ferts 101

[gforce]

i am reading deeply into multiple forum's and am having trouble understanding the basics concerning ferts...

as i understand it, the more light i use the more ferts my plants can use so let me illustrate what i want to do... i am a medical user and can have 6 flowering ladys and 18 more in the veg/mother rooms. i plan to grow monsters 6+ feet, in 5 gal grow rock ebb and flow buckets, using 6-1000 watt lamps and co2...

can someone [lucas] tell me what strength ferts to use under these conditions...? i like the notion lucas put forward that you can use the same res through the entire grow [kiss]

also, is there a brand to use [or to avoid] for this type of grow...?

thank you all... a recovering dirt farmer

[Lungus]

I'm no hydro expert but general rule of thumb is start out slow maybe around 500-600ppm, then slowly raising the ppms and if they show nute stress back it off again. Each strain is different on what they can take so a little experimentation on your part will be required to dial it in for your situation. After one or two grows with the same strains you'll know what they like and can just follow a winning feeding program.

[c-ray]

what strain(s) are you growing?

[gforce]

what strain(s) are you growing?

trainwreck seems to be the strain of choice... i will have to see if i can find it around... at any rate ,i will be looking for a good producer that has a fast finish

[Irie1]

Trainwreck is finicky, so watch her closely. I have to back off my nutes a bit with her. Try running your solution at 1100 and see how she reacts. I have pushed her as hard as 1250 with no apparent burn.

As far as nutrient lines go, I always loved GH Flora series, the 3 part formula. It is pretty simple to use and allows you good control. I am currently hooked on the Pure Blend Pro line. I prefer organic fruits and vegetables, and this line is organic based. It provides the fruity aroma of organics, combined with the stability of traditional chemical ferts. Best I can do!

:blast:

[gforce]

when you say train wreck is finicky what is it you mean...? does it burn easily...? i am looking into it because it has an early finish and is high yielding. but thats really all i have heard. i guess nute levels is an art and not a sicence since uptake can depend on light levels, age, and genetics... i will probably stay conservative with my levels and get a feel for things.

also, am i right in asumeing that the way a person measures nute levels is measuring them as they go in to the res...? that there in no METER to test these things with...?

i will think about the organic nutes... better flavor and aroma you say...? that sounds good to me... is there a trade off in going with the organic ferts...? i am guessing that they cost more [og would almost have to]... but do the concentrates go as far as there petro based brotheren...

also, for high yield and quick finish, what other strains would you recomend...? is there something more hardy than trainwreck...?

thank you..... j

[Irie1]

Hey Gforce!

As far as the Trainwreck goes, it is a good choice. It does have a tendency to burn easily, some phenos of it at least. It just cannot eat as much as some other varieties. I would recommend Afrac, Afghani/Trainwreck, shorter flowering time plus larger yield.

As for the nutrient levels, you will need a meter to read your TDS. A Hanna meter will work great, there are several different models. Ck the Lucas thread....he left you a link. These meters will tell you how much salts or nutrients are dissolved in the H2O so you can add more or less.

The Organic products I mentioned are pretty reasonable in price. I have actually spent much more on designer nutrients than I have on these organic based ones. That is part of my reason for using them, the cheap costs! Around $34.00 for the gallon size and you only need Grow and Bloom! Maybe some Cal-Mag as well but still very reasonable. Best I can do! Peace!

:tokie:

[gforce]

Hey Gforce!

As far as the Trainwreck goes, it is a good choice. It does have a tendency to burn easily, some phenos of it at least. It just cannot eat as much as some other varieties. I would recommend Afrac, Afghani/Trainwreck, shorter flowering time plus larger yield.

As for the nutrient levels, you will need a meter to read your TDS. A Hanna meter will work great, there are several different models. Ck the Lucas thread....he left you a link. These meters will tell you how much salts or nutrients are dissolved in the H2O so you can add more or less.

The Organic products I mentioned are pretty reasonable in price. I have actually spent much more on designer nutrients than I have on these organic based ones. That is part of my reason for using them, the cheap costs! Around $34.00 for the gallon size and you only need Grow and Bloom! Maybe some Cal-Mag as well but still very reasonable. Best I can do! Peace!

:tokie:

is this Afghani/Trainwreck a specific strain...? or are you just refering to the [fact...?] that trainwreck is an afghani strain...? i tried looking for it the way you refered to it in the seed banks and didn't find a mention.....

also, please define phenos please, thanks...... j

[Irie1]

Phenos: Phenotypes. When you sprout seeds, there is a specific phenotype you are looking for, i.e. early finisher, large yielder, etc. Some people obviously have different phenotypes than others, due to slight variances in seeds.

As far as the Afrac goes, it can only be found in clone form on the west coast. So if you went to a medical club, you could probably find a clone of this, if you must get seeds than that also rules out trainwreck. It is also found only in clone form. Best I can do!