Stuck in China with no hydroponic nutrient

[shadoh6]

Hello all,

This site has been invaluable in helping out amateurs such as myself, but at the moment I am stuck in a country that has barely any idea of hydroponics, so finding supplies has been an arduous journey!

I've managed to secure sources for every major component except nutrient solution. I also know that nutrient solution can be made, although I would like to not worry about pouring sulphuric acid and melting something organic like my hand. With that said, I do have access to three kinds of "professional quality water soluble fertilizer" with the following NPK: 30-10-10, 18-18-18, 10-52-10. Using one or a combination of these, what additional micronutrients would I need to make a complete nutrient solution (ideally for growing peppers and tomatoes)?

[Mathmattx]

I dont think so! The problem is mainly with the solubility. The solubility of commercial fetilizer varies greatly. But in theory...Besides the three major nutrients you've got in reg. fertilizer, called macronutrients (nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus), a good home-made hydroponic fertilizer will also contain sulfur, calcium, and magnesium. Several important micronutrients including manganese, copper, boron, cobalt, iron, zinc, and molybdenum are also required for healthy growth of most hydroponic plants.


Since commercially available fertilizers are commonly meant for soil-borne plants, they lack many of the above listed important micronutrients. A hydroponic cultivator can (in theory), however, convert a commercial fertilizer into a home-made hydroponic fertilizer by adding the essential micronutrients contained in chemical substances of daily household use.

For most hydroponic plants, which develop roots, the cultivator can add one quarter of a teaspoon of Epsom salt to 400 ppm Maxsea 3-20-20 (1 level teaspoon per gallon of tap water) in order to make a good home-made hydroponic fertilizer. It can be fed to the plant for ten days after it develops its first roots.

After the first ten days since the appearance of roots, 600 ppm Maxsea 16-16-16 (equal to one rounded teaspoon) should be used as a hydroponic fertilizer with one quarter of a teaspoon of Epsom salt added to each gallon. When the plant enters its flowering stage, a rounded half teaspoon Maxsea 3-20-20 should be mixed with a rounded, half teaspoon of Maxsea 16-16-16 in each gallon of water and one quarter of a teaspoon of Epsom salt should be added to each gallon. In the last two weeks before harvesting, the hydroponic plants should be fed with plain water.

Again...would only do this in desparation DO NOT RECOMEND IT. by the time you do all this better to ship some actual hydro ferts from somewhere!!!!

[shadoh6]

Pardon my ignorance, but is Maxsea a commercial soil fertilizer? Right now my main problem is that I can't get anything that people recommend online since I live in China where there's a local brand for everything, and yet the local fertilizers (except for one brand) fail to mention what's inside chemically.

From the fertilizers I've listed, are any of them possible candidates for tinkering with Epsom salt and other chemicals? Which one should I use as the base? What other chemicals do I need besides Epsom salt? (Chemicals, surprisngly<unsurprisingly?> should be a lot easier to come by)

[HydroACR]

anything you can purchase on ebay?

[Mathmattx]

chemistry is eAsy enough...your problem is not going to be the chemistry, but the reliAble evaluation of what you have. Unfortunatly, again you can't accuratly gauge concentrations, measure salts or solubility without some basic equipment, that I am supposing you can't get in china, otherwise you could get hydro ferts. As you already know, biggest concern should be chemical contaminNts like etheltheyne glycol, melamine, other?

[Mathmattx]

Nevertheless I will post 2 "chemical recipies" tonight when I get home, along with some needed equipment and directions.

[Mathmattx]

Ok before we get into a very long post can you get a very accurate lab grade (gram) scale, and can you accuratly measure chemical concentrations in mL or uL (preferably microliters) via AFM or ECM. You will also need a chelation chemical, and (no3)2, kno3, k2so4, kh2po4, mgso4 * 7h20, fe, mn, zn, cu, b, mo. Matt- hydroponica.blogspot.com

[hydrogrido]

Hi shado6
I also live in china and I'm going crazy about this nutrients. I'm building the aeroponic system but till now i didn't find the nutrients.
Last week I was in Hong kong and same story nobody know nothing about the hydroponic "like everything in this country".
Let me know if you find something.
If I find something I will post here too.

[hydrogrido]

Originally Posted by Mathmattx

Ok before we get into a very long post can you get a very accurate lab grade (gram) scale, and can you accuratly measure chemical concentrations in mL or uL (preferably microliters) via AFM or ECM. You will also need a chelation chemical, and (no3)2, kno3, k2so4, kh2po4, mgso4 * 7h20, fe, mn, zn, cu, b, mo. Matt- hydroponica.blogspot.com

Hi mathmattx, I have the same problem of shadoh6, Thanks for your info, I have the EC tester and PH tester, this is all the equipment I have. But what I understand even if I'm able to bring the nutrient quantity to 600 ppm that's not mean the water contain all kind of nutrients.
The macronutrients I can also easy find (even if I don't trust the quality), the problem is to produce or find the micronutrients.
If you know how to produce or find them in different market and used for different use will help a lot. thanks

[tufekoa]

Hi shadoh6 and hydrogrido,

Same problem,
There is a product out there made in china:


://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/221255676/Micromix_Biological_Fertilizer_.html

Looks like there's all the good stuff in it!

the question is where to find it in retail?

I'll be checking in Hong kong soon and will on the look out.
feedback if i find,

cheers,

tuff