Feed shelf life.

Ffwp710

Well-Known Member
Noob here, I make a 1gal feed, cal mag, a/b, roots excel, algen extract, multi zen, nitro boost, drip clean, and Powersi. Was wondering what the shelf life would be on a feed that I mix up? And also what if I got air stones?
 

JimmyNuggs

Well-Known Member
Air stones will help keep it oxygenated and extend its shelf life but it's usually only good for a couple days, extend to a week with all protections in place: temps are kept low, no light is allowed to mix etc.. It is a pain but I make my nutes up daily. Add too much risk to sit for days (I use my run off, but I run that through an air stone for a few hours and only use within 24 hours of first use.
After that I ditch it.

Appreciate when you run a reservoir the nutes solution is kept for longer but that needs all the protections in place (temp, anti algae etc)

gl
 

Ffwp710

Well-Known Member
Air stones will help keep it oxygenated and extend its shelf life but it's usually only good for a couple days, extend to a week with all protections in place: temps are kept low, no light is allowed to mix etc.. It is a pain but I make my nutes up daily. Add too much risk to sit for days (I use my run off, but I run that through an air stone for a few hours and only use within 24 hours of first use.
After that I ditch it.

Appreciate when you run a reservoir the nutes solution is kept for longer but that needs all the protections in place (temp, anti algae etc)

gl
Much love for the detailed response. Definitely just didn’t wanna be wasting nutes but also didn’t wanna make 500ml feed at a time lmao. On a side note, how the hell do I get rid of fungus gnats, it’s still early too.
 

xtsho

Well-Known Member
It all depends on the nutrients you use. Some precipitate out more than others. I run blumats from a reservoir. I mix up about 15 gallons at a time. That can take a week or 2 to be used depending on the size of the plants and how much they're drinking. I use a small pond pump to keep it stirred up. A small pump is better than using air stones as it both stirs and disrupts the surface oxygenating the solution more than air stones do.

 

Ffwp710

Well-Known Member
It all depends on the nutrients you use. Some precipitate out more than others. I run blumats from a reservoir. I mix up about 15 gallons at a time. That can take a week or 2 to be used depending on the size of the plants and how much they're drinking. I use a small pond pump to keep it stirred up. A small pump is better than using air stones as it both stirs and disrupts the surface oxygenating the solution more than air stones do.

Can you link a small pump you may recommend? I’m only making a 1gal feed, unless stirring it whole airs tones are on does the same.
 

xtsho

Well-Known Member
Can you link a small pump you may recommend? I’m only making a 1gal feed, unless stirring it whole airs tones are on does the same.
A small 80 GPH pump would on the bottom of a 5 gallon bucket would keep things mixed up pretty well. I kind of missed that you were only mixing a gallon at a time. If you're using so little nutrients that you are not using even a gallon at a time have you thought of just mixing less? For just a gallon a pump isn't going to be a viable option for keeping the solution mixed.

But here's a small $10 pump

 
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