I haven't bought a Ca/Mg product for ages. I'm actually about to break down and do that. I'd been trying to save money for a while by just using Epsom salt for magnesium (and sulfur 
), and depending on the overabundance of calcium in my tap water for that thing. But, really, I see this as an imperfect solution (for a few reasons).
Most Ca/Mg products seem to have at least some nitrogen in them, don't they? I have never noticed a nitrogen deficiency in my plants, so I wouldn't think I need any more. I see a lot of signs of an overabundance of N in the photos that people post of their plants, so they probably don't need such a product (that contains nitrogen) either, IMHO.
I do have a good bit of calcium nitrate and epsom salt, lol. But, again, nitrogen.
I can't afford to use any source of water other than my tap water. Last time I checked it (admittedly, eight or so years ago ), it was consistently reading in the 320 to 350 PPM range. And we generally have to run a pot of white vinegar through our coffeemakers monthly around here due to the buildup in them.
For nutrients, I have some old bottles of General Hydroponics three-part Flora series, some really old bottles of same, some old two-part nutrients (one grow, one bloom) that came from an ex-sponsor years ago and are likely past their prime, new (well, last year's stock recently obtained from a garden center and unopened) Foxfarm Trio (not the Grow Big Hydroponic, just the regular), and a bottle of Osmocote Plus pellets. Aside from those and the bag of Ca(NO₃)₂ I mentioned above, I also have a four-pound bag of earthworm castings. And that's about it, as far as I can remember. I don't have any fancy additives, and probably won't be purchasing any at this time (lack of money).
I will be growing in both "soil" (Foxfarm's Happy Frog and Ocean Forest) and hydroponics (passive hydro, either straight perlite or very nearly so).
I listed my collection of nutrients - and my growing medium - in case you've found that a certain product works very well (or badly) with any of those specific things.
Oh, and I'll be growing with a relatively small LED ("blurple") of 160 watts, and possibly adding my HPS at some point (if so, I'll probably keep it turned down to 250 watts both to minimize the heat production and because the electric bill is hard enough for me to pay even when I'm not growing a single plant (plus, my house only has 30-amp electrical service!). I have a more powerful LED, but I doubt I'll be adding it to this grow.
That's about all I can think of that even might be pertinent. But it's closer to dawn than bedtime here, so I'm a little foggy, lol.
Thanks in advance!
), and depending on the overabundance of calcium in my tap water for that thing. But, really, I see this as an imperfect solution (for a few reasons).Most Ca/Mg products seem to have at least some nitrogen in them, don't they? I have never noticed a nitrogen deficiency in my plants, so I wouldn't think I need any more. I see a lot of signs of an overabundance of N in the photos that people post of their plants, so they probably don't need such a product (that contains nitrogen) either, IMHO.
I do have a good bit of calcium nitrate and epsom salt, lol. But, again, nitrogen.
I can't afford to use any source of water other than my tap water. Last time I checked it (admittedly, eight or so years ago
), it was consistently reading in the 320 to 350 PPM range. And we generally have to run a pot of white vinegar through our coffeemakers monthly around here due to the buildup in them.For nutrients, I have some old bottles of General Hydroponics three-part Flora series, some really old bottles of same, some old two-part nutrients (one grow, one bloom) that came from an ex-sponsor years ago and are likely past their prime, new (well, last year's stock recently obtained from a garden center and unopened) Foxfarm Trio (not the Grow Big Hydroponic, just the regular), and a bottle of Osmocote Plus pellets. Aside from those and the bag of Ca(NO₃)₂ I mentioned above, I also have a four-pound bag of earthworm castings. And that's about it, as far as I can remember. I don't have any fancy additives, and probably won't be purchasing any at this time (lack of money).
I will be growing in both "soil" (Foxfarm's Happy Frog and Ocean Forest) and hydroponics (passive hydro, either straight perlite or very nearly so).
I listed my collection of nutrients - and my growing medium - in case you've found that a certain product works very well (or badly) with any of those specific things.
Oh, and I'll be growing with a relatively small LED ("blurple") of 160 watts, and possibly adding my HPS at some point (if so, I'll probably keep it turned down to 250 watts both to minimize the heat production and because the electric bill is hard enough for me to pay even when I'm not growing a single plant (plus, my house only has 30-amp electrical service!). I have a more powerful LED, but I doubt I'll be adding it to this grow.
That's about all I can think of that even might be pertinent. But it's closer to dawn than bedtime here, so I'm a little foggy, lol.
Thanks in advance!
