Hydro-specific Nutrients

Anianna · #1 07-17-2010, 09:50 PM

What is the difference between more easily to obtain nutrients such as MiracleGro and chems made for hydroponics?

GpsFrontier · #2 07-18-2010, 08:09 PM

nutrients made for soil are lacking some essential trace elements. That is because soil contains enough of these. Also hydroponic nutrients are 100% water soluble, soil nutrients are not all water soluble. They are intended to remain in the soil until they break down before the plants can actually use them.

Anianna · #3 07-18-2010, 08:57 PM

I don't have a hydroponics shop convenient to me. Where would you guys recommend I pick up some hydrofood?

GpsFrontier · #4 07-18-2010, 09:27 PM

The nearest hydro stores near me are about a 7 hour drive round trip. I order my nutrients online. Do you live in the US?

Anianna · #5 07-18-2010, 09:51 PM

Sure do. Where do you order from?

GpsFrontier · #6 07-18-2010, 10:35 PM

Well I don't really order from one place, I don't even remember the last place I ordered from for sure. When it comes time to order more nutrients, I just do a search for hydroponic nutrients. Then I check the contact us page of the website to find there address. That way I can find a place that is not real far a way, to try to keep shipping costs down. I live in Lake Havasu AZ, I will also narrow the search down to a close by city like Las Vegas NV (7 hr drive round trip). I try to order from Las Vegas, Phoenix or southern CA, to keep shipping down.

I have been using General Hydroponics Flora series 3 part nutrients, and they have been working fine although they are not cheep. I have been given some Verti-Gro dry nutrients that I am experimenting with, and so far so good. The verti-gro nutrients are a 2 part nutrients, you mix 2 pounds of dry nutrient mix into one gallon of water. Then mix 2 pounds of dry Calcium Nitrate into another one gallon of water. Then apply equal amounts of both to your nutrient solution at a rate of about 2-3 tsp (10-15 ml) per gallon of water.

Although the verti-gro company is in Florida I will likely order from them the next time I order some. 25lbs of the nutrients and 25lbs of the Calcium Nitrate makes about 5000 gallons of nutrient solution. Compared to the 380 gallons that the Flora series makes and still runs a little over $100 for all 3 parts with shipping. That is just me though.

watercatwn6535nd · #7 08-09-2010, 11:40 PM

This is easier and way more fun. google up compost tea maker check out you tube of course for the directions. also your going to be going inot the worm business as well. time to think fish tanks as well.

First your kitchen craps and compostables are the perfect nutrient when fully composted and free! (free) love that word. i think i prefer a worm composter as its fast and clean.

the worms make an amazing liquid called manure. this is concetrated right out of the composter. but then you can take the dirt compast and wash the nutes out of it with a couple buckets and small pond pump and just a bucket ober the oter with holes in the top buckets bottom. when it doesnt look like tea any more you have the nutes out of it and BAM you just dump this right in your sytem just like its GH.

Or go aquaponic and do a you tube search on soldier flys and use the larvae to feed your fish from your kitchen waist and the hydro system uses the fish water plus you can eat the fish if you like. i'm building a 3000 gallon ploy ponics system right now using 275 gallon totes and plastic barrels. should be able to produce about 150 to 200 lbs of meat a month for market to pay for my gardening addiction. TILAPIA is what i am using but if you have small hydro system buy some gold fish they poop to.

so many options challenge your self just a few years ago i was a master gardener and could do mircales with miracle grow now i could feed teh world substainably year round.

just a fyi pumps for my new big hydro system run about .05 cents per hour so it not a massive expense and i will make mony at it. but my point is you could have free food scraps making larvae in days and it woudl cost you way less than buying nutes and having them shipped plus chicks think its hot!

Anianna · #8 08-10-2010, 09:14 PM

Watercat, hydroponics has been researched heavily for years. We know there are very specific nutrients at specific levels needed for improved plant growth. If I'm going to simply make a compost, I might as well stick with soil, because that same level of uncertainty regarding the nutrients the plants are getting remains the same. Of course compost can provide nutrients, but it is nearly impossible to ensure the correct balance for optimum feeding.

Besides, my compost always comes out a lumpy mess even after I spent the bucks for a tumbler.

You are fortunate that you are a successful gardener. I am quite the opposite. I am the plant killer. Using established nutrients on an established schedule gives me the advantage I need to get the job done.