Floranova organic? Id suggest looking into that, I guess on an ionic level it is but its full synthetics
cal-mag is it really needed
- Thread starter conni
- Start date
I've read organic nutes tend to be more acidic. And, I've read about peat's acidic tendency. Now you mention microbial leaching (don't know what that is), but it sounds like an interaction I wouldn't have if using non-peat soil, or a less organic nutrient? That adds a dimension to why my ph was more stable when using GH Flora Series (3 part). I thought it was GH Flora's ph buffering (for hydro, which could have helped). But, it's more that GH Flora didn't have (or feed) microbes?
As the soil acidifies, say 6 weeks into the grow, I've been watering 6.8-7.2 which holds the soil ph higher. But, I don't like using the quantity of ph up. Sometimes I mix 1/8 tsp hydrated lime into the feed. Sometimes I use more Silica Blast (reluctant to use it in flower because silica isn't good for the lungs and I'm concerned using silica during flower might increase its presence in the buds). Therefore, I've been considering increasing dolomite levels, or using a small amount of hydrated lime to raise the initial ph of the soil.
But, I noticed something interesting. I have a plant that's mid- to late-flower and has had acidic soil. Last time watered I used water-only (just some 3ml/gal each Liquid Karma & Alaska Kelp, 1/2 tsp/gal Epsom salt, and 1tsp/gal my dissolved eggshell). I didn't even ph the water. It was just 6.6 in the end.
I fed that plant today at ph 6.8 and the runoff was much higher than I expected. Like, 6.8.
I've already considered that I should alternate feed/water. Now I feel I should try this before going crazy with dolomite or hydrated lime in the initial soil.
I'm worried alternating water/feed is like reducing the strength of the nutrients and will reduce yield. Using GH Flora Series, I had it just at the nute-burn level and it performed well. I thought I was shooting for the same threshold (watching burned tips, backing off a little). Maybe organics are different.
Now I wonder if feeding half the nutrients with each watering would be better than alternating feed-water-feed.
(Sorry if hijacking OP's thread.).
Dr.Pecker
Well-Known Member
The term cook is widely misunderstood .you don't really cook or bake anything. All this means is to let it rest and get the micro life growing. Just mix it up put it in a trash can and forget about it for 2 months then stir it and let it sit two more months and your good to go.
SnapsProvolone
Well-Known Member
I'm confused.
Are we talking soil or hydroponic?
What medium if hydro?
Water quality?
In my experience, I never fell short on calcium in soil, likely due to using lime to buffer pH. Magnesium sulfate corrected any magnesium deficiencies.
In hydro, with large plants in DWC, I've always needed calmag if using RO water and I always use RO water. Never seen a good coco grow that didnt use calmag due to coco being a pita... lol
bitty plants won't complain about starving for calmag like bigguns will.
Are we talking soil or hydroponic?
What medium if hydro?
Water quality?
In my experience, I never fell short on calcium in soil, likely due to using lime to buffer pH. Magnesium sulfate corrected any magnesium deficiencies.
In hydro, with large plants in DWC, I've always needed calmag if using RO water and I always use RO water. Never seen a good coco grow that didnt use calmag due to coco being a pita... lol
bitty plants won't complain about starving for calmag like bigguns will.
941mick
Well-Known Member
Peat usually just has a higher amount of trace metals, that are leached out in the presence of microbial life causing the soil to become a little more acidic than potting soil.
The pH of you medium could be the cause of multiple things, but dropping it during your next couple waterings will get it back in range.
Coco growers dont need calmag, they need added calcium, hydro guys dont need calmag, they need either extra cal or mag, I have had cal defs, mag defs, and even the occasional N def in hydro but I resolved the cal and N defs with the same salt and the mag defs with another, I have never personally had or even seen a cal def and a mag def not due to a lockout at the same time. Most every base nute is complete but some plants want more Cal, some more N and some more Mag and some mediums need extra attention like coco or soil, but ammending a soil with lime or adding calcium nitrate to your feeding schedule addresses the actual problem without wasting valuable ppms with unnecessary salts. If people utilized there base nutes correctly and stopped adding 400 ppm of boosters and additives they would have fewer issues.
purplehays1
Well-Known Member
I grow in a peat/coco/perlite mixture and i have had mag def multiple times when i wasnt using cal/mag.
Il say it again, you didnt need calmag, you need mag sulfate, you wasted 110ppm on unneeded cal & N that could have been used elsewhere
You dont need calmag, you need cal, a gram of calcium nitrate per gallon or a few miils from a calnit solution would solve it without unneeded mag
purplehays1
Well-Known Member
i use cal/mag on clean water days....as most exp growers do....so ya im adding 250 ppm to their RO water.....
941mick
Well-Known Member
Or carbonate, not everyone is in sterile hydro. Not trying to be a dick there are just options in his medium lol
Il simply say mag, point remains the same
Im not an "experienced" grower, hell iv never actually grown, I give terrible advice
You're also passive aggressive.
Ok, here we go, when a fucking newbie is asking for advice, I give real world advice, I dont treat calmag defs, ignorant newbies do because they are told buy dumb newbies know it all shitty growers they need to. They are 2 distinctly seperate things, when you are trying to maximize your ppm's for optimal uptake why would you treat a mag def with unneeded cal and N? That cal and N ppm could have supplied extra P or K and eliminated the pk booster your dumbass bought. When you are using a pk boost alongside with your calmag what do you get? A Cal def, why? Because your dumbass has supplied so much extra mag/P/Fe that you have locked Ca out. When someone tries to help a newbie whos looking for advice out he has to respont to some of these dumb fuck posts by people like you who like every retarded post that is completely illogical botanically speeking who dont know how salts work together. Sometimes being passive, get that, passive as I wasnt aggressive at all, I laughed it off cuz hes fucking retarded, serves the purpose because I will guarantee you that 1 or 2 of these newbies will decide to actually learn how the salts they use actually work together and learn how to treat a def by fixing a lockout and not listen to a bunch of retards on a forum that say a bunch of cal and iron is needed to fix a mag def. just sayin, but im pretty dumb about growin