Recently I have been trying some new approaches to starting from seed and I am very amped by what has happened. “However” I have also been using a new approach to so called reliable nutrients that each nutrient company says are compatible together ,HA! Here is just part of what I have found in my journey. Nutrient one ( no companies will be mentioned) states that if I use this with another companies nutrient it will mix well together and their should be no concerns. Well if you take a small beaker I love that word “beaker” or just a glass jar and combine the two I combined it is like mega-second rejection even though the whole thing was supposed to gel well! Yeah I know you should not try this approach but what the hey, alfalfa hey! I did so hw\ere it is what do you think will happen if I put them both in a gallon of water oh my my my it looks like they blended but did they really does diluting make it appear safe or does the same mixture actually still reject binding. I think, and I have tried several nutrients six total and when they say they can work with other nutrients from different companies ( and I called a few to verify) about 70% were total seperators. Question is these are natural or synthetic components that in some cases , not like the label states, are like mixing colliding nuetrons it doesn’t happen with the 20ml and 20ml combination does it work in water or whatever yopu use to bind and form a quality product or is there a potential to create havoc and the grower may get caught up chasing n or p or k or mag or S or cal excesses or deficiences when the actual cause is the two different but stated by the companies that it is safe cause the problem? on and on
Name the companies. That’s how we all learn lol.
I think this is your department sir
I know alot of things won’t mix well in high concentrations without dilution, alot of nutrient companies and products have a mixing order to prevent certain nutrients ect from binding and forming non soluble precipitate. The line of dry salt nutrients I am using now for hydro Jack’s 3-2-1 has a mixing order and many liquid nutrient lines you will see a part A and B for for the vegetative stage for example because the two parts cannot be combined together without dilution or they will react together.
Just got home from work and logged in. I can give you a general rule here about mixing random nutrients FWIW.
1.Just randomly mixing nutrients from multiple manufacturers is bound to lead to trouble, especially in concentrated solutions.
2. Hopefully we never get any colliding neutrons! Actually there are some combinations that are not compatable and will cause precipitates, I can give you the problematic ones…
a. First your water quality… Unless you have very pure water there is a very good reason to use R/O or distilled water. Your tap or well water may contain a quantity of chlorine (either as hypochlorite or cloroamines) NOT GOOD. West of the Rockies our waters tend to have a lot of bicarbonates which are very problematic for any organic molecules (think amino acids) especially at pH’s above about 6.5. East of the Rockies the water is more acidic and you may face high iron or other metals in solution.
b. The problem elements…
Calcium, soluble in acidic solutions but mix it with phosphate fertilizers in any concentrated solution
and you just formed Calcium Phosphate{s). Now neither the Calcium or Phosphate is available to
your plants! The micronutrient metals (Zn,Mn,Fe,Co,etc) again are problematic. They will precipitate
with CalciumbiCarbonate or Phosphoric acid and love to hook up with all bicarbonates! Especially at pH’s above 6.5!
This is why your pH is so important to be monitered at all times. Remember, anything that **
** precipitates, leaves both nutrient involved unavailable to the plant! I believe manufacturers have a **
** PRETTY good knowledge of their products for the most part. You start mixing various components, **
** from multiple suppliers, you are on your own!
I have generalized here to avoid the ‘what ifs’ that always arise in chemistry! Here is my personal opinion on seperating nutrient components… Apply Cal-Mag seperately and make sure that pH is 6.5 or lower. I would apply my micronutrients, again seperately, with the same pH consideration. I would feel very safe applying any NPK combination on a regular basis without concern. If you do mix different materials I would advise you to do a minimum batch and let a sample set overnight…checking for precipitate in the morning. LOL, if you would like a thorough knowledge of nutrient interaction I would advise taking 1 year Qualitative Inorganic Chemistry, 1 year Quantitative Inorganic Chemistry, 1 year Organic Chemistry, and a year of Biochemistry!!! That oughta do it!!!
Interesting, just watched the latest Cannacribs episode on plant nutrition. Guest mentioned the same Calcium/ Phosphorus precipitate issues…very technical but could relate to about 80% of it!
Spoiler alert…he’s not going to give you any nutrient recipes, however I did find his work with amino acid polymers pretty interesting. Worth the watch but don’t try it ripped!!!
must be something about the way I am typing this out, it seems nobody is able to follow the thread I am throwing out there I have to get my camera working to show y’all what it is I am trying to delve into without all the degrees thank you but even a common man can do remarkable things without three years of people saying “this is how its done” no that’s bs and sorry if you feel I fall below the criteria for exploration I won’t ever be able to find the TRUTH and growers will mindlessly grow using amendments that destroy their efforts or get them to purchase more product to fix what some amendments can cause when mixed with another companies amendments which are stated to be ok to use that way.
oooookkkk…Good Luck jetz!