What's new
  • ICMag with help from Landrace Warden and The Vault is running a NEW contest in November! You can check it here. Prizes are seeds & forum premium access. Come join in!

Approximate Lucas w/GH Dry Nutes

Octavian

Octavian

Member
So I've been using the Lucas formula in slightly varying iterations for several years now. I've used it exactly as directed with great results. I've also used GH FloraNova Bloom with great success. I've tweaked it with several additives, but have ended up abandoning most of them.

This may be helpful for people who find themselves in the situation that I found myself in recently, having run out of FloraNova Bloom. I checked my stocks, and found the old powdered GH nutes, and rather than let them go to waste, I did the calculations to use them and still maintain the optimum nutrient ranges.

For anyone who doesn't know what the Lucas Formula is, it is 8mL/gal GH FloraMicro plus 16mL/gal FloraBloom. It gives the target ranges of the different macronutrients plus magnesium using pH's target ranges for nutrient levels. pH Stated that the target ranges for cannabis in parts per million (ppm) are Nitrogen 100, Phosphorous 100, Potassium 200, and Magnesium 60.

I did the calculations and the powdered GH nutrient MaxiGro at 1tsp/gal works out to 106ppm N 23ppm P 123ppm K 21ppm Mg. This leaves us spot on with the Nitrogen, but a little low in everything else.

I have some powdered GH KoolBloom which at 1/4tsp/gal works out to 8ppm N 78ppm P 92ppm K 4ppm Mg. This completes the Phosphorous and Potassium needs, but still leaves us a little low in Mg.

1/4tsp/gal Epsom Salts will add 39ppm Mg...perfect.

The final solution will have the following concentrations of nutrients. Nitrogen 114ppm Phosphorous 101ppm Potassium 215ppm Magnesium 64ppm.

Cheers


Octavian
 
T

tex1969

This is a great find, I have found myself in a position where I have a bucket of gro and bloom wasting away. I wish we had a listing with all of the calculations for common nutes, at a tsp dosage. The results could easily be adjusted to find a ratio that fits your needs.
 
D

_Dude

Member
God...damned...browser...ate...my...post.

1) What is Lucas? Flowering, or veg, or both? If both, which are you trying to replicate? (I think I get that you're saying 1 teaspoon Grow, 1/4 teaspoon Bloom, and 1/4 teaspoon Epsom Salts, per gallon, but I don't get if this is for veg or flower).

2) I have MaxiGro and MaxiBloom. Anyone know the NPK PPMs for MaxiBloom?

3) Anyone want to translate the NPK PPMs above into the code used on fertilizer (15-5-14, etc)?

4) It's been a while since my last grow. Veg I ran them up to 1400 PPMs of MaxiGro (my water's about 150 PPM out of the tap). If memory serves, my last flower had a good bit lower MaxiBloom PPMs, but it's been a long time. Anyone want to suggest a figure for max PPMs during flower? (I'm going to do maybe 1/4 strength first week, then 1/2, then 3/4, and hit full strength on the fourth week, or maybe 1/3, 2/3, and hit full strength on week 3)
 
T

TheFallenLion

Member
Wow from the calculator Supernatural Brand Aqua Grow and Bloom are both deficient in Potassium I believe, its the third one in the list, I'm very tired so I won't go back and look.

But that's odd, they have such a good rep.

So you're telling me I need to be targeting those numbers? Can you link me to the source that originally claimed those were ideal, and where hopefully he/she explained their reasoning?

Thanks.
 
E

EvilTwin

Hi Guys,
This has been discussed somewhat in the dry nute thread. I started using Maxi-bloom two years ago and knew nothing about this EXCEPT that my plants grew great. Thanks for the input.
Cheers,
ET
 
D

_Dude

Member
Don't know why I never followed up on this post, but Lucas is super-easy to reproduce with dry nutes. I forget ATM who makes it (AH or GH) but it's called Maxi-Grow and Maxi-Bloom or something like that. You mix 2 parts Grow and 1 part Bloom and you're done. I use 1300 PPM for veg and flower and it works great (don't worry about getting it right on the dot, you're looking for a range, not a point. So anywhere from 1200-1400 PPM is good. BUT, my water comes out of the tap at about 250 PPM so keep that in mind).
 
E

EvilTwin

_Dude said:
Don't know why I never followed up on this post, but Lucas is super-easy to reproduce with dry nutes. I forget ATM who makes it (AH or GH) but it's called Maxi-Grow and Maxi-Bloom or something like that. You mix 2 parts Grow and 1 part Bloom and you're done. I use 1300 PPM for veg and flower and it works great (don't worry about getting it right on the dot, you're looking for a range, not a point. So anywhere from 1200-1400 PPM is good. BUT, my water comes out of the tap at about 250 PPM so keep that in mind).
Click to expand...

Dude,
You have to be wrong. The Maxi-Grow is very heavy in N and Lucas formula is fairly light in N relying solely on the micro.

I've heard that the GH Maxi-bloom used straight is a very close approximation to the Lucas Formula.

Where did you get your info? Mine comes from the Dry nute thread and from this thread right here (about 4 posts up)
ET
 
T

TheFallenLion

Member
Does anyone know how to advise me how to calculate this for Supernatural Brand Bloom and Grow Aqua, and Bud Blaster?

I tried to do it my self but I think I'm doing it wrong.

I went to the Cannastats calc, I entered all the information I could from the guaranteed analysis. I measured the 1 1/2 teaspoons per 4 liters they recommend, this weighed out to 9 grams on my scale. I entered that information.

But as to building a profile from these numbers I'm a little lost.
 
T

TheFallenLion

Member
Just to update, I understand the calculator now, here's what Supernatural worked out to.

Supernatural Gro Aqua is 45N 8P 39K 5M per gram.
Supernatural Bloom Aqua is 37N 9P 42K 5M per gram.

Combined 82N 17P 81K 10M, so apparently if the ideal is 100 100 200 60 then... Supernatural is horrible for growing Cannabis, or at least for using the Lucas Formula with.

As you can see it's deficient in PK, but to get the proper amount you have to overdose on N.

I'm thinking either following a 6 or 7 gram per gallon MaxiBloom regimen as the numbers are far closer to the target, where FloraNova Bloom is over on some and under on some so is MaxiBloom, but not enough to really warrant a panic attack.

Unfortunately I've the much more dastardly issue of chloramine to deal with, as my pH swings wildly.
 
!!!

!!!

Now in technicolor
Veteran
The ratio is N-P-K-Mg 100-200-200-60 and NOT 100-100-200-60. I don't see how 6-7g/gallon of Maxibloom alone hits that ratio..
 
toohighmf

toohighmf

Well-known member
Veteran
MileHighGuy said:
MaxiBloom is Lucas formula all by itself without adding anything.

7 grams/gal:
N 92
P 121
K 215
Mg 65
S 74
Ca 92

https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=120546&highlight=maxibloom+lucas
Click to expand...

MileHighGuy FTW. maxibloom is the lucas formula. this thread needs to go to the fert/nutes subforum. A lot of people need to see this. next time I need ferts, it's either this w floralicious+, OR.. dynabloom 1 part liquid. I'm done w exotic 12 bottle formulas.

thanks for posting this!!
 
D

_Dude

Member
I was way off. I plugged the guaranteed analysis numbers into the Cannastats nute calculator ages ago but it looks like I screwed up somewhere, big time. MaxiBloom is a bit low on N to be Lucas, though, assuming I'm using the calculator right this time. Looks like 1:6 MaxiGro:MaxiBloom is a good approximation.

That's also assuming the PPM profile of Lucas (100-100-200-60) I read in the "ask Lucas" thread is correct.

Can check my work if you like (it would make me feel better about dumping 100 gallons of 1400ppm solution):

Nute Calculator from Cannastats (first link on the page):
http://www.angelfire.com/cantina/fourtwenty/articles/download.htm

Guaranteed Analysis of MaxiGrow and MaxiBloom available here:
http://www.angelfire.com/cantina/fourtwenty/articles/nuteoramapremixppm.txt
 
D

_Dude

Member
Whoops, cut-paste-forget. Hopefully that fixed it.

The ratio is N-P-K-Mg 100-200-200-60 and NOT 100-100-200-60. I don't see how 6-7g/gallon of Maxibloom alone hits that ratio..
Click to expand...

So who's right? Do we have word from the Luc-man on what the PPMs are? Anyone got a link?

The nute calculator comes with GH Flora series already plugged in. If I'm using this thing right, 1 part Micro and 2 parts Bloom (8ml/16ml per gallon) gives me PPMs 106-92-158-63.

Bloom is close, but too low in N and too high in K to get very close to Lucas, no matter what ratio you mix it with Gro. Looks like Octavian is the man. :)
 
D

_Dude

Member
Funny, if you mix 2 parts MaxiGro and 1 part KaBloom (dry nutes I've had laying around for years but never used) you get way closer to Lucas than what I've been using. I wonder if that's what I did. Damn I must've been high if I did.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Latest posts

Top