Jacks 3-2-1 order

Armyofsprout

Well-Known Member
Hey guys. I know you’re supposed to put the jacks 3-2-1 mix in the water in a certain order ( I’m using witn power SI). So correct me if I’m wrong but the correct order would be:

1. Power Si (Original or bloom)
2. Jacks Part A
3. Epsom Salt
4. Jacks Part B

correct? I’m super happy To be switching to jacks and they are a great company to work with.

I also just gained my first small sponsorship from a grow equipment company coming up. Super excited for this year! Still small gonna be running 16-20 plants in 3-4 tents But I want them to be top Shelf.
 

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twentyeight.threefive

Well-Known Member
Hey guys. I know you’re supposed to put the jacks 3-2-1 mix in the water in a certain order ( I’m using witn power SI). So correct me if I’m wrong but the correct order would be:

1. Power Si (Original or bloom)
2. Jacks Part A
3. Epsom Salt
4. Jacks Part B

correct? I’m super happy To be switching to jacks and they are a great company to work with.

I also just gained my first small sponsorship from a grow equipment company coming up. Super excited for this year! Still small gonna be running 16-20 plants in 3-4 tents But I want them to be top Shelf.
Yes that is the correct order. Part A and Epsom Salts can be added together. I usually let most of the Part A dissolve while measuring the Epsom Salts and then add it in. No need for it to be fully dissolved.
 

calvin.m16

Well-Known Member
Jacks recommends part A > Epsom Salt > Part B

Silica always is added first. So the correct order would be Silica (power si etc) > Part A > Epsom Salts > Part B.

Make sure everything is fully dissolved and stirred in before adding the next ingredient in line.
 

ttystikk

Well-Known Member
NO!

Fuck, I'm glad I caught this early.

Epsom salt is mag sulfate. The calcium in calcium nitrate will bind to the sulphur and create calcium sulfate, aka GYPSUM, which is NON WATER SOLUBLE.

Pay careful attention to manufacturer's instructions; they want you to make a stock solution with the Jacks with a relatively large amount of mix; make enough to last at least 2 weeks and up to a month. To make it easy on me to deal with ratios, I mix 200g per gallon. A half gallon scoop is therefore 100g, 2 cups is 25g. Keep a lid on it.

When you're ready to make a batch of nutes, use two buckets. Put epsom salt in one and calcium nitrate in the other. Add hot tap water (or warmest possible RO if your water is hard) to each bucket and fully dissolve. The epsom salt takes longer than you think and it's hard to see in the water. Add your Jacks to the epsom salt bucket. Add more water to each bucket. Then preferably add each one separately to your res. If you must combine them, do it only after you've diluted as much as you can.

You're trying to avoid a flocculation reaction between the calcium and the sulfate.

Once you've done it a few times, it becomes second nature and it's quicker than it sounds.
 

lusidghost

Well-Known Member
NO!

Fuck, I'm glad I caught this early.

Epsom salt is mag sulfate. The calcium in calcium nitrate will bind to the sulphur and create calcium sulfate, aka GYPSUM, which is NON WATER SOLUBLE.

Pay careful attention to manufacturer's instructions; they want you to make a stock solution with the Jacks with a relatively large amount of mix; make enough to last at least 2 weeks and up to a month. To make it easy on me to deal with ratios, I mix 200g per gallon. A half gallon scoop is therefore 100g, 2 cups is 25g. Keep a lid on it.

When you're ready to make a batch of nutes, use two buckets. Put epsom salt in one and calcium nitrate in the other. Add hot tap water (or warmest possible RO if your water is hard) to each bucket and fully dissolve. The epsom salt takes longer than you think and it's hard to see in the water. Add your Jacks to the epsom salt bucket. Add more water to each bucket. Then preferably add each one separately to your res. If you must combine them, do it only after you've diluted as much as you can.

You're trying to avoid a flocculation reaction between the calcium and the sulfate.

Once you've done it a few times, it becomes second nature and it's quicker than it sounds.
You can mix the powder in a res one at a time. Or part A with the mag, and then part B. It will be okay.
 

twentyeight.threefive

Well-Known Member
NO!

Fuck, I'm glad I caught this early.

Epsom salt is mag sulfate. The calcium in calcium nitrate will bind to the sulphur and create calcium sulfate, aka GYPSUM, which is NON WATER SOLUBLE.

You're trying to avoid a flocculation reaction between the calcium and the sulfate.
Which is why you mix Part A and Epsom Salts first. They fully dissolve then you add Part B which is the calcium nitrate.

Jack's literally has a video on their website showing this exact mixing process.

 

ttystikk

Well-Known Member
You can mix the powder in a res one at a time. Or part A with the mag, and then part B. It will be okay.
I don't recommend it and neither do those mixing and selling nutrient salts.

Economise somewhere else; the time saved is not worth consequences of screwing this up.
 

ttystikk

Well-Known Member
Which is why you mix Part A and Epsom Salts first. They fully dissolve then you add Part B which is the calcium nitrate.

Jack's literally has a video on their website showing this exact mixing process.

Do it if you want. Mixing calcium nitrate into solution separately from epsom salt and other sulfates in the nutrient mix is easy and guarantees you'll have no problems.
 

Armyofsprout

Well-Known Member
NO!

Fuck, I'm glad I caught this early.

Epsom salt is mag sulfate. The calcium in calcium nitrate will bind to the sulphur and create calcium sulfate, aka GYPSUM, which is NON WATER SOLUBLE.

Pay careful attention to manufacturer's instructions; they want you to make a stock solution with the Jacks with a relatively large amount of mix; make enough to last at least 2 weeks and up to a month. To make it easy on me to deal with ratios, I mix 200g per gallon. A half gallon scoop is therefore 100g, 2 cups is 25g. Keep a lid on it.

When you're ready to make a batch of nutes, use two buckets. Put epsom salt in one and calcium nitrate in the other. Add hot tap water (or warmest possible RO if your water is hard) to each bucket and fully dissolve. The epsom salt takes longer than you think and it's hard to see in the water. Add your Jacks to the epsom salt bucket. Add more water to each bucket. Then preferably add each one separately to your res. If you must combine them, do it only after you've diluted as much as you can.

You're trying to avoid a flocculation reaction between the calcium and the sulfate.

Once you've done it a few times, it becomes second nature and it's quicker than it sounds.
You’re literally just describing exactly what I said except you’re switching the order of Epsom and then part A which doesn’t make a difference.

All that matters is part B cal nitrate goes last which is what I said and which is what everyone else is saying. I think you might have misunderstood me. I didn’t mean mix them all together and then add them to water. I meant the order to add them one at a time to the water.

they don’t “want” you to make a stock solution, it’s just optional and you can if you want. I thought about it but realized I don’t wanna be sitting on stock solution so I’m cool with mixing fresh daily.

I actually confirmed this with Jacks and they analyzed my water and came up with a custom plan for me.

but yeah dude.Making Epsom salt water and adding part A is literally no different than mixing Part A into water first and then adding Epsom salt…it’s literally the same reaction.

the reaction you don’t want is adding part b and then Epsom because that’s what causes the reaction you’re referring to. So essentially we are all saying the same thing.

Jacks themselves literally tell you mix one at a time… Silica > A > Epsom > B

but yes you can also do Silica > Epsom > A > B
 
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ttystikk

Well-Known Member
You’re literally just describing exactly what I said except you’re switching the order of Epsom and then part A which doesn’t make a difference.

All that matters is part B cal nitrate goes last which is what I said and which is what everyone else is saying. I think you might have misunderstood me. I didn’t mean mix them all together and then add them to water. I meant the order to add them one at a time to the water.

they don’t “want” you to make a stock solution, it’s just optional and you can if you want. I thought about it but realized I don’t wanna be sitting on stock solution so I’m cool with mixing fresh daily.

I actually confirmed this with Jacks and they analyzed my water and came up with a custom plan for me.

but yeah dude.Making Epsom salt water and adding part A is literally no different than mixing Part A into water first and then adding Epsom salt…it’s literally the same reaction.

the reaction you don’t want is adding part b and then Epsom because that’s what causes the reaction you’re referring to. So essentially we are all saying the same thing.

Jacks themselves literally tell you mix one at a time… Silica > A > Epsom > B

but yes you can also do Silica > Epsom > A > B
What I said that's different is mixing calcium nitrate into solution separately from epsom salt.

Jacks (Peters Professional) is no different than any other maker of dry nutrient salts. I've spoken to server and they say that mixing a stock solution is a good idea because small amounts may have uneven amounts of nutrients, especially micronutrients, due to settling of ingredients.
 

Armyofsprout

Well-Known Member
What I said that's different is mixing calcium nitrate into solution separately from epsom salt.

Jacks (Peters Professional) is no different than any other maker of dry nutrient salts. I've spoken to server and they say that mixing a stock solution is a good idea because small amounts may have uneven amounts of nutrients, especially micronutrients, due to settling of ingredients.
And what we’re saying that mixing cal nitrate last into the solution separately is literally still the same thing as adding them one at a time and adding the cal nitrate last. It’s the same exact thing as well.

And yes about the stock solution you’re 100% correct about the even disbursement. But for me personally it would have such a Minute effect Mixing in a 5 gal bucket that it really shouldn’t matter too much. I mix using a power drill mixer. I mix for about 2-4 minutes every time I add something new. As long as your EC is correct and your solution isn’t cloudy everything should be golden.
 
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lusidghost

Well-Known Member
Since my tap water is so cold this winter, I've been adding a few buckets of hot water when I mix my nutrients. I'm mixing part A and magnesium in the first bucket and part B in the second bucket before pouring them into the 30 gallon res. There's no difference other than the nutrients mixing quicker because of the hot water. I'm not worried about a bit of fluctuation in micro nutrients because I feed my plants every day, and 30 gallons requires a decent amount of powder anyway.

I do think I'm going to start making a concentrate though. Just because it's faster overall. Plus making your own bottled nutrients is pretty cool. I may make a fake brand and design an over the top label with tigers and lasers and massive colas and a gorilla and some titties and candy.
 

Armyofsprout

Well-Known Member
Since my tap water is so cold this winter, I've been adding a few buckets of hot water when I mix my nutrients. I'm mixing part A and magnesium in the first bucket and part B in the second bucket before pouring them into the 30 gallon res. There's no difference other than the nutrients mixing quicker because of the hot water. I'm not worried about a bit of fluctuation in micro nutrients because I feed my plants every day, and 30 gallons requires a decent amount of powder anyway.

I do think I'm going to start making a concentrate though. Just because it's faster overall. Plus making your own bottled nutrients is pretty cool. I may make a fake brand and design an over the top label with tigers and lasers and massive colas and a gorilla and some titties and candy.
Yeah I mean I have like 4 empty gallon water jugs i kept specifically for this purpose and I was gonna spray them black so I’ll probably make the stock lol. Because yeah you’re right it is faster it took me a like 15 mins to mix. And plus I’ll start needing a larger rez. So I’ll convert to stock guys. I think they told me if using stock it’s like 37.8 ML/Gal each stock to water ratio
 

lusidghost

Well-Known Member
Yeah I mean I have like 4 empty gallon water jugs i kept specifically for this purpose and I was gonna spray them black so I’ll probably make the stock lol. Because yeah you’re right it is faster it took me a like 15 mins to mix. And plus I’ll start needing a larger rez. So I’ll convert to stock guys. I think they told me if using stock it’s like 37.8 ML/Gal each stock to water ratio
I used to mix in a bunch of 5 gallon buckets and that was a pain in the ass. I would get distracted and forget which bucket I was on, and have to EC them to figure it out. Back then I was adding a ton of extra stuff too, so it took forever.
 

Armyofsprout

Well-Known Member
I used to mix in a bunch of 5 gallon buckets and that was a pain in the ass. I would get distracted and forget which bucket I was on, and have to EC them to figure it out. Back then I was adding a ton of extra stuff too, so it took forever.
yeah I just did that shit today. I thought I was ok because I thought I needed one bucket. Until I watered and realized they could now take an entirely second bucket of water . Now I’m getting a rez together
 

PJ Diaz

Well-Known Member
I use a 2-bucket system, and generally mix up 10-gallons at a time.

I get two 5-gal buckets full of RO water, and add Part A + Epsom Salts to the first bucket, and the CalNit (part b) to the second bucket. Use a paint mixer on a cordless drill to mix it up, and come back 10 minutes later when it's dissolved. Then pout the first bucket into the res, next pour the 2nd bucket into the res. Next, add Southern Ag GFF, Mr Fulvic, and Liquid Kelp (in that order). If I'm in part of the cycle that I'm using Si, I will add it last, but I use 40% MSA which is way different than what most people use.
 
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