MpatelGrow
Active Member
Anyone using these nutes? Heard only good things about them. All the major growers in Cali are using it. just bought some and would like feedback if anyone has any. Thanks!
ATHENA AND POWER SI!!
- Thread starter MpatelGrow
- Start date
xtsho
Well-Known Member
Never heard of them but I'd only use their Pro line of dry nutrients. I wouldn't go with their bottled nutrients. I also highly doubt that all the major growers in California are using it.
I will say one thing about them. They list the ingredients of their products on their website and I respect that. Some don't even show a picture of their labels because they're nothing different than anyone else and they want people to think they have some secret potion.
In the end the NPK and micronutrients are similar to Jacks or Masterblend but at a higher cost. But still better than using a dozen bottles from AN or any of the plethora of cannabis specific nutrient companies mixing cheap salts with water, bottling them and marking them up 10+ times.
The only thing is that it looks like the smallest amount you can buy is 10 pounds for $110 for each of the 3 parts in the Pro line. That's pretty steep for repackaged salts.
You can get a 25lb bag of Peter, Masterblend, or Jacks for $50 or less and a 25lb bag of calcium nitrate for $25 and have basically the same thing.
As for the Power SI, I'm not a fan of overpriced bottled silica products. In fact I'm not a fan of silica products for cannabis period. I use it for controlling PM in the garden. But if you are set on adding silica to your grow you can get a pound of water soluble potassium silicate for under $20 and make dozens of bottles of the same concentration as any bottled product.
I will say one thing about them. They list the ingredients of their products on their website and I respect that. Some don't even show a picture of their labels because they're nothing different than anyone else and they want people to think they have some secret potion.
In the end the NPK and micronutrients are similar to Jacks or Masterblend but at a higher cost. But still better than using a dozen bottles from AN or any of the plethora of cannabis specific nutrient companies mixing cheap salts with water, bottling them and marking them up 10+ times.
The only thing is that it looks like the smallest amount you can buy is 10 pounds for $110 for each of the 3 parts in the Pro line. That's pretty steep for repackaged salts.
You can get a 25lb bag of Peter, Masterblend, or Jacks for $50 or less and a 25lb bag of calcium nitrate for $25 and have basically the same thing.
As for the Power SI, I'm not a fan of overpriced bottled silica products. In fact I'm not a fan of silica products for cannabis period. I use it for controlling PM in the garden. But if you are set on adding silica to your grow you can get a pound of water soluble potassium silicate for under $20 and make dozens of bottles of the same concentration as any bottled product.
newbplantgrower420
Well-Known Member
Ive looked into them cause everybody and their moms is trying it every time I go to my hydroshops here in CA. Most of their stuff is watered down for newbs and marked up quite a bit as usual. Not as bad as AN or Botanicare but still pretty expensive.
- Their "Core" is Calcium Nitrate. 25lbs is $240 for their Core. 25lbs of Calcium nitrate is like $40 bucks on amazon.
- Their new nutrient called "Balance" is watered down Silica. You can get what xtsho said above but I like liquid silica....GH's Armor Silica or ProTekt. Theyre more concentrated and cheaper.
- Their CalMag is watered down. Get GH's Calimagic.... again probably cheaper and more concentrated.
- Their Stack is kelp and humic acid at very, very, very low concentrations. Way better options out there.
- Their PK is watered down too. Probably derived from Monopotassium Phosphate and Magnesium Sulfate. Do a little research youll find way better options at a cheaper price.
- Their "Cleanse" is hypochlourous acid. Its like a bleach or pool shock to keep bacteria out and keep your stuff sterile.
I predict the next thing they introduce is their beneficial bacteria line.
Only 1 one of their products is interesting to me and thats PowerSI. PowerSi is monosilicic acid.... which Ive read immediately gets uptaken by the plant rather than all the other Silica products which are Potassium Silicate which has to be broken down in the course of weeks then finally get uptaken by the plant. If any chemists or knowledgeable people could clear this up for me....it would be appreciated.
- Their "Core" is Calcium Nitrate. 25lbs is $240 for their Core. 25lbs of Calcium nitrate is like $40 bucks on amazon.
- Their new nutrient called "Balance" is watered down Silica. You can get what xtsho said above but I like liquid silica....GH's Armor Silica or ProTekt. Theyre more concentrated and cheaper.
- Their CalMag is watered down. Get GH's Calimagic.... again probably cheaper and more concentrated.
- Their Stack is kelp and humic acid at very, very, very low concentrations. Way better options out there.
- Their PK is watered down too. Probably derived from Monopotassium Phosphate and Magnesium Sulfate. Do a little research youll find way better options at a cheaper price.
- Their "Cleanse" is hypochlourous acid. Its like a bleach or pool shock to keep bacteria out and keep your stuff sterile.
I predict the next thing they introduce is their beneficial bacteria line.
Only 1 one of their products is interesting to me and thats PowerSI. PowerSi is monosilicic acid.... which Ive read immediately gets uptaken by the plant rather than all the other Silica products which are Potassium Silicate which has to be broken down in the course of weeks then finally get uptaken by the plant. If any chemists or knowledgeable people could clear this up for me....it would be appreciated.
I’ve been using their water soluble powder and it’s half price of other nutes. Jungle boy uses them and many other big growers. It’s cheaper and much cleaner for hydroponic systems. Does not clog lines and hoses can be used for multiple grows. It’s cleaner and cheaper
MpatelGrow
Active Member
Thanks guys! Just got with my first grow using these nutes and I’m def a believer. However once I run out I’ll try your recommendations. Appreciate all the tips! Happy growing to all!
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Rocurse
Active Member
Posts like this are what kill new growers. "Hard to believe major growers use Athena"?? Hmm, how bout Jungle Boys?? I find it hard to believe there are any bigger growers than them! They and Athena formulated the line for cannabis only. Not like other brands that say that but were originally formulated for northern European indoor crops and modified for cannabis. As for "you can get all this stuff at Home Depot" for pennies compared to a professional line, go ahead and give it a go. Buckle up, cause your gonna have deficiencies up the ass until take a botany class, or finally figure it out via trial and error and extreme hair loss! These lines are ridiculously researched and formulated for consistency. Do they cost more? Well if your worried about nute costs, then your doing wrong! They work! Period!
xtsho
Well-Known Member
What do you love about it?
I love the cost. I switched from Botanicare.
xtsho
Well-Known Member
Then you'd love Jacks. Instead of the $200 Athena charges for 25 lbs of calcium nitrate Jacks is only $45. Athena doesn't manufacture calcium nitrate. They just buy it in bulk from the same fertilizer manufacturers like Yara and Haifa and repackage it. It's all coming from the same factories. Some just charge more.
i will try Jacks. Do you think I am doing something wrong with Athena for it to affect taste and smell?
nOname_james
Member
I know a couple of licensed growers in Maine that switched to Athena and they have similar feelings. The bud burns clean and the yields are great, it just does not smell as strong or taste as good. Flush takes a little longer with Athena from what I have read. The manufacturer recommends cutting ppm in half week 7, and just flushing week 8. And the Cleanse product they sell is supposed to prevent build up and shortens the time it takes to flush.
I am sure you already know much of this, but I hope I was able to help.
Thank You. It is hard to find anything pertaining to this on the forums but I know I am not going crazy. LOVE the yields. Love the ease of use. Love the cost. I think I may have to go back to Botanicare if this next run, which I flush even longer, has the same issues.
Apostatize
Well-Known Member
transitioning from GH to Athena. Have bag of micro but waiting for GH liquid to run out. anyway, I consider the Athena Pro Core trio to be just base nutes. I wouldn't expect them to produce any more/less flavor than other base nutes. I'm still using all the GH nectars/supplements/foralicious plus stuff and liquid and dry ripeners/koolblooms. Wouldn't you expect to add similar supplements to the Athena base for max flavor/smell/ripeness? Base is base, why would jack's be any different?
Milky Weed
Well-Known Member
Jungle boys are corporate clowns from what I’ve seen on IG. It is not the way…
MisterKister
Well-Known Member
When you own the corporation you can act like a clown all you want while laughing to the bank.
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nOname_james
Member
I am not saying you are wrong, but the point of Athena is to run a simple, and sterile nutrient program. Trust the program, as they say. I agree, it is just the essential macros and micros, along with a foliar spray of liquid kelp twice a week thru week 2 of flower. I think they are missing out on something by not including trace elements and organic acids.
nOname_james
Member
They work, but I have seen other nutrient lines grow better weed. These Other nutrients probably were developed for something else originally, but they grow dank and people have used these nutrients to win cannabis cups for decades. As you said, they have been ridiculously researched and formulated. I find it hard to believe that Athena and The Jungle Boys are the first to figure it out.
H&G, GH, Canna, Mills. These are reputable companies that have tailored products to the cannabis industry for many years now. The cat that came out with the Apple Fritter wins cups in Cali all the time, he grows with Canna.
Athena did not change the game in any way. Everything they have come out with has already been done by someone else.
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nOname_james
Member
I think Athena can be used to successfully cultivate quality cannabis. Their products are clean, barely detectable, and in most cases non detectable levels of heavy metals. They use quality ingredients. I simply feel it is lacking in something with regard to finished product.
And who knows, Jungle Boys are telling us to trust the program but they might be doing a little something extra behind the curtain.
And who knows, Jungle Boys are telling us to trust the program but they might be doing a little something extra behind the curtain.