Nutes & Calmag Questions

[HugePeckerhead]

I am currently growing in FFO and my nutes arrive today. They are the 3 bottles I have attached in the picture. I also noticed many people using calmag. Is this something I should also add to feeding and does it get added with the feed itself? Any help is appreciated greatly. Thanks guys and gals.

 

[Greenlizard]

I'm not familiar with Fox Farm's products but yes... Cal/Mag can be essential. I'm sure it works the same as my nutrient line with the fact that you can just add the Cal/Mag right into the mix with the rest of the nutes.
Cal/Mag is a brand name but most lines of nutes have their own version and the name may vary.

 

[HugePeckerhead]

I'm not familiar with Fox Farm's products but yes... Cal/Mag can be essential. I'm sure it works the same as my nutrient line with the fact that you can just add the Cal/Mag right into the mix with the rest of the nutes.
Cal/Mag is a brand name but most lines of nutes have their own version and the name may vary.

I figured it can be added right with my nutes but wanted to make sure before I tried it.

 

[Emilya Green]

yes, you can add it right in, but I wouldn't until your plants show they have a need for it. Loading up too much calcium and magnesium in the soil can lock out other things, and that is why it isnt in sufficient quantities in your soil already. Usually if you are using filtered water and/or using LED lights, you will need calmag supplements in at least a few of your plants.
I ran the FF system for a long time and really loved the results I got from it. I also got the 3 solubles to use along with the nutes. Be sure to download the official feeding chart, and follow that dude to the letter. Also, be aware that the soil is heavily buffered and needs you to come in at the low end of the soil pH range, at 6.2-6.3. If you come in at 6.5 as many people recommend, you will have mid to late flower deficiencies.

 

[HugePeckerhead]

yes, you can add it right in, but I wouldn't until your plants show they have a need for it. Loading up too much calcium and magnesium in the soil can lock out other things, and that is why it isnt in sufficient quantities in your soil already. Usually if you are using filtered water and/or using LED lights, you will need calmag supplements in at least a few of your plants.
I ran the FF system for a long time and really loved the results I got from it. I also got the 3 solubles to use along with the nutes. Be sure to download the official feeding chart, and follow that dude to the letter. Also, be aware that the soil is heavily buffered and needs you to come in at the low end of the soil pH range, at 6.2-6.3. If you come in at 6.5 as many people recommend, you will have mid to late flower deficiencies.

Yea I've noticed its use is when people are here diagnosing their plant problems. To be honest I haven't even gone down the Ph of the soil road yet but now that you say it it's time for me to go address that for the ladies.

 

[Emilya Green]

Yea I've noticed its use is when people are here diagnosing their plant problems. To be honest I haven't even gone down the Ph of the soil road yet but now that you say it it's time for me to go address that for the ladies.

no I did not. There is great confusion out there that somehow as a grower (not a designer of soils) that the soil pH is something that you need to be concerned with. It is not. Without totally screwing up the balance of that soil, there is not a lot you can do to adjust the pH, nor should you. Soil is usually designed with a base pH of 6.8... at the upper end of the soil pH range. This is done intentially, so that you can come in with your fluids at the low end of the range, and as the soil dries out it reverts back to its base pH, effectively drifting your container pH through the entire usable range, and picking up the nutrients as they become most mobile in that solution. Just make sure that every fluid that hits your soil is adjusted correctly to 6.2-6.3, and all will be perfect. If anyone advises you to check your runoff pH or to add anything into that soil to adjust something you don't understand, kick them in the shins and run away... their bro-science can and does ruin grows. Fox Farms has no incentive for you to fail, using their system. They want you to talk well about them, and be proud of the product you grow with their system. Trust them. They know what they are doing.

 

[HugePeckerhead]

no I did not. There is great confusion out there that somehow as a grower (not a designer of soils) that the soil pH is something that you need to be concerned with. It is not. Without totally screwing up the balance of that soil, there is not a lot you can do to adjust the pH, nor should you. Soil is usually designed with a base pH of 6.8... at the upper end of the soil pH range. This is done intentially, so that you can come in with your fluids at the low end of the range, and as the soil dries out it reverts back to its base pH, effectively drifting your container pH through the entire usable range, and picking up the nutrients as they become most mobile in that solution. Just make sure that every fluid that hits your soil is adjusted correctly to 6.2-6.3, and all will be perfect. If anyone advises you to check your runoff pH or to add anything into that soil to adjust something you don't understand, kick them in the shins and run away... their bro-science can and does ruin grows. Fox Farms has no incentive for you to fail, using their system. They want you to talk well about them, and be proud of the product you grow with their system. Trust them. They know what they are doing.

This is what I'll be following. Instead of starting off at 6 & 3, I'm going to go with half of those numbers just because it's the first feed of these nutes. I want to see how they react. It says I can feed up to twice a week as well but until I can see how it goes I'm just going to alternate feed and water. Once I see positive reactions from them I can simply adjust upwards to get me at recommended dose.

 

[Emilya Green]

Yes, just go with every other time... and if you have a 2 day lag between waterings, twice a week is about what you end up with. Regarding the 1/2 strength... if you go light, you grow light. Trust FFarms. The whole purpose of high power nutes is to grow high power plants. Timidity has no place in my gardens...

 

[Emilya Green]

Seriously consider getting the 3 solubles too... it really completes the nute profile and the quality of my buds, and their weight skyrocketed when I started using the whole program.

 

[HugePeckerhead]

Got it thanks. For my first real grow they're looking great.

 

[HugePeckerhead]

Seriously consider getting the 3 solubles too... it really completes the nute profile and the quality of my buds, and their weight skyrocketed when I started using the whole program.

I'm assuming you mean these? Also I see them mentioning a foliage spray in the chart. Have you personally ever used it?

 

[Emilya Green]

I'm assuming you mean these? Also I see them mentioning a foliage spray in the chart. Have you personally ever used it?

I didn't at the time, but with what I know now, yes, I would try it.

 

[Emilya Green]

Let me clarify... you do have the 3 solubles that I mentioned... they all supercharge different stages of bloom. The foliar thing wasn't something I tried in my early growing days... but now I do it all the time and highly recommend it.

 

[briefbriefs]

Yes, just go with every other time... and if you have a 2 day lag between waterings, twice a week is about what you end up with. Regarding the 1/2 strength... if you go light, you grow light. Trust FFarms. The whole purpose of high power nutes is to grow high power plants. Timidity has no place in my gardens...

Question for you @Emilya ! So I’m growing in FFHF and FFOF, thanks to you I’m now going to start watering at 6.3ph instead of 6.5ph..and I’m about to start my nutes next week (week 3), but I’ll be using General Hydroponics NovaGrow & NovaBloom. Do you recommend I go by the manufacturer feed schedule or should I use them at half-strength?

 

[Emilya Green]

Question for you @Emilya ! So I’m growing in FFHF and FFOF, thanks to you I’m now going to start watering at 6.3ph instead of 6.5ph..and I’m about to start my nutes next week (week 3), but I’ll be using General Hydroponics NovaGrow & NovaBloom. Do you recommend I go by the manufacturer feed schedule or should I use them at half-strength?

I am sorry Brief, but I have no answer for you since I have never run those nutes and never even would consider running hydroponic nutes in soil, even if they say it is possible. I see no sense in using the fox farm soils and then not following through by also using their nutrient line. Please tell me it was not a hydro shop salesperson who prompted you to make this decision.
Anyway, now you have to find someone who runs that line of nutes, and better yet, one who has run it in fox farms soil. Other than that, you are guessing as to the proper pH to run at and nute strength. Because of this decision, I can not even properly advise you to pH to 6.3... your grow has just become a hybrid of soil, organic and hydro and it might be best adjusted to 6.1. I honestly do not know... sorry.