Can you completely cut out calcium?

Iv'e read of people who cut out calcium at around week 6. I'd like some valid info on this as cutting out calcium nitrate would also allow lower N levels toward the ripening stage.

My concern is that I recall reading magnesium requires the presence of calcium and a moderate level of N to work?.

Why do u want to do this first of all?

Fishbulb said:

Why do u want to do this first of all?

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What's the gain of over feeding?.

Why not just feed as normal till flush time?

What your suggesting/asking doesn't make sense and it's a bit dumb if you ask me.

Not trying to mean but I can't wrap my brain around it.

Are you growing in soil, or hydro ?

Fishbulb said:

Why not just feed as normal till flush time?

What your suggesting/asking doesn't make sense and it's a bit dumb if you ask me.

Not trying to mean but I can't wrap my brain around it.

Are you growing in soil, or hydro ?

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Because I strive to feed at an amount that doesn't need flushing.

I'm not suggesting, it's what others have done but bro science gets around, as does valid info. Using less of a certain nutrient if not effecting health (and I'm asking if it it does) will lower nutrient cost and further reduce reason to flush.

Coco, but I imagine such a question is universal.

"Can you completely cut out calcium?"

Can you completely cut out protein from your diet? Completely cut out iron?

The answer is no, not unless you want to create unnecessary issues.

Skeet Kuhn Dough said:

"Can you completely cut out calcium?"

Can you completely cut out protein from your diet? Completely cut out iron?

The answer is no, not unless you want to create unnecessary issues.

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Switch to calcium carbonate if nitrogen is a concern.

Skeet Kuhn Dough said:

"Can you completely cut out calcium?"

Can you completely cut out protein from your diet? Completely cut out iron?

The answer is no, not unless you want to create unnecessary issues.

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That isn't a valid comparison but I get what you are saying. You can lower N a lot in flower compared to veg with no ill effect. Or, you can continue to use a fair amount of N with no ill effect. The plant has quite a wide tolerance range and I'd like to be on the lowest possible end of that to save on waste. C plays various roles but mostly centralising around growth. As you get toward the end of flower I guess the concept was that not so much veg growth is going on and the plant can get by til the end on the calcium that is stored. I'm aware it isn't mobile, so it makes some sense that these people were suggesting to cut it out near the end. I get it, cutting it out may not be possible, but that doesn't mean theirs a set lowest amount you can use near the end.

I tried tracking down info on scholar and you tube but the only actual ppm info I got was that you can go as low as 40ppm calcium. That wasn't really specific to any given species or stage of the cycle.

hotrodharley said:

Switch to calcium carbonate if nitrogen is a concern.

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The nitrogen isn't a concern but by the elemental info I've read I can still drop it and stay above the minimum range. I just want to know if I can save more on cal with a side bonus of reducing N closer to the minimum.

The problem is I've not really found much info in terms of calcium specific upper/lower ppm values during veg/flower.

If you’re concerned about the N. You could top dress with dolomitic lime or I would go with Gypsum for the added sulfur.

If you're growing hydro, you NEED to flush. Period. I can't tell you how many times I've had otherwise fire buds, whether from dispensaries or friends, that taste like straight Botanicare. If you want to avoid flushing (and a lot of other hassles), switch to living soil.

The plant needs a balance between the elements to get proper growth. Completely cutting anything out seems pretty counterproductive to proper growth....

As far as flushing goes, do some side by sides with some clones. Scientifically preharvest flushing does absolutely nothing for the plant, except starve it and stress it. I encourage everyone to try their own experiments.

The biggest differences in final quality will come from a healthy fully ripe plant, and a proper slow dry. No magic, secret sauce or broscience needed to grow dank buds.

Merlin1147 said:

If you’re concerned about the N. You could top dress with dolomitic lime or I would go with Gypsum for the added sulfur.

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Don't use DOLO in cannabis much at all!

Dolo is too high in Mg.....Use dolo and you have too much Mg. Too much Mg decreases THC production...

Avoid Dolo! Powdered oyster shell and even ground egg shells. If you roast the egg shells. You bring out more good things to be available.

Now FFOF tends to run low on Ca and Mg. I used to add a good half cup per whole bag to fix those issues.

Thundercat said:

The plant needs a balance between the elements to get proper growth. Completely cutting anything out seems pretty counterproductive to proper growth....

As far as flushing goes, do some side by sides with some clones. Scientifically preharvest flushing does absolutely nothing for the plant, except starve it and stress it. I encourage everyone to try their own experiments.

The biggest differences in final quality will come from a healthy fully ripe plant, and a proper slow dry. No magic, secret sauce or broscience needed to grow dank buds.

Click to expand...

Shhh, I do a few home made sauce's...... cpl to enhance trich and terp production. Another to manipulate the THC/CBD content.
The last is still in testing and dial in. Pretty close and it does what it's supposed to,,,so far, so good.

Hawg Wild said:

If you're growing hydro, you NEED to flush. Period. I can't tell you how many times I've had otherwise fire buds, whether from dispensaries or friends, that taste like straight Botanicare. If you want to avoid flushing (and a lot of other hassles), switch to living soil.

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Really? I did flood and drain for years and now I'm growing in coco. I never flush. I feed until the end. I do lower the strength towards the end. People have been complimenting me on the taste and smoothness of my weed for years. But I also feed at much lower ppm's than most people and I don't add a bunch of extra stuff. My weed never tastes like fertilizer. It tastes like delicious cannabis.

Dr. Who said:

Shhh, I do a few home made sauce's...... cpl to enhance trich and terp production. Another to manipulate the THC/CBD content.
The last is still in testing and dial in. Pretty close and it does what it's supposed to,,,so far, so good.

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Hehe well Dr, you've obviously got enough knowledge and experience to play with your own sauces, but I'm sure you would agree special sauces aren't a must to get good dank. There is definitely always ways to push the envelope once you fully understand the process of growing a healthy plant to full maturity .

Hawg Wild said:

If you're growing hydro, you NEED to flush. Period. I can't tell you how many times I've had otherwise fire buds, whether from dispensaries or friends, that taste like straight Botanicare. If you want to avoid flushing (and a lot of other hassles), switch to living soil.

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What you describe here is basic confirmation bias. Many of us hydro growers have ran the side of the test because we all have that one friend like you. The thing is every time the guy that can "taste" the nutrients is only able to taste them when he knows how the weed was grown or flushed. In blind taste and smell tests they are clueless about which weed is which.

My favorite test was with a fellow grower friend of mine. He spent years telling me I needed to flush(he is the ONLY person I've met that did not rave about my buds) because he could "taste the nutes". So one time I told him "hey guess what I started flushing this last harvest, you should come to try it". So he did, and he sat and raved about how great it was, "the flavor was stronger" to him, and "the smoke was smoother" and "the ash was cleaner". The punch line is I never flushed those plants. It was all in his head for years. Just confirmation bias interfering with his ability to enjoy delicious weed.

Dr. Who said:

Don't use DOLO in cannabis much at all!

Dolo is too high in Mg.....Use dolo and you have too much Mg. Too much Mg decreases THC production...

Avoid Dolo! Powdered oyster shell and even ground egg shells. If you roast the egg shells. You bring out more good things to be available.

Now FFOF tends to run low on Ca and Mg. I used to add a good half cup per whole bag to fix those issues.

Click to expand...

fox farm out the bag has 2500 ppm ca

Flowki said:

Iv'e read of people who cut out calcium at around week 6. I'd like some valid info on this as cutting out calcium nitrate would also allow lower N levels toward the ripening stage.

My concern is that I recall reading magnesium requires the presence of calcium and a moderate level of N to work?.

Click to expand...

clones?
Why don't you feed all the way through on what you need and try the experiment on what you can afford to keep yourself, test both at the lab. Never know.

Flowki said:

Because I strive to feed at an amount that doesn't need flushing.

I'm not suggesting, it's what others have done but bro science gets around, as does valid info. Using less of a certain nutrient if not effecting health (and I'm asking if it it does) will lower nutrient cost and further reduce reason to flush.

Coco, but I imagine such a question is universal.

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If your nutrients cost that much switch. If you have like 30 plants growing you might almost save a dollar if you cut out Cal nitrate for a week or 2. Best thing to do is try it let us know how it goes. Best case scenario you save a dollar or 2 worst case your plants start to die and you lose out on some yield. Oh and flushing isnt really necessary

Hawg Wild said:

If you're growing hydro, you NEED to flush. Period. I can't tell you how many times I've had otherwise fire buds, whether from dispensaries or friends, that taste like straight Botanicare. If you want to avoid flushing (and a lot of other hassles), switch to living soil.

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This isnt really true that taste is more likely pesticides. I don't waste money on shit like botanicare but with Jack's the flush doesn't do anything. I still stop my feed like a week before on most grows I like to see the plants fade and more colors come out