Lucas Formula

Gixxerboy

Well-Known Member
Thanks Fman,Question, I have noticed with NovaBloom you have to ph adjust pretty much twice a day.The pH up is adding 20ppm to the solution,give or take 40ppm a day.If you started off with a target EC of 950 and top off with fresh water to the original level mid week ,then addback food to the original EC of 950.Should you take into account lets say for example 40 ppm ph up increase a day twice a day brings the total ppm of pH up for 5 days to 200 ppm.So win trying to achieve the original 950 should it actually now at mid week be 1150 taking the 200 ppm of pH up into account?Anyone?
 

snutter

Well-Known Member
I've been using the lucas formula for almost a year now. I grow 2 different strains, white rhino and a bagseed Indica strain of unknown origin but KILLER pot. :-) During veg I use super thrive. When I move the plants to flower, I stop the super thrive and use epsom salt. That's it and that's all. And I can say this: My plants do VERY well. They stay a dark healthy green from beginning to end. The buds are big, well developed, with excellent trich production. I personally couldn't be happier with the results I've acheived with the Lucas Formula and the two additives I mentioned. It's nothing fancy, and actually quite simple, but very very effective. I doubt that I will change any thing I do. I'm quite happy with the results I get from using this simple method. Also, I love the low cost of only having to buy 2 bottles of nutes. Nutes can get so damn expensive...

I have 2 grow albums with lots of pics of my plants from beginning to end. Click on my avatar and check out my plants if you have any doubts as to how well the lucas formula can work...

Good luck to you all, and happy growing... I hope you have huge healthy plants yielding massive harvests, often!!! :-)

-S
 

Gixxerboy

Well-Known Member
Thanks for the info S,I went with Nova to start lucas off,but I'm quickly finding out that I should have went with the 2 part flora series,one Nova is very hard to shake up when the bottle is full or brand new,witch makes getting a consecutive blend very hard.Not as flexible in adjusting the NPK ratios.Cant seem to hit the targeted ppm foretold with the preset amounts witch probably falls again on not being able to blend properly.Nova stains everything it touches including meters and such.The constant PH drop is also annoying. Almost to the end run with the girls and still cant seem to shake the deficiency's.But i will never give up until i have non deficient plants.Then I can catch cancer and die happy.
 
Give em 0-8-16 ml per gallon
I know this is way too late to help the person that asked, but Lucas actually recommends 1/2 the normal dosage for seedlings for the first few weeks, so that would be 0-4-8. I just started a grow and am starting with 0-4-8 for 2 weeks. But I do have a question.

I planned on using the add back method with nutes, and hoped to avoid res changes thru my grow. Being at 0-4-8, how do I up that level to 0-8-16 without doing a res change. I read its bad to add nutes right to the res, so how do I effectively double my nutes in an already full res when I am ready. Can't figure that part out yet.
 

fatman7574

New Member
Whoa. Just remove a quart or so of water (in each of two containers) out of the reservoir and add your Part A nutrients to one and your Part B nutrients to the other. Pour each in slowly in an area where there is good water movement such as over an airstone or a water pump entrance or exit. Or stir by hand while slowly adding them one at a time.
 

Artificial emotion

Well-Known Member
Can a mod edit the original post, since the Lucas Formula is NOT different in veg and bloom? If you type 'Lucas Formula' into Google, this is one of the top hits and is obviously going to spread misinformation amongst people Googling it who don't know any better.
 

dadio161

Well-Known Member
Why do say this is wrong ? Everywhere I have looked says the same thing .
Can a mod edit the original post, since the Lucas Formula is NOT different in veg and bloom? If you type 'Lucas Formula' into Google, this is one of the top hits and is obviously going to spread misinformation amongst people Googling it who don't know any better.
 

moash

New Member
Can a mod edit the original post, since the Lucas Formula is NOT different in veg and bloom? If you type 'Lucas Formula' into Google, this is one of the top hits and is obviously going to spread misinformation amongst people Googling it who don't know any better.
the lucas formula is a 1:2 ratio whether u have low output lights or hid's
the info is correct,it just may be worded wrong is some areas
 

Artificial emotion

Well-Known Member
No, it is wrong. The first post says that you use a different ratio, 0/5/10 for veg than you do for flower, 0/8/16. This is wrong, as under HIDs, you use 0/8/16 throughout, both in veg and flower. This is what Lucas said himself:

Low light ratio, and flowering vs veg

Lucas Formula should be used in the same ratio throughout the grow. There is a misconception that one should use 5ml of Micro and 10ml of Bloom, when in veg, and switch to 8ml of Micro, and 16ml of Bloom, when flowering.
This was never stated by Lucas himself. He originally stated that the 0-5-10 ratio was for LOW LIGHT situations (fluorescent lighting like PL/L and CFLs, or HID lamps less than 400W), whereas 0-8-16 is for medium to high light (400W+)
On the first page of this thread it says use differently in veg and bloom.


Although 0/5/10 might be the same ratio of 1:2 as 0/8/16, they're not the same.
 

moash

New Member
they r the same....one is just weaker
normally one would sstart out with low output lights,hence to start out with the weaker solution
it is good advice reguardless...one should always start with a weaker solution before going strong
go ahead and pump it full strength and post back with ur results,everybody grows differently
 

Artificial emotion

Well-Known Member
they r the same....one is just weaker
normally one would sstart out with low output lights,hence to start out with the weaker solution
it is good advice reguardless...one should always start with a weaker solution before going strong
go ahead and pump it full strength and post back with ur results,everybody grows differently
Not wishing to sound like I'm trying to critisize your response for no reason, but have you actually tried using 0/8/16 rather than 0/5/10? Lucas himself says using 0/5/10 is a misconception, as the quote says and I'm doing a grow now and 0/8/16 definitly is not too strong. It can even be used from seed, so it's not too strong for the actual vegetative stage, never mind the seedling stage.

I'm basing what I'm saying on what Lucas himself said. Straight from the horse's mouth, as it were.

I'm not talking about CFLs/low output lights. I tried to make it clear that I'm not disputing that 0/5/10 is used with CFLs - I said that. It's the vegetative stage under HIDs that I'm referring to. 0/8/16 is to be used throughout under these lights. With the original advice, people will think they have to have 0/5/10 in veg and 0/8/16 in flower, which isn't right.
 

Artificial emotion

Well-Known Member
Once again, Lucas stated:

Low light ratio, and flowering vs veg
Lucas Formula should be used in the same ratio throughout the grow. There is a misconception that one should use 5ml of Micro and 10ml of Bloom, when in veg, and switch to 8ml of Micro, and 16ml of Bloom, when flowering.
This was never stated by Lucas himself. He originally stated that the 0-5-10 ratio was for LOW LIGHT situations (fluorescent lighting like PL/L and CFLs, or HID lamps less than 400W), whereas 0-8-16 is for medium to high light (400W+)
 

Weedler

Well-Known Member
Another reason why I am switching to Canna after this grow. I used 5-10 ratio during veg = 650 PPM which was great for my ladies 8-16 in bloom because I went to a higher output light (T5 to 400W HPS) so 8-16 gave me 900 PPM (250PPM = Tap water) so for me the formula worked out my ladies start burning with a PPM above 1000. Perhaps once I get my R/O setup later this week I can play with clones and see how they respond.
 

TweedleD

Active Member
Easy all, i know there is shedloads of info on this formula out there, i have read this whole thread and the Ask Lucas one, but im quite well medicated and have confused myself a hell of a lot and its frustrating me. I hope you understand and somebody can answer my questions.

-My tap water PPM is 300 0.5scale
-0:8:16 in 1gallon, would i in theory need 1300PPM due to my tap water being 300?
-My Waterfarm holds 9 litres, thats 2 gallons, would i have 0:8:16 for the first week as it is a seedling, and then switch to 0:16:32 after the plant has grown a bit?
-Can i use this formula in soil? Light-Mix to be specific?

Thanks in advance! :D
 

bestbuds09

Well-Known Member
I've used this formula in soil and soiless mix. The results where amazing, I love lucas formula. If I remember correctly Istarted using it @ 2 and 4 @ halfgallon and then moved up to 5 and 10 and they loved it. But it does not mean that every one will get the same results but for mines it worked wonders.

And for seedling I would simly use the regular three part formula @ 1/4 strenght and when she gets big enough switch it to lucas formula and you won't have no problems at all.
 
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