Rhino skin vs Botanicare silica blast. (need a hort person)

Sencha

Active Member
I use the Protekt. I don't like. It raises my pH too much. I wear gloves when I mesure it, burns a little (for obvious reasons) It also has a bunch of K that I'd rather get from something else. I have seen noticibly stronger branches but I don't think it's worth the effort. I would never consider running this in hydro except as a pH up. Hydro branches are usually strong enough.

Someones said that the Rhino doesn't raise pH. AN tells you that it will. I wonder what's up with that.
 

Clown Baby

Well-Known Member
I use the Protekt. I don't like. It raises my pH too much. I wear gloves when I mesure it, burns a little (for obvious reasons) It also has a bunch of K that I'd rather get from something else. I have seen noticibly stronger branches but I don't think it's worth the effort. I would never consider running this in hydro except as a pH up. Hydro branches are usually strong enough.

Someones said that the Rhino doesn't raise pH. AN tells you that it will. I wonder what's up with that.
This is the reason WHY I USE protekt.
Unlike 90% supplements out there, protekt will make a noticeable difference in plants. After coming across a few genetics where the buds outgrow and stems and start to fall over mid-bloom, protekt became a valuable tool. Love this stuff for both hydro and soil. Lets me spend less time dealing with staking/tying up overloaded branches.

Granted, it DOES make you consider buying larger sized bottles pH down...
 

homebrewer

Well-Known Member
In addition, look at the Rhino label and note how low the Silicate is: Rhino Skin Label.

This stuff sucks and I lean toward some Advanced. (sensi PH perfect)
I too have heard this product is a very poor value so I called one of my local stores and asked them to check out a bottle for me. They are selling 4L bottles of Rhino Skin for $88, they said the label says .15% silicon and that the bottle weighs 8.6 lbs. I use Protekt because they claim there is 7.8% silicon in there which sounds like it makes sense as a 3.78L bottle (1 gallon) weighs 9 lbs and ranges from $40-50 on amazon. My local store doesn't carry it in the gallon size.

So to compare apples-to-apples, if Rhino Skin was being sold by the gallon, a bottle would weigh 8.199 lbs as compared to Protekt which weighs 9 lbs. Given the fact they're both derived from potassium silicate, it seems impossible for Rhino Skin to contain anywhere near the amount of silicon as protekt.
 

Sencha

Active Member
Just because I don't like it doesn't mean I'm going to stop using it. I bought a gallon of it and it does everything it says it does.

I wouldn't use it with myco's either.

There's a reason the Rhino Skin is a grand master product. I suggest having your game face on when using Protekt as well. If it's forcing you to fight pH swings or calcium deficiency in weeks 2-4 of bloom you've destroyed any benifit you may have gotten. You'll have strong branches but light buds.
 
3.9 kg 1 gallon 8.6lbs and the label is just like that except says 15% si02 not 1% AN is so weird I have seen sensi cal in a 2-0-0 and a 4-0-0 I have seen a rhino skin label on the internet that said 13%k!? Then when they made their ph perfect they also changed the npk ratios of the conni and maybe the others but I have not cared enough to look in to it..
DSC02461.jpg

Weird to see this huh.... The white bottle is the one I just got.
 

wanalearn

Well-Known Member
I no longer buy into the hype i buy silica powder and make my own and btw it doesnt swing my ph either you can get a pound bag on ebay or kelp4less ive been using this over a year and other stuff i even make my own liquid karma very simple check out youtube hope this helps
 

Kygiacomo

Well-Known Member
Best silica product on the market that does not bring added K to the table is "grow sil" it is 99.9% silica and has 6.28% of plant available silica as soon as its mixed in the water..it is derived from rice hulls..alot higher then protekt,rhino skin or any other liquid product and it comes as a powder and it is very soluble. the application rate is only 1/8-1/4tsp per gallon and 20$ for a 1 pound bag goes a very long way..
 

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Twerkle

Well-Known Member
LOL Armor SI is trash...10% silica dioxide.

If you are buying silica in a liquid form you are getting duped. Silica precipitates above a certain concentration which is why all liquid silica products are so low in percentage. Buy AgSil for next to nothing or RAW Silica if you got a little extra coin. That powder stuff up above looks pretty decent too. Bio derived silicas like RAW Silica dont effect you pH so they can be added LAST so you know you arent going to fuck up the silica. It precipitates out of the solution below 4ph and above 7.5ph, so if you add the silica and it goes above those numbers or below them it will begin to fall out of the solution.
 

Jermb420

Active Member
I prefer the Cyco Silica. Cost similar to protekt, silica blast; but has the monosilicic acid at 3%. This provides immediately bio-available silicon when and where the plant needs it.
 

weedemart

Well-Known Member
monosilicic acid is potassium sillicate at ph < 7....

any potassium sillicate will do.

its just marketing anyway, its not magic in bottle. just make sure the source is sodium sillicate or potassium sillicate
 
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