Mixing your own custom nutes?

Advanced Techniques
#4

First suggestion would be to get a copy of Hydrobuddy. It’s free. While it’s not without faults, it is the best one available at that price. It has some built in “example” formulations which you can tweak.

Second suggestion is to consider enrolling in something like, http://www.npk-university.com/classes.html . Harley Smith will give you a good background into the nutrient ratios and why. Plus, a bunch of more information over the course of a couple of months. Unfortunately, it appears that the price has increased recently from $95 to $250. About $20 per class.
There are reference material available that provide optimal nutrient ratios for growing different species, I can’t recall the name off-hand. Something red-book, something. When I remember, I’ll update this.

With some of the background, look at some of threads here and elsewhere such as Theories on proper NPK cannabis ratios. There are numerous DIY formulas on the interwebs. With the background and software in hand, you’ll be able to determine a suitable set of macro and micro nutrients that will work for your situation. In fact, there is enough information available to recreate formulations of some of the favorite manufacturers using the before-mentioned software (many manufacturer’s in this industry like to claim they use a proprietary blend of “magic” and unicorns).

Edit:

Looks like there are some prerecorded short courses now. Nutrient Management, for a bit less dollars at $64. Downside, you can’t ask questions since it’s prerecorded.

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#5

Here’s an external reference and a spring board from there, Calculations for Common Nutrient Formulas . And, there was the Fatman’s thread somewhere over there.

Whether some of the formulations are sensible, I don’t know. Hopefully, we’ll be able to build up some reference solutions here over time.

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#6

hehehe Nope :slight_smile:

Seriously, from all I have read, “organics” and HPA just dont mix well at all. The main issue reported is clogging of nozzles, but things tend to settle out of solution with organic mixes and that ‘stuff’ can build up in the hi-pressure accumulator tank and cause issues.

So far, Mega Crop and Advanced Nutrients PH Perfect both have things in them that have the potential to clog stuff up.

Im using several filters in the system, but its still a concern I would prefer to avoid.

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#7

I have been doing that.

I have an aquarium pump in the rez that circulates 1 minute out of every ten. The intake on the pump is a DIY filter I made from 150 mesh silk screen cloth. The feed pipe that goes to the hi-pressure pump is also wrapped in 150 mesh silk screen. Then, there is another filter with a 150 mesh stainless screen right before the pressure pump. Then I have a final filter right before the solenoids that has a 200 mesh SS screen.

After adding the final 200 mesh filter, I had no more nozzle clogs.

Im still concerned about stuff building up in the accumulator tank over time. I have been flushing the tank every time I re-fill the rez, so that is helping Im sure.

I will check out the Maxi Grow & Maxi Bloom. Do you mix those in the Lucas Formula or by the bottle directions or?

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#8

I downloaded Hydrobuddy, but have not had time to look at it yet.

I will check out the courses, but doubt I will spend the $.

I started reading that thread and the other links from there. Good start so far!

I remember looking at that thread a while back and deciding I didnt want to mix my own stuff! :slight_smile: I will go back now and check it out.

Ive read a bunch of Fatman posts. He seems to know his stuff - if you can get past the attitude - but I was looking for into on HPA, and generally skipped over any nute discussions :wink: I will re-visit that as well.

Thanks for the leads!!

#9

Funk clogging up pumps & intakes sounds like a paint, so I dig. :slight_smile:

I’ve never messed around with that kind of equipment enough but it seems like any similar scenario might help for advice…i.e. ponds with fish & plants, etc. or even wastewater treatment :scream:… or hydroelectric dams & whatnot.

It seems that “distance” between the sediments/particulates & the final output is helpful & staging to finer meshes like you have described. Shape of “filter box” might matter but I suspect it’s more about total area to: crap volume & frequency.

Then there’s mechanical solutions e.g. propeller scraper… :thinking: :upside_down:

Maybe have stages of reservoirs? …ensuring that the actual res. drawn from is already pre-filtered?

:evergreen_tree: sorry if this is too much wakenbake :smile:

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#10

Have you investigated KNF inputs? I was thinking I recently read in the beginning of Jadam Korean natural farming book making mention of use in hydroponic set up… I’ll see if I can find it and send a snap shot of the text.

Here is what I found in the first few pages of the book maybe these nutes could work for you?

IMG_1751.JPG4032×3024 2.02 MB
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#11

Somewhere I have the nutrient ppm levels for individual nutrients which is what I think you want. I will try to find it later. It is from Harley,'s course.

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#12

That would be awesome! Thanks!

Oh - and good to have you back!!

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#13

Interesting. Ive never heard of KNF or ‘inputs’ before this. After a very quick Google, I doubt I will go this route, but I need to read a bit more to get a better grasp of what he is talking about.

Thanks for the suggestion!!

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#14

I just looked at the website and feed charts. They claim the Maxi series is PH stable? Whats your experience with that - does it actually work? The price isnt too bad - especially compared to AN PH perfect nutes.

When you say you use it as a base - what else do you think it really needs? I prefer simple and I dont smoke, so I dont give a hoot about flavor or smell - just yield and no problems :slight_smile:

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#15

Assuming your water is good, yes, It gets pretty close. I have used it alone with decent results.

depending media,

I use pro-tek silica (raises ph)
Cal-mag
mag sulfate after week 4 in flower
diamond nector or other fulvic acid. (humic has more organic matter)
maxi grow and maxi bloom.

kool bloom powder in the end.

I have used it in hydro and soiless. I don’t remember the final ph value but I do remember that it is predictably the same every time. I think it is pretty good for hydro and i add silica for soiless.

I didn’t find the ppm chart.

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#16

Is this the chart you were thinking of? Theories on proper NPK cannabis ratios

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#17

Yes sir!!! That’s the one.

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#18

I’ve just recently been getting into mixing my own nutrients (chemical) for my grow. Learned a lot but still have a way to go… determining nutrient targets for 13 elements is a bit of a learning experience so I was wondering if anyone could help me with the numbers?

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#19

@Diatomacious Was late on my last reply. There’s also this thread

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#20

Thanks man… sorry got confused when thread was deleted lol.

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#21

yeah, its easy for information to get lost in the mix, so identical threads usually get merged pretty quick.

#22

I was like… guess they don’t want me to talk about mixing nutes or something lol

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#23

One of the easier ways to do this, is to google PMDD recipe aquarium.

Bunch of fairly commonly found off the shelf chemicals - and mix your own nutrients. It’s not rocket science - transfers fairly well if you follow some of the more common recipes.

For the trace elements it’s simply using ctem, it works really well in hydroponics too as that’s what it was designed for. After that it’s just macro’s and calcium/magnesium.

The pH will always derive from your calcium and magnesium concentration, the more calcium/magnesium the more hardness the more the pH will naturally rise.

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