Reverse Engineering everyone's nutrients

Just a quick aside, I've been storing my stock solutions in glass mason jars, and after about 2 or 3 refills, particularly with the silica, they become rather heavily salt encrusted.
Warm water soaks in soapy water don't seem to be doing much to clean up the excess salt buildup, particularly on the metal lids.
Do you guys have a good way to descale your storage containers?

justugh said:

hydrobuddy
http://scienceinhydroponics.com/2013/02/the-first-free-hydroponic-nutrient-calculator-program-o.html

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I decided to try solubles now that I am running multiple res's and thought, to start I would keep it simple, started with OregonismXL as I still have a couple of gallons of premixed salts. Anywhooo, after mixing the stuff (two Table spoons in two liters of water) for a few minutes in 80F water I poured it in and the next morning my 120 micron screen filter was plugged . Should I be agitating the solution longer, perhaps an air stone! Is this an issue with solubles, just bought 5 lbs of Amino

Redoctober said:

Just a quick aside, I've been storing my stock solutions in glass mason jars, and after about 2 or 3 refills, particularly with the silica, they become rather heavily salt encrusted.
Warm water soaks in soapy water don't seem to be doing much to clean up the excess salt buildup, particularly on the metal lids.
Do you guys have a good way to descale your storage containers?

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Some options; use a chelation solution like Drip Clean from House & Garden, use HOT water, use Lime Away.

I use the strong vinegar for cleaning everything here, just let it soak for .5hr, it works better than CLR IMO. I have really hard water that leaves a major coating in everything I use to heat water. Never tried the HG stuff but everything else they sell, albeit pricey here, top shelf.

Budley Doright said:

I decided to try solubles now that I am running multiple res's and thought, to start I would keep it simple, started with OregonismXL as I still have a couple of gallons of premixed salts. Anywhooo, after mixing the stuff (two Table spoons in two liters of water) for a few minutes in 80F water I poured it in and the next morning my 120 micron screen filter was plugged . Should I be agitating the solution longer, perhaps an air stone! Is this an issue with solubles, just bought 5 lbs of Amino

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It's not an issue with "solubles" as you said. It's obviously a result of Oregonism XL, but just because it's clogging a really fine screen doesn't mean it's harmful to the solution or the plants.

MisterBlah said:

It's not an issue with "solubles" as you said. It's obviously a result of Oregonism XL, but just because it's clogging a really fine screen doesn't mean it's harmful to the solution or the plants.

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Well perhaps I took their description of soluble at face value . And no not an issue for the plants but it is for my system and nozzles. I've never run them (soluble salts) so just wanted to know if it's gonna be an issue. I have decided to end my experiment with sprayers anyways, this plugged filter being the last of many things lol. Running my original setup has no need for such a small filter and that's what I'm going back to.

Budley Doright said:

Well perhaps I took their description of soluble at face value . And no not an issue for the plants but it is for my system and nozzles. I've never run them (soluble salts) so just wanted to know if it's gonna be an issue. I have decided to end my experiment with sprayers anyways, this plugged filter being the last of many things lol. Running my original setup has no need for such a small filter and that's what I'm going back to.

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If you run really high TDS, it can be a problem for your nozzles. By really high, I mean >1000, usually. Often times, this is something that must be considered on a case by case basis when running high TDS, as a larger nozzle and sometimes a different nozzle material can solve a problem.

But do remember, all the liquid blends you buy from the store are just that, soluble salts. They are a stock solution. So, what you would end up doing is creating a stock solution and applying that like normal.

I have not had a nozzle plug from salt buildup..... yet lol. Just surprised to come out 12 hours after adding what was supposed to be a totally soluble powder, and top tray was overflowing . I'll do some more research into powdered nutes before I need to switch and see if it's actually going to work for me. Thanks for all the responses!

Redoctober said:

Just a quick aside, I've been storing my stock solutions in glass mason jars, and after about 2 or 3 refills, particularly with the silica, they become rather heavily salt encrusted.
Warm water soaks in soapy water don't seem to be doing much to clean up the excess salt buildup, particularly on the metal lids.
Do you guys have a good way to descale your storage containers?

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Your stock solution jar shouldn't be have scale deposit on it unless you're using tap water to make it. You should use ~0ppm water to make your stock solutions. If you're still getting deposits after that, you're doing something wrong.

Budley Doright said:

I have not had a nozzle plug from salt buildup..... yet lol. Just surprised to come out 12 hours after adding what was supposed to be a totally soluble powder, and top tray was overflowing . I'll do some more research into powdered nutes before I need to switch and see if it's actually going to work for me. Thanks for all the responses!

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You basically went out and got a product full of organics and blame "powdered nutrients" for clogging your nozzles.

"Components:: Endomycorrhizal, ectomycorrhizal and trichoderma fungi, as well as beneficial bacteria, organic
fertilizer, humic and fulvic acids and vitamins."

Go and get a formula based on nitrate salts before complaining about how "powdered nutes" clogs your nozzles. Sorry, but it's so frustrating to me when people delibrately stray from instructions (especially that much), and then blame them for their recipe not working?? Please try what's actually being described here before you complain about how it doesn't work.

We're talking about salts like potassium nitrate and calcium nitrate, not "powdered nutes". You took a lot of liberty by assuming it would work the same with some random organic product.

@MisterBlah have you done this for Atami Bloombastic? I just had someone tell me they swear by the stuff and I'm sure it's nothing unique.

ttystikk said:

@MisterBlah have you done this for Atami Bloombastic? I just had someone tell me they swear by the stuff and I'm sure it's nothing unique.

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It's basically a PK booster. Potassium Phosphates. Nothing complicated. But I haven't done it yet. I have a feeling there may be a little extra that is not just mineral based. They do mention something about enzymes in their marketing material.

MisterBlah said:

It's basically a PK booster. Potassium Phosphates. Nothing complicated. But I haven't done it yet. I have a feeling there may be a little extra that is not just mineral based. They do mention something about enzymes in their marketing material.

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I've already got Haifa brand MKP, 0-52-34. Other than said additives, surely this is similar?

I use .5g/gal of MKP in bloom. Would you think that'sappropriate?

ttystikk said:

I've already got Haifa brand MKP, 0-52-34. Other than said additives, surely this is similar?

I use .5g/gal of MKP in bloom. Would you think that'sappropriate?

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As long as you feel you need a PK additive.

What chemical is Dutch Master Zone and at what ratio? Thanks for any help.

rollyouron said:

What chemical is Dutch Master Zone and at what ratio? Thanks for any help.

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Nothing on their marketing material, FAQs, MSDS, government databases for fertilizers, etc. will tell you. So, my guess? Sodium Hypochlorite. No idea the ratio, I'd need a lab analysis on this.

Thanks MisterB

My gold range zone says, 0.06% nitrate nitrogen, 0.15% potash (K2O), 0.06% sulfur, 0.1% copper. Derived from Potassium nitrate, copper sulfate.

MisterBlah said:

Cannazym is not a typical mineral only fertilizer blend, so not yet. I'm going after the mineral based one first because they are the easiest and don't require me to do much else other than do math at my desk.

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CannaZyme is just Cellulase enzyme.

Hey MisterBlah, could I use the water out of the dehumidifier instead of buying distilled water?