Lowering the PH of silica/water solution with fulvic acid

Indoor Growing Organics
#1

Apologies for the new topic if there is already an answer. But I don’t really have time and need advice :slightly_smiling_face:
After work, I have time to water the plants that are veging, and then I will be gone for two days. And I have silica and fulvic acid that I would like to add to the cultivation

Before work I mixed a test solution of silica and water. I lowered the PH to about 7. Then I added the recommended amount of fulvic acid. The obtained PH was too low

Second test
I directly poured fulvic acid into the silica/water solution. The obtained PH was again low

I read that the pH of the water/silica solution should be lowered first, and then mixed with other additives, nutrients… Is fulvic acid one of those additives?

Or can I freely add the necessary amount of fulvic acid to get a good PH.

Thanks

:slightly_smiling_face:

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#2

I will be of no help.
I measure the nutrient solution after adding everything to it, and from there, correct the pH.
I don’t know if I am doing wrong, but… the plants are alive… for now.

Happy growings.!

2 Likes
#3

In order I mix:

Silica
copper
cal-mag
parts a
parts b
fulvic
Terps
Nzimes
bud booster

then check and correct for PH,
then add yucca.

So far so good. :man_shrugging:

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#4

Thank you @Piter @Pigeonman
Then I will do so. I will lower the PH of the silica with fulvic acid

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#5

I do silica, then ph down(gh ph down), then fertilizer(maxigro or maxibloom)

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#6

Why? Is this what cannabis gets in nature?

no

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#7

Are you for real right now?

First, yes - fulvic acid is present in most soil. It’s released as a byproduct of decaying organic material. Silica is as well, since most rocks have abundant amounts of silica, not to mention sand.

Second, don’t you use paclobutrazol in your grows? Not going to even get into a debate of whether that banned PGR is appropriate to use, but it’s certainly not what cannabis gets in nature, is it?

2 Likes
#8

Actually, the answer is yes.
How plants get it, and from where, is another story.
But since I don’t have real sun in my tent, real wind… I don’t intend to be a perfectionist

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#9

Humic and fulvic acids are hawked to the newbies as rocket fuels, so noobs fall for the nutrients trap and buy them. FWIW compost and peat contain the highest amounts. Plant doesn’t care as long as it gets 13 essential elements, witness hydro and synthetics.

Silica is hawked as being a promoter of disease resistance. It might fall under the category of “beneficial elements”. Some plants respond to silicon, in what way hoo nose. I’ve experimented with a gallon of Dyna-Gro’s Pro-TeKt on my vineyard and other material. I see no benefit and still have most of a gallon that I bought about 10 years ago.

Paclo Pro is a PGR. PGR’s aka hormones regulate plant processes. They are harmless to those consuming edibles witness Aussie’s using it in avocados orchards and Indians applying it to mango orchards. What the cannabis cons add to their rocket fuels is anyone’s guess. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/030442389090073N

Since I have not and will never support the cheesy cannabis nutrient industry, it’s not an issue.

I will soon apply another 4% application to most of my avocado, mango and citrus trees in the greenhouse. Will most likely apply a light app to my pure sativas from Ace Seeds like the Panama X Malawi and Golden Tiger to control internode runs. file:///C:/Users/18309/Downloads/48195.pdf

Best,
Uncle Ben

2 Likes
#10

The most economical, efficient acid to lower pH is 78% sulfuric acid available at auto parts stores. Next best is phosphoric from brewery supply stores.

pH is over rated in cannabis forums. If it’s out of wack, say 5.0 or 8.0 then yes, you might want to treat your soil or water source and correct.

Learn to read your plants. If they look green and healthy and vigorous then don’t bother.

2 Likes
#11

Fighting the cannabis nutrient industry by going after everyone using what you think are “the wrong products” probably won’t be that effective, but if that’s what you want to do I can’t stop you. I do think you’d be better served by just saying what you mean, rather than sarcasm - I can say from experience that it’s not all that effective, and less so when you’re a hypocrite about it.

That said, I have no argument as far as most products in flashy bottles promising mega yields being snake oil. I’ve found the same, and I’ve been using standard nutrients in a very unexciting black plastic bag for some time now. If what you mean to say is that adding fulvic acid and silica is useless, you may be right and you may be wrong. I don’t use them and I’ve never tried. If you mean to say that adding paclo is purely beneficial and there’s no downside to using it on cannabis… well, you may be right and you may be wrong. As far as I can tell it’s banned for environmental concerns, not toxicity, but there doesn’t seem to be any information about whether it’s dangerous to smoke. That’s why I said I didn’t want to get into it, since there appears to be no right answer. I prefer to err on the side of safety, since I don’t need improved yield and don’t mind stretch. :man_shrugging:

#12

I use Dyna Gro ProTeKt along with their nutrient line. Using the complete line buffers ph and the silicon in ProTeKt makes the plant structure physically strong. If it made no difference I’d use ph up instead.

1 Like
#13

Not fighting any industry. Cons will be cons and suckers will be suckers Am just stating some facts.

Been doing this too long (55 years) and know better.

Grow hard,
UB

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#14

Did you see the post where I give directions for making your own ProTekt?

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#15

Outside it’s not as important with the Silica, as it’s abundant in many places. I think it’s beneficial when growing indoors because it’s not in any other nutrient products. It’s not a magic bullet, but if your soil mix is without it, it can help.

2 Likes
#16

Thanks for the link shag, I took a look and yeah thats the stuff, I’ll have a search to see if I can get it here.

1 Like
#17

Any type of potassium silicate will work.
This should be a big agricultural product, like a regular fertilizer store.
Name brand should not matter, just pay attention to percentage/strength.
Good luck!

1 Like
#18

At a rate of 2-4 PPM, I don’t think so.

You breathe in more pollutants driving thru many cities than any valid confirmation would yield using certain chemicals in a nursery setting, big or small.

There, I said what I meant with a correction to one member’s feelings, not a fact LOL. :joy:

Still standing after all these years,
Uncle Ben

#19

If aint silica it’s another must have. Let’s see, in all my decades of posting to cannabis forums I’ve about seen it all from the “experts” - first there’s Mg. If there’s a problem with your plant, kinda looks sick this fine mornin’, then it definately could use a hit of epsom salts.

Then there’s gypsum. Gots to have me some gypsum, “cause we all want one”. robert earl keen merry christmas from the family lyrics - Hledat Googlem

Fulvic and humic acids. Cause it’s natural ya know. :wink:

Then there’s the ol forum paradigms that will certainly improve yer plants and make da big blooms - Bloom Foods, “leafing”, flushing…etc. etc. etc.

For you soil growers, all you need from start to finish is a slow release food, or a high quality soluble food like Peters or Dyna-Gro. Dyna-Gro’s Foliage Pro is an excellent choice, a 9-3-6 with an exceptional micro package.

My choice for no maintenance feeding, a high value, is Osmocote Indoor-Outdoor Plus. It’s a 15-9-12 with secondaries and a good micros “package”. I stir into the top inch of soil when sowing seeds in a 20 oz Styro-cup and when I upcan to a final pot. I water with rainwater…walla, done. Sometimes I water with my well water which is very high in carbonates and bicarbs of Mg and Ca.

I mix about a 50/50 inorganic/organics bulk load at a time, what ever I have stockpiled at the time, no big deal. I gave up the perlite in lieu of coarse vermiculite which I order in bulk from A.M. Leonard when they offer their free shipping promo.

Soil
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Vermiculite
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I “play with” alfalfa nuggets which I make into a wetting agent slop for the triacontanol, horse nuggets from a local feed store and am innoculating my plant material with mychorzzae, a practice I’ve been following commercially with field grown, vineyards, etc.

I applied/drenched the germ pots with Myco-Apply Endo yesterday. I used a rate of 3 TB/gallon in rainwater. Drenched baby indicas, maters in the greenhouse, etc. Do not mix in chlorinated water.

Still have this one too. No need to bother unless your faves will be grown in a container for at least 3 months, germ to finish. It takes that long for a good colony to become established.

VAM
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Grow hard,
UB

4 Likes
#20

Studies have shown that very few plants respond favorably to silica inputs. If you have links to studies on cannabis I’d like to see them please. Silica is considered a “beneficial” element, not an essential one.

If you really want to play games, then try Keyplex 350. The micros package alone is worth it if you have those problems. Read the research on this one, and how it supposedly strengthens the plants’ natural defense mechanisms. One such (huge) nursery, Pine Island Nursery in Fl. applies it on a regular basis to their acres of grafted tropical fruit trees.

“KeyPlex 350 will elicit production of defensive proteins in certain plants. KeyPlex 350 will aid in the prevention of certain plant diseases such as post-bloom fruit drop and greasy spot diseases of citrus, and bacterial leaf spot of tomatoes. For disease control, apply foliar sprays of KeyPlex 350 in sufficient water to obtain adequate coverage.”

Cruz'sGoodies#2
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^ Sent a care package with some Dalat vietnam seeds to a guy in Santa Cruz. Those pure sativas grew so big in his greenhouse he had to remove the roof! :rofl:

Bonzi (paclo) for plant control and for excellent mite control - Forbid 4F, 1/8 tsp./gallon as a foliar spray. (And no, it isn’t a “poison”)

CruzDalat#3
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Uncle Ben

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