And that brings us back to today. I believe things have turned the corner for the better. But seeing as this is my first Coco grow. I’m sure I’m messing something up LO. L.
5 Likes
For nutrients, to date I’ve used:
Athena Blended: it seems to require much higher volumes of the base nutrients than most other brands. Very soluble, doesn’t seem to clog lines HOWEVER can crystallize easily if not properly diluted or over-used. Plants seem to love this line in veg, I’ve had “okay” results in flower. Used the Grow A/B, Bloom A/B, Cleanse and PK. Used GH CaliMagic for my cal-mag. Pleased wiith results overall, LOVED the Cleanse although I’m sure I could make my own hypochlorous acid for cheaper, I don’t mind paying more for something like this that saves me the hassle of making it.
Fox Farm trio: turns out I messed up on this one because there’s a part of this that’s labeled for “Hydroponics” (the Grow Big, I believe? The green one…) and I did not use the “Hydroponics” labeled one. … so my results were shaky on this one. Always chased plant problems and leaf spots, end product came out kinda toxified yet seemingly underfed at the same time, oddly enough.
GH Flora trio: the O.G. big daddy of hydro nutes!! You literally cannot go wrong with these. I’ve always wondered “could I do better if I went organic?” but ultimately I just decided I’d rather stay where I’m at than deal with bugs & other organic issues indoors. Used this with Calimagic, Armor Si, Floralicious Plus and Liquid Koolbloom in flower. I’d say I get “ideal” results with this line.
GH Flora Nova: the li’l bro to the big daddy O.G. I’m using this currently, same additives as with the Flora Trio. I’m actually thinking about just going back to the Trio; this stuff is chunky and muddy but the trio is much cleaner and soluble. One or two extra bottles, big whoop, I put them into squeeze-bottles anyway so it’s easier to dispense them. I’d also say my results on this line are “ideal”, but my dad and I grow the same clones and his are just a wee bit more terpy, and he uses the Trio. …
2 Likes
I have tried florida nova for quite some time. Ended up going back to trio. And will never go back after seeing the difference. In dwc.
2 Likes
I’m hella curious about just using Maxibloom start to finish, it literally sounds too good to be true, And knowing my dumb ass, I won’t even be able to properly dilute the one single part 
lol!!!
2 Likes
All different cultivars using flora trio in d w c. Some of the best grows i’ve had. Just the basic 3 part + Liquid kool Bloom.
Last pic sucks but look at that glove!
5 Likes
I believe calcium and magnesium are more readily available @6.0-6.5 I believe that’s one of the reasons doctor bruce bugee says to grow @6.3-6.5. I haven’t grown that alkaline before. But Interested to see if others have and their results.
1 Like
You should try the Lucas formula, it’s so simple.
The first thing you do is throw your GH flora green bottle away and then use 1:2 ratio of micro (purple), bloom (pink) and 1 part liquid cal magic.
I feed about 3 times a day so that’s why I run my nutrients on the lean side, but believe me you will get heavyweight results.
1 Like
I basically am doing that. Tossed the green bottle. 1:2 ratio plus 1-1.5 part calmag and 1 part koolbloom during flower. Was using silica. But stopped Using silica went back to the basics when started showing more severe signs of nutrient mess up.
1 Like
No need for Kool bloom using Lucas.
IMO
1 Like
I usually have a target ec. I start with 0.5 and sometimes end up on 2.5. I look at the plant and what I gave before and then I make a decision what to gi e. I try not to adjust back and forth,rather to keep ot steady. A plant you gi e an ec of 1.3 consistently probably performs better than a pla t which gets ups and downs. If im in doubt I check from time to time. There’d no point of going after a chart if the plant doesn’t like it.
That’s why I don’t measure ot all the time
1 Like
Good looking plants!. 6.0 is the way to go in my opinion.
2 Likes
Keeping things steady and raise slowly through the grow is a good idea. Much better than turning the ruder back and forth. Those accidents only cost time and in the end you could have harvested more.
Ph for seedlings can be a bit lower…besides that I keep it 5.8 right through.
I also forgot to say that I had problems with dryspots in the coir if it did let it dry out. Don’t overwatwr young plants,but once they’re established I make sure there’s plenty of drain as it protects me from salt build ups
1 Like
Each to their own methods.
If the individual wants to track the ec requirements for the duration of a grow, run off has the answers day to day, week to week it’s reflecting your environment, lighting etc.
I know from start to finish what ec is needed.
Fyi i know very little about it all, it’s the run off that walks me through the grow.
PH I’m not rigid about ad long as it’s between 5.6/6.4
7 Likes
Same here on the Ph
I allow the ph of my reservoirs to drift from 5.8 to 6 as the buffering abilities start to kick in.
5 Likes
I used maxibloom and the lucas ratio a long time ago. Long time ago. So it’s interesting now to see this GMA on the label, and that it appears they’re using non-chelated micros for the several of them?
(@neogitus?)
Those nutrient availability at different pH charts not only vary depending on which “version” you’re looking at, but - according to Daniel Fernandez (scienceinhydroponics.com) - they’re not accurate. I wish I could remember exactly what he mentioned. It was something to do with how the data and charts (and perhaps the conditions) were originally obtained.
Another thought; when one says “I grow at a pH of ‘x’”, what do they mean? They almost certainly mean that they mix up their fertilizer solution to that pH. They don’t know the media pH, and as many have said, they don’t even measure the runoff (pH, ec, or both).
Again, advice from DF is to actually irrigate/fertilize based off your runoff numbers, if I recall correctly.
I’m not really set up to measure runoff in a proper way right now. But I have, and will if I keep the same growing methods, but set up something to make taking these measurements easier.
Edit: Removed pic from quote.
3 Likes
Doing research I have read a lot about dry spots in coco I don’t know if this actually helps but I put a layer of landscaping fabric over the top of the Cocoa with expanded clay pebbles on top of the landscaping fabric. Forcing the water to distribute evenly over the top and to saturate through a bit slower.
I added the landscaping fabric and clay pebbles While taking cuts and cleaning the plants up right before flipping to flower.
3 Likes
mind letting me in on your nutrient regime?