Calling all Hydro-experienced growers! Which nutrient do YOU like best and why?

[KingTut144]

I'm looking for a few bits of information, to maybe change up my nutrient solution completely or for the people who want a [searchable] reference in the future, they can look up first-hand experience and see what will work best for them. Name of the nutrient(s) How much the nutrients cost How often you have to restock the nutrient./How long a container lasts. How often you have to change the nutrient solution. List any particular problems you've had with the solution (i.e. above average microbial issues, PH control, absorption deficiency from the plants, etc.) As replies are posted, i will try and update this first page is the primary reference point.

 

[pcduck]

General Hydroponics 3 part.

Simple to use, cheap, works, no problems did I mention simple to use.

Need to use Cal/Mg during flower especially if using R/O water.

I change out my rez every 7-10 day. 7 days during flowering and 10 days during veg

 

[Hushpuppy]

I don't have a lot of varied experience with nutes as I have only used 3 brands. Of the 3 brands my current is my favorite(and it seems to be my plants' favorite as well) It is Advanced Nutrients' Jungle Juice 3part. I like the simplicity of it as I don't have to adjust the PH on initial mixing. My water is 6.8 out of the faucet but when mixed for either veg or bloom mixtures, the PH settles out between 6.1-6.3 every time. And I don't have to let it sit and buffer before using it as it has no buffers in it. I order it online for just under $20 a gallon and the only thing I have to add is the cal/mag as I am in coco which needs more cal/mag. I don't have a big OP, only about 4 harvests(total of about 3-3.5lbs of dry bud) since starting this brand but I am only just now finishing out of my first 1gal jugs.

The plants seem to do best on this nutrient above the 2 others that I have tried. They stay green all the way to harvest with very little yellowing off. I have not had any nute deficiencies with this brand and the potency, flavor, and resin production is better than any other previous grows.

The only down side to this nute brand that I have experienced is the quick and constant PH drift that occurs, but I don't know that the brand is to blame for that as it occured with the other brands as well.

 

[ShOrTbUs]

i also run jungle juice from AN, my water comes out of the faucet at 6.8-7.0. when nutes are added i run around 6.3. unlike hush i chose to use a little ph down to about 5.6-5.8. i chalk up most of my deficiencies/problems to being my fault as i'm a newer grower and haven't dialed in my grow yet. far less problems this time around(on second grow).

side note: maybe its the coco hush. i run a 10gal & 30gal res and get very little drift. most of my drift comes from forgetting to top off my res with water.

 

[Hushpuppy]

Hey Shortbus :ciao: I have found that there is a lot of variance from hydro grow to hydro grow with the PH needs and issues. My Bro and I run virtually identical setups, same plants from clones shared between us, all the same except for the nute brands. He uses Technaflora, and while we both have the same PH drift issue, his numbers are quite different from mine.

I may be doing something wrong to aggrevate the PH issue but My plants seem to grow very healthy and happy and produce very nice and tasty flowers. It could just be the strains or just the uniqueness of my setup. I do know that having larger resevoirs helped to slow down the swing, and I believe that the coco does play a part in it as I have found that the coco grabs and holds nutrients really well.

I actually tested the theory by checking the ppm in the rez then turned on the watering system (which is top feed) and then caught a cup of runoff from 2 of the plants and checked that. I don't remember the numbers but it was a very significant change like maybe close to half of the nutes had been removed from the water as it passed through the coco. It could be that edd-n-flow, bottom feeding doesn't have as drastic a change.

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

I use General Hydroponics Flora nutes. How long something lasts me or how often I have to restock will have no bearing on your grow, as nutrients used are pretty much related to the size of your grow.

I hope to not confuse you since I do things a little differently. I like to use the Flora Nova Grow during veg. This is a stand alone nute that works very well for me in veg. Unfortunately, I can not say the same about the Flora Nova Bloom. So I use the GH Flora 3 part series, but run the Lucas formula, which uses only use the Micro and Bloom at a 2-1 ratio. I use about 8 ml of micro and 16 ml of bloom per gal of water. I also add Cal-Mag during flowering, even though I do not use RO water. If you are running hydro, you are going to have to pH down the solution to 5-5 to 5.8 or so.

I change my res out every 7-10 days, depending on how much nute solution they are uptaking. I can get a gal of Flora micro or bloom for under $30 a gal.

 

[KingTut144]

Thanks for the replies, guys! Keep them coming!

My numbers:
CANNA 2 part "Aqua Vega" 8ml/gal each $80/gal
CANNA 2 part "Aqua Flores" 11ml/gal each $80/gal
CANNA "Rhizotonic"15ml/gal $80/gal
CANNA"PK 13/14" 6ml/gal $40/qt
CANNA "Boost" 8ml/gal $40/qt
CANNA "Cannazym" 9ml/gal $40/qt
CALiMAGic 1tsp (5ml)/gal $20/qt
Drip Clean .4ml/gal $10/250ml (i use root drench system is why this is necessary)
SuperThrive 1drop/gal $6/2fl.oz.(60ml)

seems mine is more on the expensive side of things... the guy who recommends this nutrient line uses this himself and he showed me his SeaOfGreen pull at 1[dried] ouce per plant harvest... so that's my goal, if not more.

 

[KingTut144]

i think i'm going to swith to Heavy 16 on my next cycles... CANNA is just waaaaay too expensive and doesn't last long enough versus the cost of the product. I think the only thing i will continue to use from CANNA is Rhizotonic

 

[greenfriend]

I use GH 3 part only, just started using Cal-Mag and pro silicate since i bought a RO water filter. You can adjust the mixture for different strains and it is CHEAP!

I make a fresh mixture for each watering and pH it as neccessary