What is Recommended Mixing Order for Dry Nuterients

PetFlora

PetFlora

Well-Known Member
I am switching from premixed liquids to NPK dry powders. Oddly, their feeding chart does not provide the correct mixing order, just the amounts. Thinking all powders would be mixed in basically the same order

Alas, I cannot find a correct mixing order here, or elsewhere

I am using Yucca , silica, NPK Grow/Bloom formulas, humic, kelp, CaMg, microbes

Thanks in advance
 
Billy Liar

Billy Liar

Well-Known Member
I add the micronutrients last actually, but in some complete blends (Jacks Hydroponics/Yara Kristalon) they will be in with the sulphates and phosphates.

If I add beneficial bacteria it is at the beginning of the grow as I use a high surface area media to house them so they can colonise.

I think it is recommended to add silica first due to its solubility.

I don't use yucca.

I'm not saying what I do is correct but it works well for me and my blend mimics Jacks Hydroponics and Calcinit.


Peace
BL
 
T

Twerkle

Well-Known Member
PetFlora said:
I am switching from premixed liquids to NPK dry powders. Oddly, their feeding chart does not provide the correct mixing order, just the amounts. Thinking all powders would be mixed in basically the same order

Alas, I cannot find a correct mixing order here, or elsewhere

I am using Yucca , silica, NPK Grow/Bloom formulas, humic, kelp, CaMg, microbes

Thanks in advance
Click to expand...

I'm assuming you are using RAW? I use their silica its awesome. Mix the silica last if its not potassium silica.
 
PetFlora

PetFlora

Well-Known Member
Yes I am using NPK silica, but other nutrient mixes, and my hydro-store, says to mix silica first and wait ~ 10 minutes before adding the other nutes. I noticed ta silica will foam, though I doubt that hurts anything
 
T

Twerkle

Well-Known Member
That is because most cheap silicas are Potassium Silica with releases potassium when it is mixed with water creating silicic acid, this will raise the pH. RAW silica is a plant based silicic dioxide and doesn't effect pH. So you want to add this last because that's the reason you buy that specific kind. Silica precipitates out of the nute solution below 4 and above 8 pH. When you dump in the pH adjuster it creates hot spots and little bits will fall out of the solution, adding it last after pH helps prevent this.
 
T

Twerkle

Well-Known Member
Also I would ditch the humic acid and just use AgBio Ful-Power, much much cleaner.

Everything else looks good, only criticism i have over kelp is while it deff feeds the microbes I'm not convinced they will be in large enough numbers to create the plant hormones they supposedly create. I would consider supplementing them with addition hormones. Triacontanol is the supposed hormones kelp+bennies create. Keep the kelp but add some more bio stims.

Lastly make sure you add the aminos to the feed schedule. They naturally complex/chelate things the fulvic/humic won't.

Cheers.
 
PetFlora

PetFlora

Well-Known Member
Thanks for the tips. Will mix silica last net time. I am not using NPK RAW Humic. I have Faust Bio-Ag Services HumiSolve from Oregon. It's a grainy powder that mixes easily
 
T

Twerkle

Well-Known Member
firsttimeARE said:
Just did...doesnt seem like im missing much. But curious enough to try fulvic with the hope it will help my pH swings.

Better work...a bottle costs half of what i spent on all my nutes that treat over 5k gals
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Fulvic/Humic acids are an essential part of plant feeding, esp in Hydro. Fulvic is better for Hydro because it is a more refined version of Humic Acid. Fulvic Acid is a natural chelator/complexing agent. Most expensive hydro lines have chelated micro/micros which allows them to be taken up through the root easier, fulvic/humic don't benefit these. Fulvic complexes bio-stimulants to make them readily available to your plant. In soil the microbial life produces acids as exudates/aminos which form natural chelators. Humic acid is made from ancient humus (microbial exudates).

It will help your pH swings also if you are using RO water. If you are using RO water add your fulvic first to keep nutes from precipitating out of the solution.
 
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ttystikk

ttystikk

Well-Known Member
firsttimeARE said:
Just did...doesnt seem like im missing much. But curious enough to try fulvic with the hope it will help my pH swings.

Better work...a bottle costs half of what i spent on all my nutes that treat over 5k gals
Click to expand...
Humics and fulvics are not necessary for use with water soluble nutrients in hydroponics.
 
ttystikk

ttystikk

Well-Known Member
Twerkle said:
Fulvics also have chelated iron which can be mixed with kelp for a powerful foliar spray that can me used in any grow medium.
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A proper complete hydroponic nutrient mix has chelated iron EDTA or DTPA already mixed in.

Here, look;
20150819_175626.jpg

I didn't say it wouldn't help chelate iron and even other nutrients. I said it wasn't necessary.
 
T

Twerkle

Well-Known Member
ttystikk said:
A proper complete hydroponic nutrient mix has chelated iron EDTA or DTPA already mixed in.

Here, look;
View attachment 3999755

I didn't say it wouldn't help chelate iron and even other nutrients. I said it wasn't necessary.
Click to expand...

I said folair...

also none of the other micros aren't chelated in the image you posted so you could benefit from it probably IMO.
 
ttystikk

ttystikk

Well-Known Member
Twerkle said:
I said folair...

also none of the other micros aren't chelated in the image you posted so you could benefit from it probably IMO.
Click to expand...
With all due respect; these formulas are developed by people with degrees in chemistry, botany, horticulture and plant husbandry. The minerals that need chelation get it, notice that zinc is also chelated. The rest are in forms that don't need it and doing so would needlessly add to the cost of the nutrients.

That 25lb bag costs only $41, and commercial greenhouses have been using it for many years with great results; many if not most of the vegetables you buy at the grocery store we grown with formulas similar to this one! Care to guess how many hydro store water bottles it takes to match it?

You need to do some more homework before you make yourself look like a noob.
 
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