Silica, worth it???

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Smokenpassout

Well-Known Member
I have been considering adding this to my grow. But only if will be a benefit. I grow in soil and try to not bombard my plants with uneeded extras. I currently use 2 part iguana juice grow and bloom, and nirvana as a bloom booster. I hear that silica will increase the strength of the plant? Also heat resistance, but I grow with all LED, so heat isnt an issue. I also understand pests dont like Silica fed plants. I have only encountered fungas knats my last grow. Finally what silica are you using? We all want the most bang for the buck. Rhino Skin seems expensive with 1% silica? Would I be better served with silica blast by botanicaire, or perhaps some other brand?
 
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az2000

Well-Known Member
Smokenpassout said:
Would I be better served with silica blast by botanicaire, or perhaps some other brand?
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I used Botanicare Silica Blast. I recently changed to GH ArmorSi because it has more K. I only use silica during veg and needed to increase the ratio of K in veg. That seemed like an easy way to do it.

It also seems to be stronger. I would use 5ml/gal SB. Now about 3ml/gal ASi. Even at the lower rate it's about 6x more K.
 
TonightYou

TonightYou

Well-Known Member
I use silica blast as well. I have a giant container I got off of Amazon for something like $14 shipped. I use it occasionally when not applying other fertilizers a little goes a long way and it certainly seems to help with stem support and overall pant health.
 
TonightYou

TonightYou

Well-Known Member
I don't think it's necessary, but there are some papers out there that suggest it aids in overall stem strength and health in dealing with drought/high temperatures.

While just an observation, my plants do bounce back easily in suboptimal conditoms and easily handled the high 90s I hit in my tent during the summer months. For a giant container for next to nothing in cost, it will last me a long time.

I've also noticed some plants I've ran that previously needed support no longer do or not as much when silica is added.
 
Aeroknow

Aeroknow

Well-Known Member
jondamon said:
I've used Si before.

To be honest I don't really notice much difference between using it vs not.

Now I tend to use it if I need to raise my ph of my solution.


J
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Haha!
Yeah, i've used silicates, and have had to convince myself they were doing something besides raising
the ph.
I'm not so sure it's beneficial adding even more potassium while growing in coco either.
 
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churchhaze

Well-Known Member
I was skeptical of silicates before it was cool!

I personally think it's a load of phooey. It's not actually used anywhere in the plant.
 
Scroga

Scroga

Well-Known Member
H&G claim to have the highest grade silica in one of their products... Roots or amino I can't remember which one...
 
Scroga

Scroga

Well-Known Member
It's beneficial for sure.. In high stress environments.. But i mean your girls aren't going to starve without it
 
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churchhaze

Well-Known Member
I haven't seen definitive proof that it's beneficial at all. Most of the people using silicates are using potassium silicate, and potassium is one of the major macro nutrients that is known to be essential for good plant health.

When people feed with potassium silicate and notice better resistance to water stress, and thicker stems, I immediately think the potassium was responsible. That's what potassium does.
 
Daggy

Daggy

Well-Known Member
I super crop my trees all the time. I think that does more for stem strength than silica can do lol
 
WhiteRooster

WhiteRooster

Active Member
I'm not a big fan before using it my organic nutrient mix would balance out to 6.45 and after adding it to the mix it would raise it up to 6.7 and I would have to use a shit ton of pH down to get it to the target pH 6.5
 
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