epsom salt?
 

what are the benefits ( If any ) of using epsom salt in my nutrients solution. I'm using botanicare a & b.

If you are using hydroponic nutrients (as in the botanicare line), there is no benefit to using Epsom Salt in your nutrient solution. Actually, if doing so you will through the balance of the nutrient solution off. Hydroponic nutrients contain both Macro-elements (nutrients consumed by the plant in large quantities), and Micro-elements (nutrients consumed by plants in small quantities, also called "trace elements"). Nutrients that are made for soil gardening rarely have any Micro-elements. Some people use fertilizers designed for soil in hydroponic systems, and they sometimes use/add Epsom salt to the nutrients as a source of the lacking Micro-elements in the soil fertilizer. That isn't necessary or even beneficial if your nutrients were designed for use in hydroponics, hydroponic nutrients contain the Micro-elements, and in balanced amounts. Adding this to your hydroponic nutrients will just through off the balance of the Micro-elements in it.

Nutrients - Over and Under Use
Nutrients: Beyond Macros and Micros

Sometimes if you are starting from RO water your plants (depending on variety) need more Calcium and Magnesium than your nutrient regiment will contain. Epsom Salts will add some of these to your mix. Personally I just purchase a CalMag supplement from the fertilizer supply but epsom salts work too.

Most nutrient manufactures design their nutrients based on RO water, because the water quality of RO is much more consistent than tap, well or rain water. Not sure about Magnesium, but Calcium deficiencies are rarely due to a lack of Calcium in the nutrient solution. But rather are usually due to conditions that affect the plants ability to absorb the Calcium in the nutrient solution, so adding more doesn't change or fix the problem.

Yea most of the time the problem with calcium can be lack of transpiration, but I've just achieved much more consistent results using a Cal-Mg supplement than without. I often purchase dry fertilizers that aren't designed specifically for hydroponics so they need a little supplementing.

Ya, that's why I tried to explain the difference between using nutrients designed for hydroponics, and soil. I agree though, I would rather use the Cal-Mg supplement than Epsom salt if using a non hydroponic specific nutrient. Speaking of witch, I have herd of people using nothing but Tomato tone, though I don't know how strong they mix it. It looks to be a organic nutrient with beneficial microbes, so I assume the beneficial microbes break it farther down into a complete nutrient that includes enough of the micro-elements in the end. Also He didn't change the nutrient solution very often, but just adds to it. I assume that keeps the beneficial microbes breeding, and the break down into the needed elements continually ongoing.

sounds interesting...maybe a bit smelly though. Last time I tried a organic/hydro grow it turned into a smelly mess.

Isn't that an oxymoron? organic/hydro :)

What's contradictory about it?

oraganic hydroponics just means you are using natural nutrients.. This tends to be a more interesting subject, and a bit more chalenging than using normal hydroponic nutrients. I am thinking I might play around with organics later when I have the land to let me do it without having to buy all the "organics". If you get into all of the organic hydroponics from the ground up it is much more sustainable than regular hydroponics. It allows you to provide your own nutrients from compost piles, worm castings, rabbit castings. There are a ton of ways people have been able to grow organic hydroponics from what I have read.

On the main subject of the topic. I saw a 2lb tub of epsom salts at sam's club today in the health care section for about 2-4 dollars (can't remember off the top of my head since I didnt really want to buy it.) Interestingly enough though it was in the health care section it had more writting on it about gardening than the "health" uses.