Hydro System Recommendations

[Jolly Green Giant]

main way to fight it is flush valves on the main runs and flushing the lines regularly... I haven't run a salt line thru mine yet, but it has no problem with kelp and teas etc... warm water also helps when flushing main line.

How do you go about flushing when it's all connected to a rez? I've never flushed

I have a shutoff valve right at rez. I switch line to a pressurized fitting hooked to a hose in run into the room and flush the mainline.. then swap back and open the flush valve at the other end to push out air.

figures just as I see this my light turned off ill get a picture later

[majorana]

I guess I'm also just a bit lucky. Mixing nutrients carefully I never had the formation of salts, which could cause blocks.

I started with General Hydroponics, but wasn't terribly satisfied. Canna is now working great for me. Don't think I'll be switching to a third unless I hear of another company with a comparable reputation at a significantly cheaper price. Or make nutes by myself, DIY

[Jolly Green Giant]

Vitaly from ChilLED has a nice diy nute video it's tomato master blend and Epsom salt as part A and calcium nitrate part B.

Mixing your own from powders would save you a ton of money over the ready made stuff you normally would find at a hydroponics store. Works just as well if not better and you get to control what you put into them.

My General Purpose Recipe:

Part A:
1 gal RO or distilled water
600 grams Masterblend 4-18-38 Tomato Special
300 grams Epsom Salt
1.5 grams Sodium Benzoate as a preservative

Part B:
1 Gal RO or distilled water
1,100 grams Calcium Nitrate (YaraLiva CALCINIT)

The above would make a 250x concentrate (each gallon of concentrate would make 250 gallons of working solution).

I use it at 15ml part A and 15ml part B for each 1 gallon of water.

With RO water you would get an EC of about 2.0 or PPM of 1000 at the 500 scale.

Working strength nutrient breakdown (approximate):

N - 203 ppm
P - 50 ppm
K - 200 ppm
Mg - 45 ppm
Ca - 220 ppm
S - 50 ppm
Fe - 2.5 ppm
Zn - 0.63 ppm
B - 1.27 ppm
Cu - 0.63 ppm
Mo - 0.063 ppm
Mn - 1.27 ppm
Cl - 12.7 ppm

Hope that helps. Again, this is not a fits all solution, just what I use personally, feel free to change the recipe to your requirements as needed.

God Bless,

Vitaly

[majorana]

COGr (veg a+b, flower a+b) is the relatively cheap. I don't go through much more than €40 or so of those per grow cycle. The nutrients Canna sells which supposedly help keep the roots nice and well (enzyme, rhizome, boost) is where it gets more expensive, adding €120+ per grow cycle. What those actually consist of is more of a mystery.

I might have simply become better at growing, but this grow cycle with these additional magic potions is indeed doing better than all previous ones.

[Professor Xavier]

We have also chosen to go with Canna for their medium-specific formulae and flexibility with interchanging between their lines. It's a nice complete kit and I don't have to mix my own.
Opportunity Cost wins this decision for us.
Going with individual nutes like that would be wonderful for dialing in if you know what you're doing with pH lockouts and what binds together in solution. Respect for those that take the time and self-education for that process.
Vitaly has a BOOOTY-full garden system if you'd like to take a look.
It's a wee bit overkill for most, but certainly some nice automation and checks/balances, so is perhaps something to aspire to.
So rather than just sharing my bellicose opinions, I'll share a video!

[Jolly Green Giant]

I love Vitaly's videos and his set up!!!!!!

[unkle_psycho]

I understood that flushing is needed to correct salts due to evaporation. The more you let them dry between waterings, the more necessary it is. I guess with those carrots it will never dry much?

[Hyakutak]

What do you think about the AutoPot system? Did someone try it?

[majorana]

What do you think about the AutoPot system? Did someone try it?

I've seen a few different systems which use a similar mechanism. The thing I don't like about them is the plastic pots.

I, and the the plants, like either airpots (expensive) or fabric pots (cheap), which do a great job at aerating the roots. For watering I stick with Blumat Tropf.

Having said that, plastic pots are perfectly fine, and plenty of people use them. The convenience of having everything ready and measured in a kit definitely has its worth.

[Hyakutak]

I've seen a few different systems which use a similar mechanism. The thing I don't like about them is the plastic pots.

I, and the the plants, like either airpots (expensive) or fabric pots (cheap), which do a great job at aerating the roots. For watering I stick with Blumat Tropf.

Having said that, plastic pots are perfectly fine, and plenty of people use them. The convenience of having everything ready and measured in a kit definitely has its worth.

Okay! I just ordered a blumat kit some days ago. Did some of you test the maxi version? I took both, but maybe the maxi version will perform better in a bigger pot. But I'm seeing all of you recommending coco & I'm growing in biobizz soil. Will test & see the results!