New hydro system with GH nutes help with supplements and doses

[bongboy8200]

Cliff notes: switched to GH from Botinacare. Looking to add supplements. Enhance flavor, bag appeal, yield.

My profile says newb Bc I can’t remember my old log in. I’m no pro but I’ve only grown hydro dwc for about 2 years 10/15 years ago. Back then I was just using Botinacare grow and bloom with their calmag. Hydro shop had advices this over anything else being a newb also said it’s a waste going with anything else. I am a molecular biologist although rusty and never got in depth with plants aside from this but I do understand biochemistry very well.

now that I’m back I’m running leds and GH flora series with humidity controls etc, before was cfls and 400w hps. Im still dwc with added sprayers and adding RDWC into the systems. Right now I have 2 12 gal totes. One with 2 photos the other with 3 autos, all are different strains 2 paid for the rest were freebies. To get my feet wet again 5/6 i germ took. I did have struggles. Started with clonex root solution. And think I waited too long to start the GH flora series.
My idea is to keep 3 autos going in the veg tent in the 12 gal tote hooked up to another 12gal tote (possibly an 18). Veg 2 photos in the dwc 12 gal. Start 2 more photos in the veg tent bubbler/sprayer in rapid rooters. Those move to the 12 gal tote. The 2 in veg move to the flower tent. Two 4 gallon buckets, one 4 gal control, 18g res auto feeding the control (this set up times 2). I can run 1 strain in each system for a perpetual grow and really dial those in with the 6 part nutrients. And have 3’autos going at all times of different strains for some variety.
What’s your thoughts on the systems? I think the sprayers are over kill but helped with transplanting into 5in pots with clay to get the roots and not have to top feed. I was doing 1 min every hour. Now 10 seconds every 30 mins since roots are big in the water. Trying to give an airoponic effect and increase roots at the top of the nets. They are super thick right now and so clean compared to Botinacare. I was just using the back of the bottle the last 4 weeks. Now adjusted to the gh schedule. I’m only using grow, bloom, micro, calmag. I’d like to incorporate some additional fertilizers and know there’s no reason to only use GH stuff and have seen members dialed in with mixed matches for the best results. Can you advise me what route I should go? Or go with floralicous and liquid karma? And how do I really dial them in. Even right now just using the 3. If I feel I’m low on let’s say nitrogen, i would think I would slowly increase the bottle with the most nitrogen or supplement with that. I know with this run before reading I was like I’ll go heavier on grow and lighter on everything else since the back of the bottle is equal everything. Dumb ass me was super phosp deficient for 2 weeks. Any help would be appreciated. I’m going to make a post too but replies are super slow these days. Tia!!

 

[Bdubs]

Use GH:
-micro
-gro
-bloom
-Rapid Start
-cal-mag
-Kool Bloom
-Floralicious Plus
-Armor Si
-Flora Nectar
-Flora Kleen
-Ripen
-Hydroguard

Optional with adjustments (reduction) to Armor Si amounts.
-Front Row Si (or other Monolicic Acid based silica) the only readily useable form of silicon.

Follow the 10 part nutrient chart on their website.
-decide if you want light/medium/aggressive nutrient feed

You don’t need anything else really. That is a full list of what I use.

 

[Bdubs]

If you use a Monosilicic Acid based Silica, you will need to reduce Armor Si to keep Ph balanced. As silica products increase Ph, Armor Si is very Alkaline but Armor Si is needed to balance the Ph as it is a Ciliate. If you don’t use Armor Si at all while using Monosilicic Acid Silica, your Ph will push up quickly once in the reservoir for a couple days. The Ciliate action has to be balanced using the Armor Si, so you cannot remove the Armor Si all together if supplementing other forms of Silica. Because Potassium Silicate is a different form of silicon and needs to be broken down to have it available.

In my experience, Armor Si is Not a great stem strength enhancer. It will be needed to keep your Ph balanced, but it isn’t enough readily available silica that will even be noticeable to you. That is why I add monosilicic acid based silica, because it makes the difference. Mammoth Silica did amazing, I tried that and it works wonders as well, noticeable difference. The thing is, you really don’t see the power of the silica additives until you get to flower when the plant is holding up heavy buds. Also, Silicon increases trichome count and size which you don’t notice until flower. In veg, you’ll notice barky thick stem structure. You can’t even tell with just Armor Si. But as I said, imperative you do not remove Armor Si from the picture, just reduce the amounts when supplementing other Silica products. As it keep the balance of Ciliates and in turn helps balance your Ph, as the plant breaks it down.

 

[bongboy8200]

Use GH:
-micro
-gro
-bloom
-Rapid Start
-cal-mag
-Kool Bloom
-Floralicious Plus
-Armor Si
-Flora Nectar
-Flora Kleen
-Ripen
-Hydroguard

Optional with adjustments (reduction) to Armor Si amounts.
-Front Row Si (or other Monolicic Acid based silica) the only readily useable form of silicon.

Follow the 10 part nutrient chart on their website.
-decide if you want light/medium/aggressive nutrient feed

You don’t need anything else really. That is a full list of what I use.

Thanks for running through the full line up bro!! Hydro guard is bennies right? Molasse and carbs only work with bennies, right? So it’s a must to use together I’m guessing. I saw a post on rollitup with a solution from pool shock to make clear rez and a sterile environment. If I do that I’m going to kill any bennies so there would be no point in adding anything carbs or Bennie if I’m going sterile rez.

I ordered stuff to have and most is going back trying to piece meal the best stuff. AN big bud is just phos and k. Bud X factor is Mg. If I look at GH 3 part with floralicous plus. AN 3 part with Big bud. A 1:1 ratio of phos and k the GH has a little more K and more phos more Ca Mg without cal mag Added. Floral nector and floral nector sugar. Is the same exact ingredients…. I did get bud Candy also so if Need to use hydrogaurd for floral nector I’ll try the bud candy in 1 tank too. The only thing I think I’d add to the list you have is Diamond nector for the humic acid. It’s not in the newer formula of floralicous plus. AN includes it in there 3 part base nutrients

 

[Oldguy71]

I think the best thing you can do is learn to get the basics really dialed before you go adding a bunch of variables.
I would recommend using Southern ag garden friendly fungicide it is the same as hydrogaurd but 1000x more concentrated and way cheaper.
Also keep in mind a lot of products have off label ingredients. If they’re not required by law to tell you they offen don’t.

 

[bongboy8200]

I think the best thing you can do is learn to get the basics really dialed before you go adding a bunch of variables.
I would recommend using Southern ag garden friendly fungicide it is the same as hydrogaurd but 1000x more concentrated and way cheaper.
Also keep in mind a lot of products have off label ingredients. If they’re not required by law to tell you they offen don’t.

Thanks old man! It’s definitely not my first time at the rodeo growing. Felt I’m at the point to try new things but not go too crazy because don’t fix what isn’t broken lol and I believe half this shit is a gimmick, it’s weed, but I am a scientist so using some biochemistry that I haven’t in gosh 15 years brings back my brain lol.

As for the Southern AG. Awesome brother. Hydroguard list the bac at 0.038% this stuff 98.85% shipped to my door in a day for $10! To my understanding you can’t go to heavy on bennies but how would you dose it without me mathing if it doesn’t have to be super accurate. if hydroguard is 2ml/gal. Use ~ 0.2ml/gal?

 

[Oldguy71]

I haven’t grown in hydro for a few years but I think I was using a capful to 18 gal. You’re right it’s pretty hard to use too much and there’s a lot of gimmicks out there.