Fox farm peace of mind or LK for beneficials

[Nicol Bolas]

I already have the Fox Farm peace of mind fruit and flower which is generally for soil, but was wondering if I could use a little bit in my coco simply for the mycorhizae and bacteria it contains. Or I could throw down for some liquid karma, but does that have active living microbial bennies? I'm trying for the absolute cheapest coco grow I can do, and the plan so far is 100% coco with dolomite lime for cal/mag not ph buffering, and pure blend pro grow and pure blend pro hydro bloom. Then the Peace of Mind for beneficials. I also have fox farm big bloom already. Anything else you see as an absolute necesity? And is liquid karma actually the dankity dank with PBP in coco?

 

[gregor_mendel]

If you're trying to save money, use just coco, no dolomite lime.
If you want additional magnesium, add either epsom salt or cal mag plus from the pure blend pro line.

 

[3dDream]

The botanicare additive for micro's is hydroguard. I agree with gregor concerning everything else. Also, liquid karma does rock for the dankity dank, you dig?

 

[Nicol Bolas]

thank you both this is good info. though I heard epsom salts are bad for coco.
BUT, is there any reason I CAN'T just use Peace of Mind solid that has bacteria and mycorhizae in it since I have some lying around? If I mix or top feed just a little won't it contribute to the microherd in my botanicare cocom, letting me save money on an expensive inoculation product?

 

[Nicol Bolas]

Ok I'm having trouble - none of these companies will SAY what kind of microbial beneficials they contain - Hydrogaurd appears NOT to have anything. Liquid Karma looks like it might, but doesn't say. In fact, no where does Fox Farm's advertising suggest that Peace of Mind has beneficial microbes in it and I know that it has lots. Why in sam hill do companies NOT ADVERTISE their little beasties? I'm getting fed up enough that I might just have to buy GH subculture. But I haven't seen anyone in coco use that additive, nor ANY microbial supplement, which is part of why I assume LK has them. So WHAT GIVES??? WHAT is a coco newb supposed to use to get a good supply of little beasties?

 

[3dDream]

Bascillis subtillis and bacillis amyloiquefaciens are in hydroguard.

 

[gregor_mendel]

though I heard epsom salts are bad for coco

H3ad uses epsom salts at 1 teaspoon per 5 gallons.

Epsom salts are magnesium sulphate.
Cal-mag is calcium nitrate and magnesium nitrate.
If you don't need the additional nitrogen or calcium, why use it?

 

[Nicol Bolas]

"H3ad uses epsom salts at 1 teaspoon per 5 gallons.

Epsom salts are magnesium sulphate.
Cal-mag is calcium nitrate and magnesium nitrate.
If you don't need the additional nitrogen or calcium, why use it?"

I thought you DID need additional calcium and magnesium with Pure Blend Pro in coco. And more nitrogen in flowering than in soil. Cal mag plus should add all that plus other enzymes and stuff they claim is also in cal mag plus.

As to epsom salts, I was aware that H3ad uses them, though other coco growers think they are risky except in very small amounts. But I also want the magnesium they don't contain.

Am I wrong that I should add cal mag plus when I'm using Pure Blend Pro grow and hydro bloom as my main nutes, probably with Liquid Karma?

And I have probably already asked too many questions, but no one appears to be able to give me even a hint : I WANT to use Fox Farm Peace of Mind fruit & flower dry ferts as a source of microbial beneficials - it has LOADS including I believe the ones that are in Hydrogaurd so before I waste christmastime money on beasties I already have, can ANY LIVING SOUL tell me ANYTHING about that? I understand that many of you good people may have some difficulty answering because of the great coco-grown nuggets you've imbibed, but I'm just trying to get there too.

 

[bobs your uncle]

Keep in mind that POM F&F is more ferts than it is beneficials. You'll probably need to experiment with the PBPro as far as dosage goes. The F&F has an NPK of 5-8-4 with 7.87% Ca and 0.85% Mg - not weak by any standards so be careful not to over fert with the PBP.

I added 1 TBS F&F per gallon of coco to a couple plants I was repotting yesterday as an experiment before I even saw this thread. I had the Peace of Mind left over from an earlier batch of Moonshine Mix and was thinking, ... WTF? why not? A little goes a long way, at least in soil it does.

I know when using the Peace of Mind ferts in soil you can go a few weeks or more on just ph'd water before needing to feed again. Just keep that in mind when you're feeding your coco everyday with PBPro.

Lets us know how it works.