If a gardener is using Reverse Osmosis Water should they be using CaMg Supplements or Mineral Matrix from the beginning of the Vegetative Stage? If not, when is a more ideal point to begin adding more mineral content to the water?
When using a reverse osmosis water filter you are removing the minerals/micronutrients out of the water that your plants need to grow properly. Your gonna need to add a supplement like you have mentioned. Yes start using at the beginning of the vegetative stage.
R.O. Is stripped down so much it’s like creating your own water. That’s what i think of it anyway. By supplement with a cal mag at your own ratio instead of dealing with whatever your tap gives you. Not to mention clorine and cloramine! That stuff kills bacteria and it doesn’t descriminate between bad or benificial. R.O. Is the way to go unless you have an abundance of rain or well water. Even then your building on an already built water. I use cal mag through veg and half way through flower.
Soooooooooo, Vin hit on a subject very important to me; water quality. When I begin my grow I plan on filtering my water because, even in a rural community we have too much chlorine in the agua. Is R.O. truly the way to go as long as one uses supplements? Because I was concerned about losing the beneficial bacteria, minerals, and micronutrients through the filtration process. What is the single most effective way to ensure my future babies get all the good stuff they need? I’m planning ahead so I can minimize the ‘wing it’ factor. I wanna go into this eyes wide open and know how best to plan before I start.
No bacteria in your tap because of the clorine.
Right again Braveheart. Using RO is the best scenario to ensure your removing high levels of micro-nutrients and heavy metals that can build up. Removing chlorine and chloramine requires special and more expensive filters which are available to RO users.
Supplement minerals as soon as plants become established and begin to thrive…:-)
Thanks everyone – appreciate the feedback. Should these products be added every watering considering the RO water is virtually stripping the water clean? my RO comes out at a perfect 0 ppm
These leaves are from a plant about 26 days into 18/6, were living on nothing but RO water, canna biovega, and hygrozyme. They got CaMg+ and Mineral Matrix the first time about a week ago after noticing some of the damage progressing. Ca or Mg deficiency?
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Sorry to bug/spam, but would it be ok to foliar CaMg+ from general organics and Min Matrix with the lights on with a 0-0-0 analysis or is there still risk to burn?
Been using 1/2 stregnth nutes every watering – could this be nutrient burn? noticed some major fan leaves beginning to claw, so decided to back off on the NPKs for a watering as maybe was it was starting to push the limits on N. Theyve show purple/red stems/pitoles too, maybe P? Either way would like to find out so they can get back on track for bloom.
Hey Vin, How many lights and what wattage, also what type of media are you using and when was the last transplant, just trying to figure how much nutrients are already in use? Don’t foliar spray. Use plain water for the next few waters. You do not need to use CaMg and mineral matrix together during the vegetative period. They are both micronutrients, and can cause fertilizer toxicity/ over fertilized. I would use plain water for a few feeds and then use veg formula with CaMg+ and wait until mid bloom to see if your gonna need the mineral matrix.
Thanks Braveheart – Using a four-tube T5 fixture, 6500K Grow Specs, 216 Watts about 20,000 lumens. Media is advanced sunshine #4 and at this time were about 3 weeks into grow (week1 1/2-2weeks from transplant). watered w/ plain RO water a few times and when returning to feed took the base nute out of the equation. feeding since of only humboldt roots excellerator/hygrozyme/camg+ (plain water between feeds). Braveheart, when saying use plain water; should CaMg+ still be added to plain waterings?
SO SORRY I’ve been away so long. But I’m back to help…
Those leaves were exhibiting classic micro-nute deficiency. Typically corrected by the addition of CaMg. Starting at half strength as recommended on the bottle. By this I mean half the highest recommended dosage on the bottle.
Mineral Matrix does contain Magnesium, but no Calcium. Calcium is required by plants for rapid vegetive growth.
I generally suggest holding off on the mineral matrix until flowering begins. Then use it in conjunction with your CaMg at a rate of 3 drops/gallon…:-)
