Nutes and cal mag questions. Botanicare.

[Spanky]

Coco grow with Botanicare Pure Blend Grow and Bloom and their Cal Mag. Fabric pots.
Tutorials give a great chart already set at half strength, for another brand, but sadly not mine. Found a chart put out by Botanicare stating 5ml for seedlings, 10 ml for week one veg, per gallon water, etc.

1. Do I need to half strength this chart or have they done so already?

2. They say to give 5ml Cal Mag to a gallon of water for first two weeks. Is this half strength or do I need to do that calculation myself? Tutorials say reduce after first two weeks...how much should I give each week as grow progresses.

3. I should add Cal Mag to water first, mix, add nutes, then test Ph, correct? Ph adjusted water only every other water, correct?

4. I should also Ph test early runoff...shoot for 20 percent each time. Adjust next water if too far out of range based on this result, not based on Ph going in, correct?

Just sos y’all know, I have searched these questions and read the tutorials, which are great. If you can help with these questions, it will help to bring it all together for me.

Thanks and please stay safe! We are all in this together, if we run out of toilet paper, let’s do it as a community!

[smoorman]

1. I think it depends on how often you feed them. I feed everyday but keep the nutes to half strength throughout the grow. I think this is referred to as fertigating. Some say to feed every 3rd watering or so. If that's the case them mix per recommendations and see how the plants react. Look for problem signs per the tutorials here.

2. I add 5ml per gallon throughout. Except at very early seedling stage. Never noticed it to be a problem.

3. I add 5 drops aquarium type de-chlorinator per 5 gallons of water then 5ml/g of CalMag. I let this sit for an hour or so because I read somewhere that it takes a bit for it to go into solution with the water and you want it to go into solution with the water because it may "like" some of the nutes better and bind to them rather than be free for the plants. I then test and correct ph to +-6.0.

4. I don't check runoff ph. And I don't necessarily water to runoff. Sometime I do Sometimes I don't. I make sure solution going in is correct. I also do a very solid ph corrected rinse of the coco before transferring anything into it.

I also do a flush once a month or so. Plant really seem to like this. There are a lot of ways to success in growing. I've been pretty successful so far.
I hope others chime in on my comments. Maybe we'll both learn a little.
Attached is an updated photo of my current grow. About a month to go before harvest but it looks like some will be ready before others. This is only part of my MI legal grow.

[Spanky]

Thanks. Your efforts sure are working! It just seemed like a lot of nutes for a wee plant so, in the absence of other responses, I think I will start out with half strength nutes. Nice of you to take the time to try to help! Regards.

[smoorman]

Remember to watch how the plants are doing and respond. It's better to underfeed and correct that situation than it is to overfeed and have to correct that more difficult situation. How did you germinate the seeds and did you transfer to dixie cups or anything?

[Spanky]

Good advice! Seed started with a one day Phed water soak. Outer skin opened...possible root/or just layer of seed below skin exposed. Seed now in plastic pot of coir and vermic about the size of solo cup, on a heat mat. Awaiting sprout! Dribbling, with a teaspoon, plain Phed water small amount in circle around seed when it looks dry...very low humidity in house so being watchful. This process worked for me in the past.

It has been a few years since growing, so just relearning all the details.

My biggest failing of first grow was not getting Ph right. Last grow I had two plants, did really well. LED/CFL combo. Made clones. Grew some outside on south facing deck. Tried out lots of the training techniques. Such a luxury to be able to experiment.

Question...I should stick with 6500 during veg and don’t put in any other bulbs for veg? I seem to recall that it is ok to add 6500 to my 2700 during flowering, but not the other way around?

[smoorman]

On all my grows using LEDs with veg/flower switches I kept both on from the beginning. More light is better just watch out for light burn.

[9fingerleafs]

botanicare are just the best, i use to run them at 2ml per liter, so 8 per gallon. calmag at 1ml per liter, or 4 per gallon and never had issues until i switched to GH shitty colored nutrients. im going full on alchemist with salts to make my own nutrients, for those interested ive got tons of info

[Spanky]

Did you keep those strengths throughout your grows?

[9fingerleafs]

yes, for veg and bloom, for seedlings too, i start with a hard water around 350ppms and then with nutrients rise up to 1000ppm