When to start using silica

[Sidram420]

I’m wondering when to start using silica and cal mag I grow in a livingish soil so to speak and I want to use the silica to help with nute uptake and root strength I use the cal mag at 1.5 ml per gal after week three every other watering should I introduce the silica then also using recharge after ph’d

 

[Southernontariogrower]

I’m wondering when to start using silica and cal mag I grow in a livingish soil so to speak and I want to use the silica to help with nute uptake and root strength I use the cal mag at 1.5 ml per gal after week three every other watering should I introduce the silica then also using recharge after ph’d

Water source? If tap water dont need cal mag! Id put silica from start

 

[Sidram420]

Using well water not municipal ppm around 200 to 250 ph low 7s no added chemicals just silica and cal mag sorry left out

 

[Southernontariogrower]

Using well water not municipal ppm around 200 to 250 ph low 7s no added chemicals just silica and cal mag sorry left out

Calmag as stand alone is not great, get full spectrum nutes for best results. And silica! Lol.

 

[Rick_Terpy]

i do start in seedling state

 

[PadawanWarrior]

Using well water not municipal ppm around 200 to 250 ph low 7s no added chemicals just silica and cal mag sorry left out

You probably don't need more Ca and Mg since you have 200-250 ppm dissolved solids. It depends on what that ppm is. My well water is around 150 am does has plenty Ca, too much Ca kinda. But it doesn't have much Mg.

 

[Sidram420]

So don’t use the cal mag at all I top dress with garden straw one inch thick and epsom salt one week before inducing flower so not to get a deficiency later down the line do you think that’ll be enough soils made up of one part aged compost horse manure amended Amish lol coco and perlite each one part two cups garden tone one cup kelp meal and a cup and half lime with four cups glacial rock mixed per cubic ft cooked 60 days grown under hlg 650 scorpion 4 sunraise 1000 watt 18 barinna bars and two agromax Pro uv four ft i just want to be on top of it had deficiencies before and are a bitch to deal with

 

[Sidram420]

Yeah I don’t know exactly what the ppms are for sure it’s a shallow well I’m leaning more on the cal side so I’ll stand back and let nature play out if I need some I’ll always be able to add it better a def than a exc

 

[Southernontariogrower]

So don’t use the cal mag at all I top dress with garden straw one inch thick and epsom salt one week before inducing flower so not to get a deficiency later down the line do you think that’ll be enough soils made up of one part aged compost horse manure amended Amish lol coco and perlite each one part two cups garden tone one cup kelp meal and a cup and half lime with four cups glacial rock mixed per cubic ft cooked 60 days grown under hlg 650 scorpion 4 sunraise 1000 watt 18 barinna bars and two agromax Pro uv four ft i just want to be on top of it had deficiencies before and are a bitch to deal with

Sounds pretty good to me, think most bases covered. The lime and water with the epsom sounds pretty good, only thing ld add are wormcastings in mix. Good biology for good mix!

 

[Sidram420]

You probably don't need more Ca and Mg since you have 200-250 ppm dissolved solids. It depends on what that ppm is. My well water is around 150 am does has plenty Ca, too much Ca kinda. But it doesn't have much Mg.

Do you run into issues because of that or do you supplement the mag

 

[Sidram420]

Sounds pretty good to me, think most bases covered. The lime and water with the epsom sounds pretty good, only thing ld add are wormcastings in mix. Good biology for good mix!

I thought about that just ended up with so much compost this go around for so cheap just made my difference with more parts comp

 

[PadawanWarrior]

Do you run into issues because of that or do you supplement the mag

I try not to add amendments with high Ca levels. I also occasionally add a little Epsom salt to the water. And sometimes I use a little citric acid to help flush out some of the Ca.

 

[Sidram420]

Okay the cal mags covered lol do any of you guys use the silica I’ve never used it before and am just wondering when to start as it’s more a microbial benefit and not so much a nute like potassium and nitrogen

 

[Sidram420]

I try not to add amendments with high Ca levels. I also occasionally add a little Epsom salt to the water. And sometimes I use a little citric acid to help flush out some of the Ca.

Do you the citric to help neutralize the ph more or does it break down the cal specifically

 

[PadawanWarrior]

Do you the citric to help neutralize the ph more or does it break down the cal specifically

The citric acid can bind with the Ca to make it easier to flush out. I don't use it to lower pH. My well water is around 7.8 and I don't adjust it.

 

[Sidram420]

Sorry for the last post it doesn’t make sense I meant do you use the citric acid to neutralize the ph or does it break down the cal specifically

 

[Sidram420]

The citric acid can bind with the Ca to make it easier to flush out. I don't use it to lower pH. My well water is around 7.8 and I don't adjust it.

Okay thanks that answered that for me that’s pretty high there I should be good I’m running more towards the 7 side like 7.3

 

[JHake]

My tap water is about 180ppm, mostly Calcium Carbonate...BUT it does seem useless for the plant: i did DWC once and soluble Calcium was needed.
Now i do add gypsum in both my soil mix and as a top dressing. I also have amendments rich in Ca.

So, not to go against what others said, just to share my experience that even with 180ppm tap water, i do need Ca.

I use silica from early veg to week 3 of flower.

 

[Sidram420]

thanks for touching on the silica I’m going to use cal mag at a dose of 1.5 to start with and every other watering if I notice anything or feel weird about I’ll step it up to 2.5 it’s just been beat into me to always use it as I always use r/o and grow under intense led light but have never used a living type medium before

 

[Luckyluciano744]

Use Rice Hull biochar as part of aeration component. Its a great source of silica.