able to grow some excellent weed that I enjoyed very much.

Don't believe the hype.
Winner winner chicken dinner; you're spot on! Silica is an excellent additive to use and the reasons are many:

Silica is a compound of Silicon & Oxygen with the formula of SiO2. As an additive for Cannabis plants, it has numerous benefits. Think of it similar to a super vitamin for humans.

What does silica do for my plant?
  • Added Tolerance to Heat
  • Added Tolerance to Cold
  • Added Tolerance to Drought
  • Added Tolerance to Salt Buildup
  • Added Tolerance to Mineral Toxicity or Deficiency
  • Accelerated Growth Rates
  • Faster Root Development
  • Increased Resistance to Insects
  • Increased Resistance to Fungal Disease
A fine product that is indeed not snake oil.
 

jonnynobody

Well-Known Member
No offense fellas but this is a civilized discussion we're trying to promote in this thread, so please take any personal arguments elsewhere.

Stow, I do see and value your point about decreasing the amount of sending more petrol based products to rot in our landfills for an eternity. If only we could convince the rest of the world's 6 billion consumers to be so conscientious - now that would be a miracle.
 

jonnynobody

Well-Known Member
Word
I researched many lines and found out they all pretty much have the same shit in them. Some are alot more expensive then others, Im thrifty I go with the cheaper line. And I also want to go with what works for the plant, I want to use the whole line to insure I dont have any problems with my plants. I have also seen the difference nutrients make in a grow compared to not using much nutrients at all.
I put so much time and love into each plant that when I harvest them I get a little emotional, therefore I want them to give me some big ...juicy...buds to let me get over it faster:weed:
lol, we all want BIG JUICY BUDS! Hell, that's why we're all here talking :)
 

roldgoldrlg

Well-Known Member
Thanks for posting this. I was in a nutrient rabbit hole of research when it hit me...duh, make my own teas using the basics. So began the fun research if organic macro/micro biology, nutrients/soil breakdown/etc...like you said it's very basic health care, but the nutrient companies want us in a rabbit hole. So happy I didn't rush into buying something bottled mimicking basic elements, when I can have fun doing it myself and get even closer to the plant's.
 

jonnynobody

Well-Known Member
I used GH Flora 3-part with soilless (Pro-Mix HP). It worked great. IMO its strong point is the ph buffers which help hold the soil's ph. I used the so-called "useless" schedule (<<link) which perfectly hit the boundary for nute burn. However, I got tired of the tedium of mixing different proportions of 3 parts. Also, the expense of shipping/storing mostly water.

I switched to Grow More Sea Grow, an organic'ish product. Costs a fraction of GH 3-part. Two 5lb tubs (and a 1lb can of Hawaiian Bloom) was about $40 delivered. That stuff's gonna last about 100 plants. I spent that much on GH Flora for maybe 1/2 to 1 grow.

The only downside I've encountered is that my soil turns drastically acidic around flower time. I have to water around ph 7.0 to help hold the soil ph up around 5.8. The first time it happened I wasn't expecting it and the plant suffered. But, now that I anticipate it, it doesn't get out of hand, and the plants do as well (or better) than GH 3-part. (I use 2Tbsl dolomite per gallon of medium. Might help. But, not enough.).

Photos taken a few minutes ago. 9 weeks old, 5 weeks till harvest. (Autoflower, Northern Storm. Blackstar 135w/85w actual UFO.).

View attachment 3209480

View attachment 3209482

I posted details/schedule here. (<<link) You might want to try it. You can get 1lb containers delivered for about $20. Cheap to try it out. And, if you like it, that quantity will last you about 20 plants.

If you really want to go cheap, mix your own raw compounds. But, at about $1 per grow with Sea Grow, I can't justify that tedium.

I'd like to try GH Flora Nova (2 part) which is also organic'ish, more concentrated (simpler to use), but also has the ph buffers like 3-part.
Nice flowers you have there friend. I have done soil on all of my grows except my very first grow (very tragic outcome) and my current grow and I was successful, but disposing of the dirt became a problem for me and I kept having acidity issues that went unresolved which nearly ruined a couple of runs. I think my primary problem was root zone issues due to the fact that I didn't know anything about mycohorrizae or beneficial bacteria & fungi, so I really just didn't know what I was doing; I didn't know enough about how the plant functioned.

If I did soil again, I would do smart pots to promote better wet to dry cycles as the entire root ball is able to breathe through the walls of the smart pot rather than being caged up unnaturally in a plastic pot. In addition, I would inoculate with beneficial bacterias and fungi to support a healthy rizosphere. Happy roots make happy stems and leaves which make happy flowers :)

Be it as it is, I'm currently growing in 5 gallon hempy buckets with a hydro corn basin up to the waste hole and then filled with 1:4 ratio of vermiculite and perlite. My nutes are as mentioned with Sea Green from primordial solutions, koolbloom from GH, floralicious plus from GH and it looks like I have a cal-mag deficiency starting (purple streaks in stems and minor necrotic spotting), so it appears I'll be hitting them with a dose of cal-mag (GH) tonight. Sea green I wouldn't buy again because they won't tell you what's in it. The old "we promise it's good" crap which was my last and final hydro store debacle.
 

Sativied

Well-Known Member
Sorry Stow but you are beyond helping as you've show in a previous similar discussion. Which frankly I think is a shame, you're almost there.

Your summary is not nuanced sufficiently and hence not what I said... petroleum based products... are you talking about the bottles :lol:

Stow, I do see and value your point about decreasing the amount of sending more petrol based products to rot in our landfills for an eternity.
Oh man the irony...
 

jonnynobody

Well-Known Member
All we recommend is GH flora 3 part and CalMag.
I ran an entire few grows with just the GH flora 3 part with floralicious plus as an additive and I had 2 or 3 fantastic runs in a row but I kept having acidity issues around week 4-7 that I think diminished the amount of weight but not the quality of the flowers.

BTW, my last grow I made a horrible miscalculation with a wetting agent and concentrated the mix too high which resulted in the loss of nearly half of all my leaves within 3 days @ 3 weeks into flower. I was so pissed off I told my wife I was going to throw all my shit in the trash and be done. I then calmed down and reassessed my situation and then I had an epiphany; I remembered a conversation with my buddy who told me once, "even a fucked up plant will still produce some good buds", so I pondered that for a few days deciding what I would do.

I said fuck it and let them go. Would you believe I got 4 ounces of absolute funky monkey chronic off those sorry sad looking plants? I know I couldn't believe it and I wouldn't have believed it if I didn't see it happen in my own garden first hand, but I'm here to tell ya, they will indeed still spit out flowers, albeit not nearly as big as they should have been, but still plenty smoke able :)
 
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st0wandgrow

Well-Known Member
Sorry Stow but you are beyond helping as you've show in a previous similar discussion. Which frankly I think is a shame, you're almost there.

Your summary is not nuanced sufficiently and hence not what I said... petroleum based products... are you talking about the bottles :lol:

Oh man the irony...
Did you fall and bang your head? Those wooden shoes are slippery! :-)


I am willing to break down for you my reasoning on why I prefer an organic approach, but we'll have to find another thread as Jonny is trying to keep this on point.
 

Sativied

Well-Known Member
Did you fall and bang your head? Those wooden shoes are slippery! :-)
Hilarious... what a clever joke man... :rolleyes: Almost as funny as "petroleum based bottles". Now that was clever, I mean you said "bottles" after all. :clap:

There are plenty of valid reasons to grow organic, but why would I want to hear your reasoning for your personal preference? We had that discussion before in which you so clearly didn't want to be enlightened at all. You've shown your intellectually dishonesty so you're delusional to think your "reasoning" has any value to me.
 
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