So, I've been evaluating my fertilizing approach. EI has worked successfully and I have no complaints, in fact I look to probably scale back the dosing a bit from previous solutions. In reading a few things here and there I've begun to think about additional additives in the process and have a few questions I have been unable to find adequate answers to and hope the folks here could be of some help.
1)Using acid as a preservative. In the past I have used excel and it works fairly well. Usually a couple months without growth. I've read that an acid can enhance the effectiveness of chelators. I think I see some precipitate in my micro solution after a period of time and wonder if an acid preservative would help with this. a) can I still use excel with HCL or Citric acid? b) Any guidance on how much to add to a volume of micro solution? My autodoser has a 1500 ml reservoir.
2)Any truth to the idea that creating an acidic enough solution allows someone to create an all in one solution without PO4 and Fe precipitating out? I cannot recall nor find again the resources from where I first read this.
3) I've noticed some commercials fertilizers use two sources of nitrogen, likely KNO3 we all use, and Urea. Any guidance to using Urea as a secondary source of Nitrogen? Are plants better able to utilize urea or is this just more marketing claims? If it couldn't hurt and I feel like trying any guidance on how much to add to my solution of macros? This is what I found on Amazon and am EXTREMELY rusty on my stoichiometry so wouldn't trust myself calculating it. Any help would be appreciated.
4)Any benefit to using MnSO4 to beef up the Mn content of Plantex CSM+B? In reading some of the DIY Tropica Mastermix threads and info I came across Wet's analysis of the ratio of iron to manganese in Tropica compared to Plantex on The Barr Report and noticed the discrepancy.
I'm planning to shoot for lower end of EI range for dosing this round in terms of nitrogen. I would like to see some color induced by nitrate limitation without some of the drawbacks of too lean of dosing elsewhere (so why the Urea question anyways then...yeah...I know). I'm thinking rich Fe (and maybe additional Mn), rich K, heavier P...and light on the N ( 10 ppm?). I will use the calculator at Rotalabutterfly.com to calculate for my targets. Any comments on this idea at all?
*UPDATE*
Used Jame's Planted tank to narrow down the acid I plan to use Ascorbic acid and the preservative Potassium Sorbate. Not sure if I'll make an all in one solution however.
1)Using acid as a preservative. In the past I have used excel and it works fairly well. Usually a couple months without growth. I've read that an acid can enhance the effectiveness of chelators. I think I see some precipitate in my micro solution after a period of time and wonder if an acid preservative would help with this. a) can I still use excel with HCL or Citric acid? b) Any guidance on how much to add to a volume of micro solution? My autodoser has a 1500 ml reservoir.
2)Any truth to the idea that creating an acidic enough solution allows someone to create an all in one solution without PO4 and Fe precipitating out? I cannot recall nor find again the resources from where I first read this.
3) I've noticed some commercials fertilizers use two sources of nitrogen, likely KNO3 we all use, and Urea. Any guidance to using Urea as a secondary source of Nitrogen? Are plants better able to utilize urea or is this just more marketing claims? If it couldn't hurt and I feel like trying any guidance on how much to add to my solution of macros? This is what I found on Amazon and am EXTREMELY rusty on my stoichiometry so wouldn't trust myself calculating it. Any help would be appreciated.
4)Any benefit to using MnSO4 to beef up the Mn content of Plantex CSM+B? In reading some of the DIY Tropica Mastermix threads and info I came across Wet's analysis of the ratio of iron to manganese in Tropica compared to Plantex on The Barr Report and noticed the discrepancy.
I'm planning to shoot for lower end of EI range for dosing this round in terms of nitrogen. I would like to see some color induced by nitrate limitation without some of the drawbacks of too lean of dosing elsewhere (so why the Urea question anyways then...yeah...I know). I'm thinking rich Fe (and maybe additional Mn), rich K, heavier P...and light on the N ( 10 ppm?). I will use the calculator at Rotalabutterfly.com to calculate for my targets. Any comments on this idea at all?
*UPDATE*
Used Jame's Planted tank to narrow down the acid I plan to use Ascorbic acid and the preservative Potassium Sorbate. Not sure if I'll make an all in one solution however.
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