GROWING ON A TIGHT BUDGET share your experience
- Thread starter horribleherk
- Start date
spondylogrow
In Bloom
I saved a lot of money on my grows by switching to dry salts, and more specifically, Jack's 3-2-1. I bought the big bags, and it will last me years without having to buy anymore or anything else at all. I run the same formula from start to finish.
Amos Otis
Weed Legend
That's a helluva recommendation. Does it work in hydro?
spondylogrow
In Bloom
Yes it does. Dissolves quite easily.
Amos Otis
Weed Legend
So, no flushing at the end? I just looked at it on Amazon. Some commenters say the mixing process is a PIA - what's your take? Also, at what point do you begin feeding seedlings?
18B
In Bloom
So...when I was a dry salt feet guy...I used to mix my modified Lucas in a 5 gallon bucket with a plastic spoon until dissolved and then bubble for about 12 hrs...put in the aquarium pump in the buckets and get the hose on it and water away...it's cheap enough....not the cheapest
Then the easiest I ever used and again...cheap enough...
That is all I have used...I'm all organic soil and teas...reuse my soils, just re-ammend and cook for 30+ days turning a few times, keeping it wet and covered.
It gets better and better Everytime.
Then the easiest I ever used and again...cheap enough...
That is all I have used...I'm all organic soil and teas...reuse my soils, just re-ammend and cook for 30+ days turning a few times, keeping it wet and covered.
It gets better and better Everytime.
spondylogrow
In Bloom
I'm in coco so I start feeding seedlings from day 1. A slightly lighter mix (same ratio, more diluted) early on and in the last few weeks.
Being dry salts, you have to mix by weight. So you'll need to measure out each part on a scale (individually) and then stir it in . I don't find that to be too much of a PIA. The 3-2-1 refers to the weight that you use per gallon. 3 grams part a, 2 grams part b, 1 gram epsom salt.
I use a modified version of the formula, which adds MKP (monopotassium phosphate) to the mix. I found it on this video from Greengenes Garden, highlighted at the 29:39 mark. The whole video is worth the watch though, if considering Jack's.
spondylogrow
In Bloom
I also used the maxibloom all by itself with good results.
And I do the same with mixing in a 5 gallon bucket with a plastic spoon. I only need about 4 gallons at a time a lot of days. But when I use a res and need 25 gallons, I still just mix up the solution in a bucket in the sink, and then just mix that with the other 20 gallons in the res.
horribleherk
home grown
I have never used it but I am partial to one part nutrients currently using megacrop & no additives I'm really happy with all the input I'm getting here I used to use gh floranova bloom only with no additives got the idea from a guy called scottyballs on another forum
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horribleherk
home grown
Thanks for sharing !
Dino Party
💩🔥 💩🔥 💩🔥
its all about that DIY and reusing/recycling. Repurpose everything that you can. avoid pretty much everything "cannabis branded". understand the basic principles of what you're doing, why you're doing it, and then, what you can do to streamline the process both in terms of time and money. I'm not trying to say that you currently do not, just that has been one big thing that helps me.
Oh yeah, plan ahead, and dont cut corners.
Have you tried having an inheritance? or maybe a trust fund? I've found that those who are incredibly wealthy seem to have less money issues. Just a thought!
Oh yeah, plan ahead, and dont cut corners.
Have you tried having an inheritance? or maybe a trust fund? I've found that those who are incredibly wealthy seem to have less money issues. Just a thought!
horribleherk
home grown
Inheritance out of the question got Teamsters pension & SSI house almost paid off all the usual Bill's
horribleherk
home grown
Y
Your plants look good I'm e&f hydro & using royal gold tupur in smart pots megacrop has been doing the trick for awhile for my application Jack's is an option I might try e-bay has it in various weight options
Here's another vote for Jack's. Like others here, I used Maxibloom (removed from shelves in Canada) and Megacrop(they can't settle on a formula) both with good results.
I bought a bag of Jack's 5-12-26 and some Cal-Nit(already had the MgSO4) and have been using it for quite a few months. I add silica and a fulvic product and have had very good results.
I mix 4 Gal at a time using the numbers for 3 Gal (10.8, 3.3, 7.2) and end up around 700ppm if my meter is accurate. My nute costs are likely <$40/yr for my perpetual, hempy-style grow.
I also switched to off the shelf LED "bulbs" with the diffuser removed years ago and love them. They are cheap & efficient and also make it very easy to get a consistent spread with minimal hot or cold spots.
My grow is about as low budget as possible, yet I honestly feel my girls want for nothing. If my budget was limitless I'd probably dick around with some custom LED set-ups for fun, but I doubt I'd change much in my nutrient lineup.
I bought a bag of Jack's 5-12-26 and some Cal-Nit(already had the MgSO4) and have been using it for quite a few months. I add silica and a fulvic product and have had very good results.
I mix 4 Gal at a time using the numbers for 3 Gal (10.8, 3.3, 7.2) and end up around 700ppm if my meter is accurate. My nute costs are likely <$40/yr for my perpetual, hempy-style grow.
I also switched to off the shelf LED "bulbs" with the diffuser removed years ago and love them. They are cheap & efficient and also make it very easy to get a consistent spread with minimal hot or cold spots.
My grow is about as low budget as possible, yet I honestly feel my girls want for nothing. If my budget was limitless I'd probably dick around with some custom LED set-ups for fun, but I doubt I'd change much in my nutrient lineup.
horribleherk
home grown
Good stuff here do you have any pics of your light setup
One of many SIL fixtures, before it was wired. This one fits a 2x2 perfectly. I made two identical rigs for a 2x4 which gave me more flexibility as I could easily raise or lower one half of the tent.
OldG
Elite Hobbyist
I use Masterblend Tomato. Jacks was hard to get in Canada...the correct Jacks.
Jacks/Peters products are DIFFERENT. There 20 20 20 and 10 30 20 I believe is not intended for calcium nitrate. The NEW Hydroponics Jacks will work in a recirculating system. The old Jacks was never intended for a recirculating system.
I have 50 pounds of Peters 20 20 20 and about 23 pounds of 10 30 20..Works good in Drain to Waste but the newer product (3 2 1) is better.
Masterblend Tomato is the same idea. A 4-18-38 product you add CalNit too and Magnesium Sulfate. 140 dollars for 5kg of the 4 18 38, and Calcium Nitrate and 2.5kg of Magneseium Sulfate for 140 CDN. At the time i got it WOW was that cheap. About 1/5th or better of what i was paying with Advanced Nutrients trio.
The salts are easy to mix when you get the hang of it.
Base nutrient...add and disolve....then magnesium sulfate (epsom) and disolve and then put the cal nit in a tiny cup with about 1 to 2 oz of water and stir it....it will disolve in about 1 to 2 minutes and that shit NEVER disolves in the 5 gallon bottle if you add and shake...well not never but overnight you will still have floaty cal nits.
And good organic soil....teas and waters is pretty cheap too. But base salts...as cheap as you can grow.
Jacks/Peters products are DIFFERENT. There 20 20 20 and 10 30 20 I believe is not intended for calcium nitrate. The NEW Hydroponics Jacks will work in a recirculating system. The old Jacks was never intended for a recirculating system.
I have 50 pounds of Peters 20 20 20 and about 23 pounds of 10 30 20..Works good in Drain to Waste but the newer product (3 2 1) is better.
Masterblend Tomato is the same idea. A 4-18-38 product you add CalNit too and Magnesium Sulfate. 140 dollars for 5kg of the 4 18 38, and Calcium Nitrate and 2.5kg of Magneseium Sulfate for 140 CDN. At the time i got it WOW was that cheap. About 1/5th or better of what i was paying with Advanced Nutrients trio.
The salts are easy to mix when you get the hang of it.
Base nutrient...add and disolve....then magnesium sulfate (epsom) and disolve and then put the cal nit in a tiny cup with about 1 to 2 oz of water and stir it....it will disolve in about 1 to 2 minutes and that shit NEVER disolves in the 5 gallon bottle if you add and shake...well not never but overnight you will still have floaty cal nits.
And good organic soil....teas and waters is pretty cheap too. But base salts...as cheap as you can grow.
horribleherk
home grown
I can see how this setup would give good light coverage
One of many SIL fixtures, before it was wired. This one fits a 2x2 perfectly. I made two identical rigs for a 2x4 which gave me more flexibility as I could easily raise or lower one half of the tent.
horribleherk
home grown
Considering the 321 for the 16 gal reservoir in my 4x4 e&f tent that said I've been pretty happy with the megacrop 1-part in this setup also playing with megacrop part -b of their 2-part nutes in flower because of the higher P&K ratio
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