i would really love to know the real answer to this myself.. a good friend of mine talked me into the fox farms line of products and i've been using them for awhile now, but do i see any major differencese over the general hydroponics nutes i was using before them? i am not so sure.. i was just in my local hydro store the other day and asked the owner about advanced nutes and whether he thinks that they are worth it.. let me say this about the guy.. he has talked me out of higher priced items he sells in the store in the past cuz he said that they were no better than something that cost less, so i have some respect for him as he's not just trying to sell the highest priced stuff on his shelves.. so he tells me that the only people in his store who hate against the advanced nutes line are the ones who have never used it, and also said that they really do work great and definitely increase yeild over other products...
is he right? idk cuz he told me not to waste my money till i finish up with what i have now.. i real standup dude in my book.. but i, like you, would love to know the answer to your ?....
I think there are certainly differences between nutrients. Some have different ratios of N-P-K depending on what their research has shown them about how these nutrients affect MJ. So, yes, there are differences between products.
How do these differences affect the actual grows? Ah, there's the question.
See, the way I look at it, we can all prove what we want to be true. Anyone can find science to back up anything that's said. But it's whether it works for YOU that matters.
There really is no right answer.
I know some people who swear by FF, others who say it's the worst. I know some people who believe Advanced Nutrients is the best - others who don't.
Sort of opening Pandora's box when you ask if there is a major difference in nutes...
Let's look at it like this: they all are trying to help you grow great MJ. Well, that's the hope anyway. So, is there a major difference? Probably not. Assuming that all can do what they say they can do, then everything's really the same, isn't it?
But it's up to you to test out what the nutes do in your grow, in your setup. When you take the advice of one hydro guy who only knows the truth from what he's done or what he's heard from others, I'm not sure that's the best research to do for yourself.
So, if you're interested in the AN when you're done using up the other nutes, try them out. I mean, it's your money and it's your grow. The hydro guys are usually pretty helpful, but some of them have agendas, I think. IMHO
Nute companies just can't test out all of the variables of everyone's grow room, so it's up to you to fill in those gaps with your own experience. You have to do the work, man, and see for yourself.