Lucas Formula Simplified

[Hydro-Soil]

IMy question is, will the hard water micro be suitable still or will I need to buy the soft water version?

Keep the hardwater around for using on your house plants with tap water. You can keep it around for 'Softening' up a plant you need to do hardcore LST on, the lack of calcium for a short period will make your plant very bendy.

For best results I highly recommend you pick up the regular micro. You can also pick up a single bottle of FloraNova Bloom and use just that nutrient alone at up to 8ml/gal.

In the future I plan on trying the MaxiBloom (Lucas in a Dry fert) and Floralicious+ combination I'm hearing so much about.

 

[james123]

Keep the hardwater around for using on your house plants with tap water. You can keep it around for 'Softening' up a plant you need to do hardcore LST on, the lack of calcium for a short period will make your plant very bendy.

For best results I highly recommend you pick up the regular micro. You can also pick up a single bottle of FloraNova Bloom and use just that nutrient alone at up to 8ml/gal.

In the future I plan on trying the MaxiBloom (Lucas in a Dry fert) and Floralicious+ combination I'm hearing so much about.

I'm going to be doing a scrog so will using the hardwater for a few weeks be better than the softwater? If the calcium makes the plant bendy that's good for training on the screen right? Then I can change over to the softwater for flowering. Just seems a waste of ££ otherwise as I don't have any houseplants.

This is my first grow so all these different nutes are confusing the hell out of me lol. FloraNova Bloom is supposed to be the Lucas formula in a single bottle so i'll use that on my next grow for sure.

 

[Hydro-Soil]

I'm going to be doing a scrog so will using the hardwater for a few weeks be better than the softwater? If the calcium makes the plant bendy that's good for training on the screen right?

Yes, it will make your plant really bendy for a scrog but I wouldn't recommend it for more than a week. Calcium is a requirement for the plant to stay healthy and long term you'll have issues.

Stay Safe!

(Yes, FloraNova Bloom is excellent and I prefer it to the 3-part now)

 

[cashmunny]

Lucas formula adds less nitrogen, more phosphorus and less potassium than the recommended 3:2:1 ratio of grow/micro/bloom that GH recommends for vegging.

What's the theory behind more phosphorus and less of the other stuff being better?

 

[Graham Purwatt]

it pretty well hits the target range of nutrients that cannabis prefers according to mel franks 100-100-200-60(n-p-k-mg) nutrient profile for cannabis.and it works simply and beautifully

 

[Hydro-Soil]

it works simply and beautifully

Excellent results, starting with my first ever hydro grow. Good enough for me.

 

[JustanotherDave]

Have used the Lucas/PH ratio for yrs with 80ppm/7.1ph tap water....in parts, it's just 0/1/2 of GH G/M/B....easy.
I rarely use it at full dose in hydro.

 

[Graham Purwatt]

i use it with tap water too, mine is 198 ppm right out of the tap.i haven't seen any benefit from using ro water,unless yours is like 400 ppm i wouldn't worry much about it.your local water utility should have a downloadable water quality report if you want to know whats in it.i just use 0-5-10 for veg and 0-7.5-15 for flowering usually at full strength until the 6th week of flowering then i switch to 0-0-20 and i never have deficiencies.i've tried supplementing with epsom salts and with cal mag at different times and the extra magnesium or calcium are definitely not needed.its as simple as can be for an all phase nutrient ratio and plants love it,gives them everything they need.

 

[Hydro-Soil]

i use it with tap water too, mine is 198 ppm right out of the tap.i haven't seen any benefit from using ro water,unless yours is like 400 ppm i wouldn't worry much about it.

Considering the awesome number of different possibilities of what can be IN your local water, telling someone it should be ok to use is not wise.

Always have your water tested before using it. True, most folks can but not all.

 

[Graham Purwatt]

a good point but they are formulated for tap water and thats why you have to add cal/mg back when you use ro water.generally speaking,unless its stinks or scales up your sink, imo,check the ppms and it should be good to go.testing would be optimal though.not trying give bad advice,just sharing my exp

 

[Hydro-Soil]

a good point but they are formulated for tap water and thats why you have to add cal/mg back when you use ro water.

The only time you need Cal/Mag with the Lucas formula (growing cannabis, duh) is when you're using something other than GH nutes. Period. No idea what other plants may require.

Using the 0-8-16 with the Flora or straight FloraNova, you'll get the absolute best (reproduce able) results when you use RO water and just the nutes.


Lucas Formula: A proven ratio of nutrients and reservoir maintenance methods. (it isn't just about the ratio)

 

[Graham Purwatt]

ok, you win,your intelligence is much bigger than mine.i don't know what i was thinking trying to help someone.if i see anyone asking for any help i'll be sure to tell them to ask you.

 

[ItsAllOver]

Yikes, I will just have to chime in because I am facing a similar response right now that Graham is throwing out there.

Sometimes someone knows something you don't. HS didn't bust your balls or anything. Just corrected you. It's ok, and it doesn't require sarcastic negative comments. I just don't see why people are unwilling/able to accept advice from people that quite obviously know more than they do about a subject. I'm sure if you wanted to spend the time proving HS wrong, he would be accepting of it.

I'm not sitting here sucking HS' dick, but I am just tired of this.

 

[Graham Purwatt]

i appreciate you intervening but i felt that he was busting my balls with cannabis duh remark and the deal about other plants.he may well know more than me and i try to be respectful and i know full well that i am not a god of horticulture and was only trying to help out.everything is not cut and dry as some would have you believe.i know a couple people that use 400 ppm water and under and do know way more than me and their grows are amazing everytime.ro may give great results but if its not needed then it is a waste.for a new guy starting out,unknown tapwater could pose a problem but its more intimidating thinking you need a 300 dollar ro machine or to have to bring in ro water when in fact your tapwater may be fine.all that said,i did feel my balls were being busted or i wouldn't have been sarcastic.if that was not the case then i apologize,otherwise i stand by my sarcasm.

 

[ItsAllOver]

Alright, I'm with what you're saying and I didn't mean it as a direct "attack" on you. However, attitude means everything, and I guess that was my point.
You're definitely right about how many things in life, especially when it comes to growing EASY TO GROW WEEDS, are not cut and dry with one right answer!
Cool, well I hope we're ok, then. Maybe I'm just in a shitty mood because of my other encounter today.
Peace on you man

 

[Madrus Rose]

back on topic , GH Floranova Bloom series is actually just about the perfect all in one Lucas formula in its proportionality ...That's GH's "slurry" one-part stand alone series , just needs stirring but excellent results with a few add ons like Floralicious plus &/or Cal/Mag .

* Using the GH Micro with the Flora Nova Bloom is excellent for vegging with the high nitrogen content in the Micro & every trace element a plant could need . Very nice for "charging" sterile inert mediums like r/w, coco or Sunshine mix (peat based) etc .

 

[Graham Purwatt]

attitude means everything, and I guess that was my point.

good point and well taken. i'm just here to learn and share what i learn and i hope not to make any enemies or start any crap.i also apologise for veering this thread off course. ph imbalance did some great work developing the lucas method and all who use it owe him and lucas a great deal of gratitude for their contributions to the world of cannabis.i know i would probably be pulling a lot less with a lot more problems if it weren't for those guys

 

[Hydro-Soil]

i know a couple people that use 400 ppm water and under and do know way more than me and their grows are amazing everytime.

You're missing the whole point. 99% of the people on here do NOT have your local tapwater and telling them that your friends do great with 400ppm water doesn't help in the slightest. All it means is that, in that particular local, the water is ok.


I'm here to help and I'm a high functioning autistic. Sometimes my comments come across in ways I don't mean. Sorry.

 

[Taokali]

well today first time using GH 3 part and lucas formula

for my 10g res
M 50ml
B 100ml

did not want full strenght for now that got to 700ppm -120tab water 580 ppm

 

[dc2bar]

question:

i've always used GMB 3 part, and the standard addback formula:

((target - current) / target) * 8 ml per gallon * res gallons = Flora Micro (ml) double this figure to get Flora Bloom (ml)

based on that, i think it would be way easier to just use the FloraNova line, but wanted to verify that the addback formula is the same? So I guess with FNB it would be:

((target - current) / target) * 8 ml per gallon * res gallons * 3 = FNB (ml)

correct?