The current opinion of silica

Status
Not open for further replies.
blueberrymilkshake

blueberrymilkshake

Well-Known Member
I'm in week 8 of flower. Still using it, but just to adjust my pH. I was reading some old posts on here about not using it past x in flower. But you guys change your fuckin minds twice a week. In 2014, I would be good. 2015, I'm killing my plants. They are healthy, I'm not worried, but if my technique can be improved, my mind is open.

While I've got you here, is floralicious snake oil?

This is in coco with maxistuff, if that's relevant
 
blueberrymilkshake

blueberrymilkshake

Well-Known Member
PeatPhreak said:
If it's bioavailable silica, not potassium silicate, you can use it for the entire grow.
Click to expand...
I read the latter can result in tough flowers with poor ash quality if used past a certain point, dunno if that's true. Do you know what happens when you use potassium silicate too long? And when is that window? Lastly, will bioavailable silica work with salt based nutrients? Sorry for 21 questions. Hopefully this helps someone else too.
 
PeatPhreak

PeatPhreak

Well-Known Member
Potassium silicate raises media pH and can cause nutrient uptake issues because of it. Anything you read about nutes and "ash quality" is usually spoken by someone that does not know what they are talking about.
Yes, biovalable silica works with salts. Mix it in the water first then add the other nutes. TPS Gold silica works well and is reasonably priced.
 
blueberrymilkshake

blueberrymilkshake

Well-Known Member
Is the only issue with nutrient uptake?

I'm slowly starting to recognize the ash-quality red flag :wall:

I have TPS' calmag because it was the only 0-0-0 calmag I could find when I started. Will definitely check out their silica. Thanks a lot, I appreciate your help
 
Wastei

Wastei

Well-Known Member
Potassium Silicate can be used from start to finish without any issues. Is use about 15ppm in soil and 30ppm in hydro. It only brings better quality and resistance to pathogens in flower.

I've always used it as a pH buffer throughout the grow and flower enhancer in flower.
 
Rurumo

Rurumo

Well-Known Member
I like potassium silicate foliars in veg as part of an IPM program. I'm not convinced it does anything for plants besides the added potassium though-I see zero difference in stem strength with or without it. I'm thinking of giving silicic acid a try for my next grow just to see if the more bioavailable silica makes a difference.
 
blueberrymilkshake

blueberrymilkshake

Well-Known Member
PeatPhreak said:
Potassium silicate needs specific microbes to convert silicate into bioavailable silica. That process takes time. If the right microbes aren't present, the silicate can't help the plant, but it ate the K.
Click to expand...
Well that makes things even more complicated regarding potassium silicate and dtw coco, right? At least less efficient, I would think.
 
mudballs

mudballs

Well-Known Member
Oh boy, silica again.
To me plants are like those mobile games where you have to craft stuff...ok you need 3 feathers, 2 opals, and 1rare diamond....so you grind and get your generic sword.
For a bigger better weapon you need 20 iron ore, 10 ambers, 3 diamonds, and 1 merchant hat (idk im making it up shut up).
So that would get you a bigger sword, or in our setting, a bigger plant.
Now you want the best in the game.
You need 100 ambers, 3 diamonds, 2 merchant hat, and a blue flower.
That blue flowwr is our silica, you dont fkn need silica in crafting ganja until you wanna make some ridiculous juggernaut.
 
rkymtnman

rkymtnman

Well-Known Member
PeatPhreak said:
Potassium silicate needs specific microbes to convert silicate into bioavailable silica. That process takes time. If the right microbes aren't present, the silicate can't help the plant, but it ate the K.
Click to expand...
what about silicon dioxide? i'm trying cutting edge solutions bulletproof Si. is that "better" than potassium silicate for easier plant uptake?
 
blueberrymilkshake

blueberrymilkshake

Well-Known Member
mudballs said:
Oh boy, silica again.
To me plants are like those mobile games where you have to craft stuff...ok you need 3 feathers, 2 opals, and 1rare diamond....so you grind and get your generic sword.
For a bigger better weapon you need 20 iron ore, 10 ambers, 3 diamonds, and 1 merchant hat (idk im making it up shut up).
So that would get you a bigger sword, or in our setting, a bigger plant.
Now you want the best in the game.
You need 100 ambers, 3 diamonds, 2 merchant hat, and a blue flower.
That blue flowwr is our silica, you dont fkn need silica in crafting ganja until you wanna make some ridiculous juggernaut.
Click to expand...
Can you elaborate on silica's role in becoming a juggernaut and what criteria must be met in order to be considered having juggernaut status? I think I understand the metaphor, but I am using it only for disease resistance and to counteract the pH drop from maxibloom. Having the best sword isn't the goal, so I don't think it's useless in all other applications. This is assuming I'm using it right and the shit works lol
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top