Silicon for your plants!

So, what's the deal?

First thing first, it's silicon (CON) not silicone. (CONE) Silicon is what computer chips are made from, silicone is the stuff that makes girls with low self opinion become strippers but that's another subject.

Most every company makes one. But General Hydroponics does not. This might be telling.. GH is not usally the first with anything other then the three part but they will pick up stuff they think works sooner or later. So far, no Silicon products from GH. Dyna-gro Pro-Tek is one of the oldest ones I know of and it also a pH up if you need it.

What is it for? What dose it to?

Let's use Pro-Tek as the example. Silicon is taken up by the plant and is said to increase the cell wall strength 'protecting' it from damage whether it's from insects or pm. Also said to protect it from drought and hot weather.

One of the other side effects is that your stems will be stronger and be better able to support your buds as they ripen.

It's a 0-0-3 so you're getting a little extra K too.

If you have experience with a silicon product please let us know how it worked for you, good or bad.

The only bad I can think of is if you didn't get any benefits and benefits like this might be hard to qualify.

Silicon is very under rated it seems in the horticultural world. I always recommend it to my customers when they are having heat issues and they don't want to run co2. I usually recommend Silica Blast by Botanicare, only because that's what i use and i know it works from personal experience. i don't have heat issues, but from my personal experience, my stalks are just so much stronger when i use this product, and my buds don't fall over as fast like they use to prior to using it. i definitely recommend this product.

I've been using silica blast too and I agree with the above post.

Silica is great to make your plants more resilient to pests and stress and will give her stronger stems. I also recommend using ProTekt and not Silica Blast because Protekt is much more concentrated at almost 8% silica compared to silica blast being 2%. I think Silica blast is slightly cheaper but protekt is a better value at maybe 5 dollars more a gallon. It also make your PH very stable and can be used as a PH up when needed.

Diatomaceous Earth works pretty good in soil if you're unable to use SI in a solution.

I read somewhere it can help boost thc. Anyone out there able to back that up.

i know for a fact it works. i use silca blast in hydro and after starting to use it i no longer had to use support rails or tie my branches up. before my branches would start falling over at week 6-7 from weight.

Silica blast user here, might check out that protekt, but the blast strengthens stalks and branches for sure.

I've used both Silica Blast and Rhino Skin and I'm still on the fence about how I feel about silica additives. I have yet to see proof of any positive or negative effects from it in my own experience. I've always used it in at a very low dosage, maybe 25% strength of what the manufacturer suggests. Maybe I'll try the Dyna Grow stuff and a heavier dose to see helps my branches hold up my heavy buds better late in flowering.

So far so good, I'm hearing a lot of positive results and a "meh.. I don't know" HP, maybe your plants are just kick ass and healthy.. can't get any better..

I use ProTekt. Use it in my container veggies also. Works as advertised.

One hint: If you are going to do any LST, do it before you start the SI while the branches are pliable. This is from personal experience. LOL

Wet

i use the ducth masters version. i think its silica, nearly the same thing i assume?. my buddy that owns my local indoor grow store recommended it. Ive seen the biggest change in overall vitality with it. plants look amazing and start getting stronger after a few days of the first feeding. if anyone knows the differences in silica and silicon they should share

Silica looks like it's more than just for cell structure, it seems to have other health benefits including resistances. ProTekt or something similar is a good choice for an over the counter solution. Not a huge fan of any of the expensive ones, since volcanic glass, perlite, and silicate sand (sold as "play sand") are all cheaper alternatives if the additive is too spendy.

Leonardo de Garden said:

Silica looks like it's more than just for cell structure, it seems to have other health benefits including resistances. ProTekt or something similar is a good choice for an over the counter solution. Not a huge fan of any of the expensive ones, since volcanic glass, perlite, and silicate sand (sold as "play sand") are all cheaper alternatives if the additive is too spendy.

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silicate sand? Never heard of it. You mean silica sand as in sand derrived from fossilized marine life?
Don't know anything about where you are but here play sand is mostly quartz and other types of stone.

Most people know or have heard dead fish make good ferts so sea shells having benefit seems reasonable.

Ground quartz etc. that's the stuff, it's where a lot of "normal" plants get it from. Liquid form is good for non glass hydroponics (like coir) though, so go with the highest % and lowest cost you can find.

Silica blast users: how many ml/gal are you finding is best, for mid-late veg and for bloom? Thanks.

In my UCDWC I find using 5ml per gal. in res and top off's works for me.

I don't always veg for a long period (a week to a month depending on the strain) with clones I start at 5 and by flower I'm using 10 and stop use after the 6 th week of flower. I do not experience heat issues either, nothing beyond 82 with a co2 generator(1250-1500ppm), typically 78-80day 68-73night temps.

I use Pro-Tekt from very first seedling water to a few weeks before harvest. Some say to quit in early to mid flower but I don't.

Since using Pro-Tekt at highest recommended doses which on mine is 2.5 ml per gallon, I have noticed less heat stress issues, I get a day or more in between waterings, better growth overall, I can use less nutes because the Pro-Tekt helps my plants take them up faster and easier, and my branches and the stem are stronger I'm assuming being I don't have to tie up buds as much as I did in the past and my yields have only increased.

I just started using it about three grows ago at the recommendation of a friend who grows. I had heat issues in my old room where I couldn't get my day temps below 85 during the hot months. It made a difference. And I've fixed the heat issue for the most part but still use pro-tekt every single watering and fed because it works for me. It's not that spendy either and the low needed doses even make a smaller bottle last forever.

i run at 3ml from veg through flower.