Earth Juice Users

[milehighmedical]

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[Tac]

Botanicare's Cal-Mag+(Iron) 2-0-0-CAL:3.2-Mag:1.2-Iron:0.1

Guaranteed Analysis:

Total Nitrogen (N) 2.0%
1.94 % Nitrate Nitrogen
0.06 % Other Water Soluble Nitrogen
Calcium (Ca) 3.2%
Magnesium (Mg) 1.2%
1.2 % Water Soluble Magnesium (Mg)
Iron (Fe) 0.1%
0.1 % Chelated Iron (Fe)

Derived from: Calcium Nitrate, Magnesium Nitrate, Iron EDTA.

Humboldt Equilibrium 1-1-2-CAL:12-Mag:2-Iron:0.3

Total Nitrogen (N)…………………………………………………..1.00 %
1.00% Nitrate Nitrogen
Available Phosphate (P2O5)…………………………………….1.00%
Soluble Potash (K2O5)………………………………………….…2.00%
Calcium (C)…………………………………………………………12.00 %
Magnesium (Mg)………………………………………………..…..2.0 0%
2.00% Water Soluble Magnesium
Iron (Fe)…………………………………………………………………. 0.34%

Derived From: Soft rock phosphate, Calcium Carbonate, Crab meal, Magnesium oxide, Magnesium sulfate, Iron oxide, Solubor

Also Contains non plant food ingredient: Kelp, Yucca, polysaccharides and honey
_____________________________________________________________________

The Botanicare choice has seemed to me to be the biggest semi popular liquid cal/mag choice here but comparing whats in them the Humboldt is miles above.

Its stronger, MUCH more diverse ingredients, better flowering NPK levels. I sure don't want to use no where near that much N in flower that the Botanicare has.

Gotta think with Soft rock phosphate, Crab meal, Kelp, Yucca, polysaccharides, honey, etc, it probably has other trace micros also.

Ive just used a small amount so its going to take some time (months) to see how it deals with the cal - mag - iron side of things.

 

[j-netics]

 

[j-netics]

Earth Juice is Wonderfull!!!

 

[Tac]

I feel your pain, not everything works for everyone, even when it's the basics. I use 1/2 tbsp p/ gallon of dol. lime. But I also have oyster shell in my mix, and many other things. But my run-off is a bit high, in the 7's. Even though I feed/water at 6.1.-6.3 pH. So, I'd like to get it in the 6's, but I've seen no ill effects from the pH. It's a very well balanced medium, never had any pH problems yet. One room has been getting only plain 8+ pH tap water on the basic soil mix and performing excellently without any deficiencies. Haven't ever tested runoff, but it looks just as good as the room that I've constantly testing. Not by choice, but by necessity, it's dissapointing that less attention is similarily succesfull. Different strains though (four total) I think the AK-47 is just more vigorous than the Herajuana, Strawberry Cough and Mother's Finest. Although the conditions are not nearly identical, very different equipment.

You said have had no ill affects / problems yet but you have to wonder to yourself = I wonder how these plants would be doing if my PH was 6.2 or do I dare think 5.9 ???

Thats near blueberry territory - THATS CRAZY. lol

I might dare one to try a plant with NO LIME - yes I said it.

Shields up - Defenses armed

Get your PH lows 6's - never break 2.0 EC & enjoy your new found master gardener status. Just don't forget a liquid cal-mag-iron product because you WILL get those difs.

JK folks - well not totally. lol

Im going to get off my imaginary soap box - just having some fun before the big collapse.

But please folks do try to avoid using PH up / down products, even thought EJ down is Citric & said to be cool now, theres just no need to load up the soil with detectable (EC) levels of those items when you can naturally adjust things just by timing the day you feed.

Less really does seem to be better with organics "it seems / generally speaking / IMO"

 

[Tac]

Earth Juice is Wonderfull!!!

Nice Yield..

 

[FinestKind]

Hey Tac, hope you get that shit sorted out!

So, I have a dilemma. My next feeding is scheduled for 4 days from now... I haven't fed in a week and 3 days, due to high EC... I just checked again, and found that it is still at 2.2- it has come down quite a bit, but is still above 2.0- what should I do? Feed? Wait another week? I need to bubble for at least 3, sometimes 4 days, so planning ahead is rather essential. I'm getting pretty late into flowering (Week 6 today), if that's of any consequence. Here's some pics I took today, if that helps (at the bottom of the page)... thanks for the help!

 

[Tac]

Even though you are very excited to add some goodies to fatten up the buds at this peak time, I suggest waiting for the EC to drop some more

They still have ALOT of active nutes in there & there overall size is pretty mid level so another feeding right now will IMO just slow things down.

What you could do is bubble a very low EC tea with some microbs & carbs to boost the soil life this time.

You should be ready for a EC 0.5ish bubbled P&K tea next time.

Buds are getting fat though even with the leaf damage, your making good progress.

 

[FinestKind]

Even though you are very excited to add some goodies to fatten up the buds at this peak time, I suggest waiting for the EC to drop some more

They still have ALOT of active nutes in there & there overall size is pretty mid level so another feeding right now will IMO just slow things down.

What you could do is bubble a very low EC tea with some microbs & carbs to boost the soil life this time.

You should be ready for a EC 0.5ish bubbled P&K tea next time.

Buds are getting fat though even with the leaf damage, your making good progress.

That's a good idea, so just some molasses and Catalyst... that makes a lot of sense, thanks!

So, you think I'm done with the N on this go, then? I was going to give them one more shot the next time I fed, but perhaps there's enough in the soil?

FK

 

[Tac]

Far as the N this late in flower - they do "look" like there lacking but its "probably" not going to any good this late in the cycle.

Ive brought this up before that for awhile now when im ready to flower I give them one last dose of Grow @ aprox 2TBS per gal (EC 1.0 ish) to supply the stretch phase then cut out ALL N ferts through flower.

Just P - K & funky non N products for 2 - 3 months - they just dont seem to need any here ?

Heck there still kinda green at the end - its strange ?

I like it that way - much better to load on P in flower than N - I want buds not leaf

I figure it must be my compost, the large containers & my odd methods ?

 

[FinestKind]

Huh... must be the compost, and the large containers, too- that is a looooong time to go without any N- but if it ain't broke!

FK

 

[Tac]

that is a looooong time to go without any N

Its really amazing how little ferts I use to grow big indoor plants (especially N) & there is still plenty remaining after a 5 to 6 month life cycle.

Most of the time it sucks because im really wanting to give them all kinds of goodies but high EC readings tell me = Stop feeding, its good to go in there

Bottom branch WAY under leaf canopy vegging for over 2 months.

Flawless condition IMO - not even a spot of problem or tip burn, been having to spray all kinds of stuff due to a fungus knat infestation & there still great.



FK - I was just looking at your album again & noticed a major shift of plant heath at week 4 of flower. They went from quite green to pretty yellow in what looks to be week.

Based off the small size, high EC reading it looks to me like your N got totally locked out due to a major excess of it ?

How much Grow were you giving them at that point ?

 

[FinestKind]

Let's see... I had been feeding with 10ml per gallon (2tsp) of the Grow, per week, and I increased it to 20ml per gallon at week 4-ish, which is just about the point that they started yellowing intensely... I haven't given them any N since then.

I have been using Botanicare's Cal/Mag+, which is 2-0-0, at a very weak concentration of 1/2t per gallon, with every watering, because for whatever reason it's the only Cal/Mag I can get around here... so there is the addition of that N as well. I think you may be right- as they did go from green to yellow in really a matter of days....

I think that EC meter is going to change my life, as I've said I'm a compulsive over-feeder, no matter how hard I try not to be.

What should I do, as of right now? By the way, I did make up a tea of just Catalyst and molasses, with an EC of .2... sound good?

FK

 

[Tac]

FK - Think we found your problem, its screaming at me now - Do you hear it ?

LOL - well maybe you don't hear it but I think you see it ?

Your girls are crying please stop your overdosing me in N.

It must have been slowing building up to the point of a total crash to hit that fast, clearly it wasn't a lack of it so it must have been a major excess.

Once the two week stretch is over leaf growth nearly comes to a complete stop so there isn't much a demand for N after that point.

Thats one reason I don't like that Botanicare Cal/Mag - I think you plan is good (don't forget some form of microbs in the tea) & im willing to bet your next grow will be alot better & you will use less than 1/2 the nutes to do it.

 

[FinestKind]

FK - Think we found your problem, its screaming at me now - Do you hear it ?

LOL - well maybe you don't hear it but I think you see it ?

Your girls are crying please stop your overdosing me in N.

It must have been slowing building up to the point of a total crash to hit that fast, clearly it wasn't a lack of it so it must have been a major excess.

Once the two week stretch is over leaf growth nearly comes to a complete stop so there isn't much a demand for N after that point.

Thats one reason I don't like that Botanicare Cal/Mag - I think you plan is good (don't forget some form of microbs in the tea) & im willing to bet your next grow will be alot better & you will use less that 1/2 the nutes to do it.

I've already been thinking about it... I think I'm going to try your 2TB/gal at the flip and then just keep an eye on things from there... Yes, I heard it screaming too.

I'm just hoping things will be OK on this grow- they certainly look spectacular, in spite of everything. At least I won't be adding any more N to the system... and I haven't been dropping any leaves since I stopped, so I'm taking that as a good sign.

I really do wish I could get some other kind of Cal/Mag around here... I've tried to order the General Organics stuff through my guy, and he said it just kept getting back-ordered. Oh well. Maybe I'll look into some other organic Cal/Mags and see if he can't get me something.

Thanks a lot, man, you have been a huge help on this grow...

P.S. I just noticed you said "don't forget some form of microbes in the tea"... um, hate to be a dumbass, but... how do you mean? I thought they just kind of came from the surrounding air and/or were in the nutes? I do have some Mycorrhizae, but it's not going to do much in 3 days, is it? (2 days now)

 

[Tac]

By microbs I mean a few TBS of compost or ewc or bacteria - fungi product or all of them in the tea.

Redirect the burning desire to feed nutes towards multiplying "beneficial soil warriors" in your system.

The larger there mass the faster the nutes get broke down & sucked out of the soil.

Try some of that fungus culture stuff in your next grow then you'll be shootin' strait...

 

[FinestKind]

By microbs I mean a few TBS of compost or ewc or bacteria - fungi product or all of them in the tea.

Redirect the burning desire to feed nutes towards multiplying "beneficial soil warriors" in your system.

The larger there mass the faster the nutes get broke down & sucked out of the soil.

Try some of that fungus culture stuff in your next grow then you'll be shootin' strait...

So I was going to send you a PM about this, but then I remembered, you're a new member, so much for that!

So, I have 2 reservoirs, a 30 gallon and an 18 gallon, to which (on top of the molasses and the Catalyst) I threw in a sock full of about 1/4 cup of organic composted cow shit, into each reservoir. Sound about right?

FK

 

[Tactical Farmer]

Dear god man - what in the world are you doing ?

Might be misunderstanding - could you give more details of your tea brewing setup ?

 

[FinestKind]

Dear god man - what in the world are you doing ?

Might be misunderstanding - could you give more details of your tea brewing setup ?

Ha! Well. Okay, not sure which part you want the details of, but I imagine you mean the 2 different size containers. So here goes.

I need around 48 gallons of H2O a week for my plants (48 plants x 1 gallon of H2O each per week)... I like my numbers to be something divisible by 3 (3 tsp in a Tbsp being the primary reason, so everything comes out to even ounce numbers- hence, 30 and 18)... As to why I don't just do 24 and 24, well... It just didn't work out that way.

In the larger barrel, I have 2x aquarium pumps, with 2 air stones on each one, for a total of 4 stones. I use whatever I can find, usually the biggest ones, but right now there's a 10" and 3 6 or 8" I believe. I bought the biggest air pumps that Wal-Mart had, which claim 50 gallons per each pump for aquariums, so I figured that was enough air. (Is it?)

In the smaller tub, I've got something different... I was talked into buying these things called Ario aerators, which are basically submersible pumps that also aerate... they work pretty good, except that the clog up like a bastard. I use either 1 or 2 of them, depending on how I'm feeling.

I had been considering going to 24 and 24 gallons, but unfortunately there is a depth limit on the Ario pumps, and 24 gallons is too deep for them to function properly, so I stayed with my status quo.

Does any of this make any sense?

FK

 

[Scrappy4]

A quick question for the earth juice users. What soil are you using? Amendments or no?
And if you use admended soil, like say LC's mix, do you use the EJ at the rates EJ suggests? I looked through the first 100 or so posts and did not find any anwers, sorry if it's been posted..........scrappy