Help with nutes please. I'm so confused.

I am so confused with nutrients/feeding. Specifically how much to use and when. I have done tons of research preparing for this grow and this is the one thing I am most confused about. I understand every plant is different and will intake a different amount of nutrients based on stage of growth, lights, co2 etc but is there any kind of guide for me to follow? From all the research I have done everyone says to use less than the recommended feed on the bottles, but how much less? I am so afraid of making the classic newbie mistake of nutrient burning. This is my first time. I'm running a generic nute line from my hydro store. Consists of a liquid rock(silica), NPK in 2 parts and Micros. They gave a feed schedule but I'm sure my 2 week seedlings will use a lot less than at the end of veg and their feed chart is just x amount for veg and y amount for flower with a specific order for mixing the nutes: Silica, pH to 7.0, npk, m, pH to 6.3. NEVER PH up after adding nutes it says.

For the first almost 2 weeks I gave dechlorinated, pH adjusted tap water(270 ppm, 6.3pH.... I know super hard water). A few days ago I gave my first feed @ 300 ppm which was 1/3 of recommended veg dosing. What is a safe amount to bump it up and when? SO confused. The only thing I do know is that I'm supposed to Feed > Plain water > Feed > Plain water.

Is there any general guidelines to how much PPM to give a plant for each growth stage (ex. 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 2nd week of flower)? I'm so confused. I'm starting to think I should have went with a more expensive popular nute line where they give specific feeding schedules.

14-17 days from seed
600w MH @ 21" from tops. 18/6
Sunshine #4
70-80F Day temps. 60% RH
R/O water
Serious Seeds Chronic
Greenhouse Seeds Kalashnikova

Any other info I need to give?

I live by the adage keep it simple stupid.... Cause in most cases I am flying by the seat of my pants. Like recently I was told adjusting my ph and then adding nutes is backwards, though i've been doing it this way for years without a problem.

the best thing I did for myself was get a digital ph reader.. And went with general hydro 3 parts formula...


What I do......

in dwc, 5 gal buckets, airstone/pump. I fill buckets with water to the bottom of the pot, adjust my ph, throw in a half teaspoon of nitrogen. Put in my seeds and wait.....

2 weeks later seeds are popped with first set of 3 leaves, I dump water, readjust nutes to seedling strength, usually a week after that the plants are big enough to give the full veggi strength formula with out burning. A week after that, they are showing pre-flowers and are ready to be flowered. I continue with veggie formula until sex is determined.... (I notice with seed grows that trying to bud this variety will prolong flowering by several weeks and the yield is MUCH smaller)Once sex is determined, I switch to the full bloom.., I never run straight water until the last two weeks, unless I have lots of salt build up, which I don't normally , but every now and then shit happens......

I agree with Ben. I'm always changing or adapting on what I think is best for my plants. PH meter must. I use General Hydro Flora Nova series...super simple with a Grow and Bloom. Also use Sugar Daddy and Dry KoolBloom at end stages.

I grow in a Promix soiless mix, so it's very similar to what you are growing in.

Keep in mind that for the first several weeks, you are far more likely to kill your seedling with too much nutrients than to starve it. You are fine not feeding it anything but water for the first two weeks. I would actually recommend this for your first time around. In a couple weeks the plant will be a more resistant to little mistakes.

Stick with the 1/3 strength you are giving it until the plant starts to develp its third set of real leaves, then move up to 1/2 strength and add the micros as 1/2 strength. Keep the ph around 6.0. Keep an eye out for leave edge curl. If you see any, go back to 1/3 strength or even straight water for a couple times.

Your water will be a problem once you get your ppm up with your feed schedule. You will probably have to go with either a basic RO filter or spring water. The salts in the water can lock out different nutrients and throw off your read of what is going on.

I personally feed 1/2 strength with every watering throughout veg. I water so I have about 25% runoff (it flushes out the excess nutes if there are any). It is easier to correct for under feeding than over feeding. 500-700 ppm is enough for the whole grow if you feed with every water. If the leaves start to lose viggor, or fade towards yellow, up your nute percentage. If they start to twist or curl, check your ph, flush a little extra and back off the nute percentage for a bit. DON'T OVERWATER-- let that medium dry out a bit.

Good Luck! Post pics!

To alleviate overwatering , use wicks.... The plant only takes what it needs then, and the medium only holds the roots.

in fact it was passive hydro/wick system that got me into dwc..... The yield was so impressive, that I never looked back at soil/less, except, every now and then I get the hankering to do one in soil.

Nitegazer said:

I grow in a Promix soiless mix, so it's very similar to what you are growing in.

Keep in mind that for the first several weeks, you are far more likely to kill your seedling with too much nutrients than to starve it. You are fine not feeding it anything but water for the first two weeks. I would actually recommend this for your first time around. In a couple weeks the plant will be a more resistant to little mistakes.

Stick with the 1/3 strength you are giving it until the plant starts to develp its third set of real leaves, then move up to 1/2 strength and add the micros as 1/2 strength. Keep the ph around 6.0. Keep an eye out for leave edge curl. If you see any, go back to 1/3 strength or even straight water for a couple times.

Your water will be a problem once you get your ppm up with your feed schedule. You will probably have to go with either a basic RO filter or spring water. The salts in the water can lock out different nutrients and throw off your read of what is going on.

I personally feed 1/2 strength with every watering throughout veg. I water so I have about 25% runoff (it flushes out the excess nutes if there are any). It is easier to correct for under feeding than over feeding. 500-700 ppm is enough for the whole grow if you feed with every water. If the leaves start to lose viggor, or fade towards yellow, up your nute percentage. If they start to twist or curl, check your ph, flush a little extra and back off the nute percentage for a bit. DON'T OVERWATER-- let that medium dry out a bit.

Good Luck! Post pics!

Click to expand...

Thanks Nitegazer. I was recommended Promix but they hydro store was sold out so I went with Sunshine #4. The Kalashnikova's are on their 5th and 6th set of leaves while the Chronics are on their 3rd. I did notice a couple of the chronics had a slight curl up on the tips of the edges of the leaves(they are 3 days younger and 3 sets of leaves smaller). Does this mean I feed too much that one time with the 1/3rd mix? I do have an R/O filter btw. The next water was planned for just R/O but I was wondering if I should bump up the 1/3 strength after that and how much by. In general the leaves are looking good.

When you start with your nutes Try diluting your solution . And introduce the nutes gradually .... Ex: if the the bottle calls for a cap full of nutes in one gallon mix it with two gallons . You do not whant to shock the plants with a lot of nutes at first very easy to get nute burn . A more gradual approach will result in better bud and a better yield and healthier plant life .