Just finished my first run using it and I will say I’m definitely feeling like it’s a good products.
Used it in a DWC setup running at 3.0 EC like recommended and using their IPM and Stack spray in unison, as well as fade in the end of flower.
What’s everyone else’s hot take on it. I get a good discount through Athena also if anyone wants to discuss running them, maybe I could help bridge the gap and get you running some Athena!
Thanks for the report. I’ve got a few bags of it laying around. Probably need to try it out sometime. I’m hearing a decent amount of commercial operations are using it now. Do you notice any difference in the flowers compared to other brands? I used their IPM spray and it seems like the plants don’t like it much. And it doesn’t work that great for killing bugs
I’ve used General Hydro, Jacks, Roots Organics and Fox Farms stuff and have seen some variation in how it is used and the final product. I started using this as I was considering using it for my commerical facility, and see why others are switching.
I haven’t used it in any medium yet, but have found that the flower consistency (touch, feel, smell, smokability, and even look, density) has what I would consider where I like it, almost like trying to break a chunk of styrofoam lol.
The IPM is definitely a labor of love with that spray as it requires misting and power spraying, at quite a consistent application, I’ve followed the feed and spray schedule to the T and have had some great results. I really have a treacherous environment in my place as it is 150+ year old updated by mickey mouse apartment building, it has required great patience and skill to overcome and win against. And this has been a huge leap for me as I used jacks big spray and Dr zymes previously, Athena IPM has a pleasant floral smell from there geranium and it’s also made me want to incorporate geraniums into the grow lol.
Been using Athena Pro line for a little over 3 years. Switched from GH. Other than the improvements in the plants, it has been remarkably consistent. I very highly (pun?) recommend using Fade, the finish difference is huge. Their foliar is fantastic too, IPM and Stack. Its like a spa for the girls; an hour later they look ridiculously happy.
Also doesn’t clog drippers and lines like GH did. Some folks just flush the lines with hypochlorous after a run and thats it, no cleaning drippers and other shenanigans after every chop, or at least greatly reduced.
Have used it and works well, just more expensive than jacks 0(5)-12-26. I’ve seen the Athena that’s blended, like a wet mix and have seen it as a dry separated mix. Preferred the dry.
ETA: both were supposed to be ‘dry’ it’s just the 10lb boxes (5 - 2lb bags) came with a different consistency than the 25lb bags.
They have updated formulae a few times over the past few years. Bloom and grow used to clump pretty heavily with even a tiny bit of moisture. Seems like core mixes easier now too.
Hey
I might consider switching to Athena pro. Maybe you have some tips for me.
I use normal Big Plan Science. And here I keep EC at 1.6 up to 2.2. And Substrate EC between 3-5.
But Athena pro is a bit confusing. They recommend in their precision irrigation guide a resevoir EC of 3 all the way, and sub substrate EC of 3-10 depending on what phase the plant is in.
In Athena’s blended line they suggest resevoir EC from 2 and all the way up to 2.6, which could well be possible under optimal conditions, but still on the high end.
But what is confusing is why such a big difference between their blended line and their pro line? And since Athena recommends high EC is it because they assume people use Co2 in sealed grow rooms?
And I can’t find any info on what their fertilizer contains besides npk.
So Athena seems promising and cheaper than the fertilizer I use, but still a little confusing.
I honestly like the Botanicare line slightly better than when I was using Athena
But, I love the Athena Cleanse, I think it’s a nice product to have on hand for several purposes. I also like the idea of what Fade does for finishing & I was using it for a few finishing runs but I ran out of it. --it basically provides just enough trace minerals so that you’re not damaging or compromising the final health of a plant with straight water flushing.
Oh and if I had 2 grand laying around I’d totally buy their Culture kit
I like that they took the time to make a precision irrigation guide.
By reading it I have understood a lot more about crop steering, and how to optimize rockwool grow. That is why I think they deserve my money on their fertilizer.
And I will definitely use Athena cleanse instead of hydrogen peroxide, to see if there is a difference.
Yeah that’s exactly right. They recommend the high numbers assuming you have everything dialed in just right. It’s very easy to burn plants using those guides. Probably best to start off lower and slowly move up with a new fertilizer
ok, thanks. I guess another reason is that they control the substrate EC using round off.
So if I don’t use Co2, I should be able to keep a reservoir EC of 1.8 to 2.4, and substrate EC up to 6 or until I see that the plants are not taking it well.
I love Athena pro! with there fade! The only thing outside of Athena I use dr.zymes and silica. I feel like my results are pretty good. I feed all the way up to 2.5ec but not much past that. The plants never look hungry. There ipm is a decent product. I just didn’t find it as effective as dr.zymes. I honestly don’t think I’ll use anything else unless I wanted to grow organically
Athena Pro is definitely best at the recommended mixes. Its the first nute line I have seen where its not like the first thing you do is cut their recipes in half. It is super clean, they are anal about sourcing, so we can run 3.0 on pretty much any strain clone to harvest.
Best way is to mix stock tanks like they recommend. A 2 pound bag iand 1 gallon of water, and then just mix it like a liquid line. Seems like an extra step, but its a time saver. Mixing the powders directly in to a batch tank can work, but you have to wait for powders to dissolve, and make sure they are dissolved fully before adding the next.
Once you get the line dialed, you can start tweaking the recipes, then it gets even better!
Don’t skip the foliar, its important. When I talk to people that tried Athena and didn’t like it, almost always they straight up didn’t do it right. They skipped the foliar, or they ran at 2.0, or added this and that to it (dont!!!). Right out of the box, exactly how they say to use it, it just rocks!
The pro line is a two part (technically 4 if you use balance and cleanse) where the blended line is a several part, and a bit more tailored to individual wants.
IMO I prefer the Pro line easy to use and dose. As it goes for the EC I will let folks know that in a few commerical facilities I have helped at we ran things 12EC. 3 EC is definitely conservative and I wouldn’t be afraid a plant should handle more. Some might be sensitive but that will easily show.
I have my mother’s in coast of Maine and have been feeding them the mothers clone recipes, they seem to not care much and take the 3 EC well
To sum it up another way . The same exact thing is sold for one half the price, they are charging. Anyone that thinks their CaNO3, or any of their other salts are any different than any other CaNO3 or salts, besides twice the price, is getting taken advantage of.
