The current opinion of silica

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PJ Diaz

Well-Known Member
There is more to life than hydro. It's not all about you.

This is what FloraFlex says about Cl

Chlorine (CI) is required in very small quantities and there is usually enough in the water supply. Chloride toxicity is a more common problem and this is the reason chloride is usually not included in most feed programs including ours.
The OP is growing in coco, aka hydro. That's what this thread is about, try to pay attention. Most hydro growers start with 0 EC water (or close to it using RO filters), so they aren't gonna have any chloride in there.

I've already said that gypsum could be useful in soil, but that isn't what this thread is about. It's about a coco grow. You are a "PeatPhreak", so not sure why you are even here giving advice to a coco grower.

This started because you suggested a DIY "Cal/Mag" made of gypsum and epsom salts. Honestly "Cal/Mag" is the dumbest shit. There is no such thing as a Cal/Mag deficiency. Calcium and Magnesium are antagonists to each other. The only reason that Cal/Mag is sold is because excess of one can cause a deficiency of the other. Forget the CalMag, and just give your plants a proper balanced feed and you'll be fine.
 

ComputerSaysNo

Well-Known Member
There is no such thing as a Cal/Mag deficiency.
Yes, there is. RO water does not contain either in sufficient amounts.
Calcium and Magnesium are antagonists to each other.
"Antagonists"? What does that mean? Like an acid and a base that neutralize each other?
The only reason that Cal/Mag is sold is because excess of one can cause a deficiency of the other. Forget the CalMag, and just give your plants a proper balanced feed and you'll be fine.
A "proper balanced feed" includes calcium and magnesium. Maybe CalMag is the best way to add said calcium and magnesium.

I have to add that I've grown in coco without CalMag and with zero issues. It was tap water, however.
 

Kassiopeija

Well-Known Member
This started because you suggested a DIY "Cal/Mag" made of gypsum and epsom salts. Honestly "Cal/Mag" is the dumbest shit. There is no such thing as a Cal/Mag deficiency. Calcium and Magnesium are antagonists to each other.
why is it that you growers can't discuss things in an respectful manner?
did you, for example, consider pH problems? like, medium/solution went pH 4, irrelevant of reason, just to make an example, then both Ca & Mg would be drastically reduced in absorption and other nutes promoted instead. causing feed dysbalance

PeatPhreak is right on Cl, it's only essentially needed in numbers like a micro. Plants can recycle & shift Cl like a champ. Even in RO you wont see any Cl def as it's in many raw salts for ferts as impurity

How is CalSulf as gypsum turned to Ca++ ion in certain hydroponics that wash H+ or root chelating secrets like malic or citric acid away? think aeropobics etc... in nature plants have a lot of control over what happens in the rootzone but here, the feed needs to be ready or it wont feed much. it should be ionic and thus also chelated...
 

PJ Diaz

Well-Known Member
Yes, there is. RO water does not contain either in sufficient amounts.
It's possible you might have both a Cal def and a Mag def at the same time, but it's not a "CalMag" def.
"Antagonists"? What does that mean? Like an acid and a base that neutralize each other?
Look it up, google is your friend.

A "proper balanced feed" includes calcium and magnesium. Maybe CalMag is the best way to add said calcium and magnesium.
If you have to add "CalMag" to your base, then by definition it isn't a balanced feed, however that is typical for many bottled nutes.
 

PJ Diaz

Well-Known Member
why is it that you growers can't discuss things in an respectful manner?
did you, for example, consider pH problems? like, medium/solution went pH 4, irrelevant of reason, just to make an example, then both Ca & Mg would be drastically reduced in absorption and other nutes promoted instead. causing feed dysbalance

PeatPhreak is right on Cl, it's only essentially needed in numbers like a micro. Plants can recycle & shift Cl like a champ. Even in RO you wont see any Cl def as it's in many raw salts for ferts as impurity

How is CalSulf as gypsum turned to Ca++ ion in certain hydroponics that wash H+ or root chelating secrets like malic or citric acid away? think aeropobics etc... in nature plants have a lot of control over what happens in the rootzone but here, the feed needs to be ready or it wont feed much. it should be ionic and thus also chelated...
Well I'm not advocating using a bunch of Chlorine anyhow, I just pointed out that there is more immediate forms of Calcium for hydro compared to gypsum. But that's not what this thread is event about, it's about Si. I use GG 40% mono-Si intermittently in various stages of the grow in coco..
 

ComputerSaysNo

Well-Known Member
Look it up, google is your friend.
I wasn't "asking". I'm actually quite good at googling and think it's retarded to ask questions on forums you might as well google.

I was testing your ability to follow up jargon with an explanation.

The CalMag supplements that are typically sold contain the calcium and the magnesium in a ratio that is appropriate for plants. Adding it will not suddenly cause lockout because of antagonisms (at least not between these two elements).

In fact, that is more likely to happen if you add either of the elements without the other.
If you have to add "CalMag" to your base, then by definition it isn't a balanced feed, however that is typical for many bottled nutes.
So, you've now told us that:
  • If the feed is balanced (= complete) you don't have to add anything.
  • If you had to add something (CalMag), the feed wasn't balanced to begin with.
I didn't even have to google that.

At any rate, adding CalMag by default is probably a waste of time and money.
 

Samwell Seed Well

Well-Known Member
Lol are we presuming day to day a plant needs the exact same amount of nutrients in exact proportions... if so, the entire science of fruiting plants is having one hard luagh at the horticulture white knight...


Plants use differential amounts of nutrients at various points of life and enviroments. This is not debatable. A fruiting plant will uptake differently then a plant in a vegetative state of growth.
 

jimihendrix1

Well-Known Member
I tried a small amount silica one time in flowering, and it caused my stigmas to turn brown the next day.

I use Calcium Nitrate 15.5-0-0 for my Calcium, and Nitrogen source, and Epsom Salts for my Magnesium, and Sulfur source. I dont use CalMag.
Medium is Promix BX.
 

mudballs

Well-Known Member
why is it that you growers can't discuss things in an respectful manner?
did you, for example, consider pH problems? like, medium/solution went pH 4, irrelevant of reason, just to make an example, then both Ca & Mg would be drastically reduced in absorption and other nutes promoted instead. causing feed dysbalance

PeatPhreak is right on Cl, it's only essentially needed in numbers like a micro. Plants can recycle & shift Cl like a champ. Even in RO you wont see any Cl def as it's in many raw salts for ferts as impurity

How is CalSulf as gypsum turned to Ca++ ion in certain hydroponics that wash H+ or root chelating secrets like malic or citric acid away? think aeropobics etc... in nature plants have a lot of control over what happens in the rootzone but here, the feed needs to be ready or it wont feed much. it should be ionic and thus also chelated...
i thought they did great in the respectful discussion....these are two alphas, with kick ass resumes and portfolios....they're assertive and confident....we've seen far FAR worse.
 

Wastei

Well-Known Member
Coco isn't hydro and the OP has already recieved all the help he needs from me. He was asking about 0-0-0 CalMag and I told him how to DIY which your pea brain obviously had a difficult time processing. Now you're butthurt and just lashing out randomly like a fool. And since you think "cal mag is the dumbest shit", I don't see the point in talking to you about growing weed.
It's not a wise thing to talk about things you have no experience in hence lack understanding. Coir grown plants have the same nutrient requirements as any other hydro grown plant.

I think you miss the fact that there's a difference between Calcium carbonate and Calcium sulfate dihydrate (gypsum)?
 
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