Nutrients of choice...

I

imanoob

Well-Known Member
...when using ez clone sprayers? Im planning to build my first aero (in fact my first non soil system and everybody seems to recommend them! But after reading posts, people complain of clogging and blocking.

Maybe down to nutrients? Or is it just the growing medium used? I read on the forum (somebody posted a video to youtube) where the guy used a white wool like substance instead of Hydroton clay pebbles or Neoprean plugs. He said over time it will mess with your pump and/or your sprayers.

Well that got me thinking, I dont have a clue about aero/hydro nutrients, always used Canna (because I have only done soil grows in the past) and the results were amazing.

So, to cut a long story short, this goes to all the RIU'ers that grow using aero/ez clone spryers

1)
Whats your nutrients of choice

2)
What supplements do you use (like big bug, molasses etc)

3)
This time round I wanted to use something with potassium silicate in it (Like AN Rhino Skin), to make my plants more sturdy, will this cause problems with my sprayers? Anybody use it with Aero?

4)
Any other must haves? Or advice you can give me?

Thanks folks

bongsmilie
 
Badbackguy

Badbackguy

Well-Known Member
Fox Farm is great stuff... Check out their entire line (soluables too)... Hard to beat in my opinion.
 
RobMar

RobMar

Active Member
I use Botanicare. Grow, bloom, sweet, cal-mag, karma. I never have had a clogged sprayer. Its all about your filtration. I hear molasses will clog your sprayers.
 
I

imanoob

Well-Known Member
Thanks for all the input folks, do all you people use aero / ez clone sprayers?

What about potassium silicate? anybody use that in aero?



I used Molasses in soil and it really made my buds fat...I got 12 oz from 4 plants (3 strawberry haze and 1 random). If I had 4 SH...I would have gotten more! So I guess I will need to leave my molasses out in my aero system!
 
Treeth

Treeth

Well-Known Member
The potassium silicate, I've used botanicair's version.

I had to stop using it, cause it shoots the ph through the roof,

and I can't keep it low enough while its in my res... It takes a lot of moles of acid to bring it back down. Its a pain.

I don't know if it worth it, but I wouldn't even try if you're temps are gonna be below the mid eighties.

Silicate is good when using CO2.
 
fatman7574

fatman7574

New Member
How well any nutrient is going to work in regard to your initial pH and sprayer clooging is initailly dependent on you water supply. Most quality nutrients are made for RO water. If using tap water you can experience all degrees of problems with your pH and particulates forming in your nutrient water and thereby clogging you sprayers. Even the nutrient manafcturers who sell a hardwater formula are just basing the tap water will have a 150 ppm of calcium in it and using that as a basis of there formulation. In doing this they use less calcium nitrate and more ammonium nitrate. This really plays havoc on your PH as it drops it daily. Silica phsophate is niv ce to use to raise yoyr pH if needed as it also adds useful silica. However if your just after the silica your beter off just buying sodium silica. You i use so little that the small amount iof sodium is insignificant/negligible. Sodium silcate is also known as water glass. Very cheap. I would suggest if you wish to be suceesful at growing that you buy a pH meter, and then when financially possible buy a conductivity meter. Until you get at least a ph meter you are making huge leaps into the unknown. This can usually be tolerated with soil grows but not aeroponic/hydroponic grows. Aeroponic/hydroponic grows have no media that can absorb excesses and such so they are not very forgiving of mistakes. Conductivity meters stop you from mixing your nutrients too strong/weak and allow you to some degree with some safety extend your mixed nutrient use if you so choose by adding nutrients and water to the reservoir rather than dumping it all and replacing it every few days.
 
I

imanoob

Well-Known Member
Treeth said:
The potassium silicate, I've used botanicair's version.

I had to stop using it, cause it shoots the ph through the roof,
Click to expand...
Thanks for your input! I heard it could be used as a PH up haha! It it has caused you issues in aero, I might feed the mother plants potassium silicate and then once I take cuttings stop? Will the PS had made a difference to the cutting? Would the cells be stronger?



fatman7574 said:
How well any nutrient is going to work in regard to your initial pH and sprayer clooging is initailly dependent on you water supply. Most quality nutrients are made for RO water. If using tap water you can experience all degrees of problems with your pH and particulates forming in your nutrient water and thereby clogging you sprayers. Even the nutrient manafcturers who sell a hardwater formula are just basing the tap water will have a 150 ppm of calcium in it and using that as a basis of there formulation. In doing this they use less calcium nitrate and more ammonium nitrate. This really plays havoc on your PH as it drops it daily. Silica phsophate is niv ce to use to raise yoyr pH if needed as it also adds useful silica. However if your just after the silica your beter off just buying sodium silica. You i use so little that the small amount iof sodium is insignificant/negligible. Sodium silcate is also known as water glass. Very cheap. I would suggest if you wish to be suceesful at growing that you buy a pH meter, and then when financially possible buy a conductivity meter. Until you get at least a ph meter you are making huge leaps into the unknown. This can usually be tolerated with soil grows but not aeroponic/hydroponic grows. Aeroponic/hydroponic grows have no media that can absorb excesses and such so they are not very forgiving of mistakes. Conductivity meters stop you from mixing your nutrients too strong/weak and allow you to some degree with some safety extend your mixed nutrient use if you so choose by adding nutrients and water to the reservoir rather than dumping it all and replacing it every few days.
Click to expand...
Wow fatman, nice post mate! Lots of good info in there. I will be using tap water, but usually leave it sitting in a 15 litre watering can (I heard that something evaporates?). I live outwith the US, the water here is excellent! So i hope it shouldnt be a problem...how would I go about testing for all these different things in my water so it would give me a good starting point.

Again, thanks guys...Im getting there :)
 
naked gardener

naked gardener

Active Member
For "must have" supplements that are compatible w most nutes: liquid karma and spray n grow.

I used the botanicare silica blast every few waterings and just adjust the ph. Even if you opt for the ph'd nutes, prolly still wanna monitor on a regular basis, like fatman said.

Did you have pics up?
 
B

beta0701

Well-Known Member
Bontanicare if you want the organic flavor

House and Garden if your lookin for a REALLY nice clean and simple nute
 
naked gardener

naked gardener

Active Member
imanoob said:
....I will be using tap water, but usually leave it sitting in a 15 litre watering can (I heard that something evaporates?). I live outwith the US, the water here is excellent! ......
Click to expand...

It "de-chlorinates" when it sits for atleast 24 hours. I use tap water w no probs--but it just depends on the water in your region. :leaf:
(whatchu mean--'outwith'? outside?) ( :
 
I

imanoob

Well-Known Member
naked gardener said:
It "de-chlorinates" when it sits for atleast 24 hours. I use tap water w no probs--but it just depends on the water in your region.
Click to expand...
Ah, that was it...didnt want to just type some random rubbish haha. Yeah tap water here is great, is there a way of testing how much calcium etc is in it? Just if I wanted to know exactly what was in it...

naked gardener said:
(whatchu mean--'outwith'? outside?) ( :
Click to expand...
it made sense in my head before I started typing haha...need to proof read what I type!

Out of intrested, what kinda aero system you got? Also, what base nutes do you use?
 
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