Need Info About A Source Of Sulfur For Hydroponics

AlphaPhase

AlphaPhase

Well-Known Member
I'm trying to find a stand alone source for sulfur to use in my hydroponics system, but I'm reading that sulfur is not water soluble.. Does this mean it will not mix in my reservoir? I now know that Epsom salts contains sulfur and magnesium, but I'm trying to find a way to add sulfur individually to the reservoir without adding other elements at the same time. Can someone point me in the direction of where I can find a powder form of sulfur fertilizer. Thanks
 
A

Atomizer

Well-Known Member
Not sure why you need to add just sulfur, its rarely deficient.
Any sulfate will add S, the most common is magnesium (epsom), but there are plenty of others, potassium, calcium, iron and ammonium.
 
AlphaPhase

AlphaPhase

Well-Known Member
Well, I never have sulfur deficiencies, but I'm seeing over the last couple of grows that elevated sulfur levels has made quite a bit of difference compared to using lower sulfur amounts that are usually in base nutrients. It has made such a difference that I would like to be able to add sulfur to the ppm I'd like without adding magnesium, nitrogen or potassium, is this even possible, or is the chemical bond of sulfates what makes it water soluble.?. and it would be impossible to make sulfur by itself dissolve in water? If I can find a product that has next to 0% of other elements with a very high amount of sulfur, that might be ok as well.
 
A

Atomizer

Well-Known Member
The most feasible option is to use sulphuric acid in place of your usual ph down ;)
30% at 1.93g per gallon will give you +50ppm of S, assuming the ph allows you to put that much in.

deadgro
saltpeter is potassium nitrate, it wont help as it doesnt contain any sulfur
 
AlphaPhase

AlphaPhase

Well-Known Member
Atomizer said:
The most feasible option is to use sulphuric acid in place of your usual ph down ;)
30% at 1.93g per gallon will give you +50ppm of S, assuming the ph allows you to put that much in.

deadgro
saltpeter is potassium nitrate, it wont help as it doesnt contain any sulfur
Click to expand...
This is a great idea! 50 ppm is pretty much dead on to what I would like to add for sulfur. Thanks for the tip!

deadgro said:
I meant for the op to use the saltpeter himself.
Click to expand...
I'm not sure what you mean.
 
AlphaPhase

AlphaPhase

Well-Known Member
I did not know what saltpeter was until now, I guess it's used for curing meats :p Learn something new everyday haha :peace:
 
C

churchhaze

Well-Known Member
You will need to pick a sulfate salt, or use sulfuric acid as your pH down as @Atomizer suggested.

calcium sulfate, however, is not acceptable for hydro because of it's low solubility.

My advice to you is stop trying to look for "single sources" of elements. Salts come in pairs of 2 ions, which means that besides acids and bases, the way to alter element ratios is to use more or less of each salt.

Short answer, use magnesium sulfate.

AlphaPhase said:
I'm trying to find a stand alone source for sulfur to use in my hydroponics system, but I'm reading that sulfur is not water soluble.. Does this mean it will not mix in my reservoir? I now know that Epsom salts contains sulfur and magnesium, but I'm trying to find a way to add sulfur individually to the reservoir without adding other elements at the same time. Can someone point me in the direction of where I can find a powder form of sulfur fertilizer. Thanks
Click to expand...
 
AlphaPhase

AlphaPhase

Well-Known Member
that's crazy deadgro, the things people did back in the day is mind boggling lol

Right on churchhaze, good info. I already have Epsom so that will work out well, 1/4 tsp adds 200 ppm per gallon, so I figure an 1/8th tsp should be sufficient and maybe I can use the sulfuric acid along with it for pH down, that way I get some extra Sulfur from the pH down and kill two birds with one stone. I still have the nute chart you made me so I'm kind of sliding into the home made nutes slow and steady until I can figure it all out.
 
A

Atomizer

Well-Known Member
If you have to use ph down regularly i would go the acid route to drip feed extra S over time. If it starts to build up in the res you can spot issues early. Trying to get all the S from epsom runs the risk of overdoing the Mg, which will reduce the availability of K and increase the need for P.
 
bellcore

bellcore

Well-Known Member
In one of the slasher movies, Friday the 13th I think, the soon to be ex-camp counselors talk about putting salt peter in the kids oatmeal at camp. So the boys wouldn't play with themselves.

I'm using epsom salts for the first time, mainly to add sulphur. I hear sulpher is great for trichomes and potency.
 
AlphaPhase

AlphaPhase

Well-Known Member
I haven't gotten the sulfuric acid yet, just waiting until I run out of my current ph down (it's almost gone). I'll update as soon as I use it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top