Water Cal/Mag ratio

[SYZYGY]

2 hours ago, Oldbear said:

Doesn't sound like tailored feeds if they don't do the ca:mg. So what do they tailor? 

 

Tailored feed from them is a separate option if you have very tricky water, a more expensive option at that as they have to mix it especially for you.

 

All the adjustment advice given by GA mentioned here is to get the most from their standard formulations of soft and hard water nutes.

 

 

Edited November 13, 2021 by SYZYGY

[mysticriver]

Hi guys -

Im still interested in this topic. Ive been experiencing Mg deficiency's that seem to happen more in bloom. As you know ive got really high starting ec of my tap water. 

Also really not helping the situation was my not having the right nutrients for my growing style - Vitalink hydromax hard water nutes. The guy at OSGS sold me 'em. I originally ordered a Wilma system and these are the nutes he advised me to get. I changed my feeding style to top-watering after I had already got the nutes but I still think they are a suspect choice for him to supply me with even with a wilma (as Wilma's basically automated top-watering)

So ive had 3 grows with the vitalink. All have had deficiency's.

Now ive just started my 4th and im pleased to say ive got Shogun coco a&b.. With silicone/calmag/root stim/pk as required. im expecting/hoping/praying for a better crop in terms of smell, crystals, colour of leaves (im not seeing many lush greens, more pales green/yellows), oil etc.

But there still might be an issue with the hard water/Ca-Mg ratio being out-of-whack.

Im interested to know if adding Epsom salts or indeed (ive forgotten the name) the mono Mg additive, will correct it.

Heres watching my crop and this thread for developments.

 

 

mysticriver 

 

[mysticriver]

im still moving but ive started another grow

 

 

mysticriver

[mysticriver]

just tagging @Slippy One for the discussion on mono Mg

 

 

mysticriver

[murphyblue]

Could someone make head or tail of this cos i can't

 

I screen grabbed this from a pdf for the water that covers my area.

 

 

I have been told its SOFT water but i haven't a clue to be honest.

[catweazle1]

@murphyblueI can't see any calcium numbers and magnesium is very low/negligible . If there isn't any, then I reckon the water wants making up with calmag to about 0.4ec or 200mg/L. 

Edited November 16, 2021 by catweazle1

[J.C]

15 hours ago, catweazle1 said:

@murphyblueI can't see any calcium numbers and magnesium is very low/negligible . If there isn't any, then I reckon the water wants making up with calmag to about 0.4ec or 200mg/L. 

 

Just be a bit careful with this, my report from my water company didn't have Calcium either but when I did an independant test it found a reasonably high level of calcium so CalMag would have overloaded the plants. I've ended up adding a small amount of Canna Mono Mg to each feed and things are looking better.

[ratdog]

it's very early days but the GA nutes seem to be working, in grow at least

 

my levels are shocking, zero Mg, very low Ca, and the cuttings of premier sweet i had before the current seedlings all showed def very quickly if i didn't add cal/mag

 

i now have GA soft water nutes and after 2 weeks i think (e2a 18 days) , and they look great, and i'm not adding anything

Edited November 17, 2021 by ratdog

[mysticriver]

I contacted Severn Trent Water on their WhatsApp contact -

 

That was Friday. On Sunday, Kelly from Severn Trent technical called me back and gave me the Ca & Mg values

Which are Calcium 116.34mg/l

               Magnesium 70.6ml/l

Which says to me that the calcium content is too low

Would I be correct in thinking that I need to, for example, Add calcium by applying a liquid lime fertiliser such as a calcium nitrate solution? Or is there another way.

Could anyone, @Oldbear @Wacky Wardrobe @Caly @murphyblue @J.C @zen-ken @Shumroom & @Slippy One help?

And ive tagged @latigid aikon on this thread as we were on about this subject on another thread.

 

 

mysticriver 

Edited November 22, 2021 by mysticriver
added @Slippy One to the mix...

[mysticriver]

My other question then follows that if I add anything more to the tap water that already is @ ~680PPM, im going to send the hardness into the stratosphere...

So do I want to be diluting the tap water with RO?

 

 

mysticriver 

[J.C]

32 minutes ago, mysticriver said:

I contacted Severn Trent Water on their WhatsApp contact -

 

That was Friday. On Sunday, Kelly from Severn Trent technical called me back and gave me the Ca & Mg values

Which are Calcium 116.34mg/l

               Magnesium 70.6ml/l

Which says to me that the calcium content is too low

Would I be correct in thinking that I need to, for example, Add calcium by applying a liquid lime fertiliser such as a calcium nitrate solution? Or is there another way.

Could anyone, @Oldbear @Wacky Wardrobe @Caly @murphyblue @J.C @zen-ken @Shumroom & @Slippy One help?

And ive tagged @latigid aikon on this thread as we were on about this subject on another thread.

 

 

mysticriver 

 

The only thing I would mention is that the report she gave you was for the area and not your specific supply. There could be other variables affecting the water by the time it actually reaches your property. Thats why I decided a send away test was the best course of action for me, plus because it was via GA I got some fairly specific instructions on how to correct the issues in my water. For what it's worth, I managed to pick up a bottle of Canna Mono Mg cheap from my local shop and been feeding 4ml per 10L for the last couplf of feeds and the plants look like they're loving it.

[mysticriver]

 @Oldbear could I just ask you, what's the calculation for adding it to tap water without the RO mix? 

I only ask as The PPM of my RO supply is/was ~70PPM. And the other night I tested some that had been stood for a few weeks and the PPM was around 200, so I think there might be an issue with my RO filter. Ive not had it long and ive not really had much ro water through it, ive only been using it for 3 grows where I wanted ro for the humidifier. I remember the ~70PPM level from when it was installed so its either the starting waters fault or the filters - 70PPM being still too high it should be in the single digits by rights...

I shall be testing it later to get an idea of the ro ppm.

 

 

mysticriver 

[mysticriver]

Ive ordered the canna mono calcium, should be here by the 'morro

 

 

mysticriver 

[latigid aikon]

17 minutes ago, mysticriver said:

I remember the ~70PPM level from when it was installed so its either the starting waters fault or the filters - 70PPM being still too high it should be in the single digits by rights...

I shall be testing it later to get an idea of the ro ppm.

Make sure the final filter doesn't say re-mineralisation on it, if it does it's intended to add back minerals to make the RO into drinking water.

 

1 hour ago, mysticriver said:

I am growing specialist bonsai plants

Edited November 22, 2021 by latigid aikon
typo

[mysticriver]

Tonight I have made up a straight RO solution, CalMag'd to 0.4ec, with the shogun coco food on top.

This will suffice until I can work with the Canna mono calcium, which should be here tomorrow.

It took about 0.9ml/l calmag to take it to 0.4ec.

The RO filter is working ok - its ~70ppm without the pump and ~20ppm with the (diaphragm) pump.

Mixing a 1:1 solution of tap:RO gave a level of ~450ppm. The tap is @ ~680ppm

Thanks to @Oldbear for the calculations.

 

 

5 hours ago, latigid aikon said:

say re-mineralisation on it,

No it doesn't bro - thanks for pointing that out.

 

 

mysticriver