Does CalMag spoil?

[jhfhklsnhfldk]

Has anyone ever heard of CalMag spoiling? I have been using General Hydroponics (organic) calmag for my soil grow, watering with 1/2 dose every 3rd watering or so. I mixed up a gallon at 1/2 the light feeding dose and have been working out of the same jug for about 2 weeks.

Today as I was adding it, it looked a bit "skanky" like there were little strings in it. I didn't notice it until after it was added.

 

[TokinElf]

i think anything and everything can spoil,, a general rule is to only mix enough to use for 1 feeding, or possibly a 2day hold (maybe feeding 2 different plants on different scheduals)

 

[jhfhklsnhfldk]

That would have been my thought as well. (except honey, it never goes bad ). My "little" one is looking a bit limp after this watering. The lower leave are laying in the dirt. The big ones seem to notice it but are not in as bad a shape. I did some searching and could not find anything about toxic effects of spoiled calmag. Hope I didn't F them up.

 

[TokinElf]

that would probably depend more on hydro or soil? or maybe not matter much,, either way i doubt you F'ed them up enough to kill em,, so resilient!

 

[jhfhklsnhfldk]

Thanks Tokin, I'm probably just being paranoid. They will probably perk up tomorrow

 

[JBUptown]

As long as the solution in the CalMAg bottle isn't stinky or stringy, you should be fine. Just don't mix more that a feedings worth at a time. Just about every mixture will grow bacteria and slime up after a few weeks.

 

[jhfhklsnhfldk]

Hi JBU,

It was stinky and stringy. It had been mixed with the water for about 2 weeks. I add it in very small amounts as a preventative dose. 1/2 strength cal mag and when I water I add about 32 oz of straight Ph'd water then 16oz of the 1/2 cal mag mix last.

My larger plants don't seem to be minding it, but the small one looks like she is having to sweat it out. She is still a bit limp.

that was a hard (and nervous) lesson for me. I will never do that again.

thanks for the reply

 

[swwilson20]

I've wondered this myself, I use the same brand as you are and I'm in soil. I've heard people say you can keep a mixed solution for a few days but it should be aerated with an air pump and stone if you do so.. you say u have it pre-mixed for periods of up to 2 weeks.. Can you just mix up what you need as you need it? There are various dosage calculators you can find on the Internet so you can be accurate. I'm sure using a ppm would help out too..

 

[jhfhklsnhfldk]

Hi Wilson,

My last few doses, I mixed in smaller amounts since my 4 plants have 3 different watering schedules. I have been dumping anything not used, down the drain. The jug that had the old cal mag in it also had to be thrown away. I was not able to get the smell out.

I kept the solution too long, but never really thought about the fact that it could spoil. It was a bad shortcut on my part. The water I use is from a spring 15 minutes away, so I wanted to conserve, and I also had to adjust the ph after the cal mag was added.

I learned a bit of a hard lesson but on the bright side the plants came through it OK. At this point I don't think there are really any short cuts worth risking.

I start nutes tomorrow so I will have the same issues with them. I will have to mix 3 days in a row.

I can't complain, it is a labor of love.

 

[HenryP]

Hi am sorry but am new I got a question if anybody can help me I'm a beginner grower I got this cal mag plus. my plants are about a month old but still small should I give them the calmag Plus

 

[Bob Loblaw]

Hello and welcome to @HenryP

This thread is 7 years old... that's not a big deal we all do it. However no one will be able to answer that question because no one knows what you are growing in.
In dirt I don't think most use calmag in hydro a yes is more likely. Pics of the whole plant would help as there are many skilled eyes here.

Also that answer is out there many times over.