Superstoner's new 3 rail, 50gal system, 36-40oz every 2 weeks.

Mont@n@ said:

there is a botanicare PBP nutrient spreedsheet on page 21. you just need microsoft excel on your computer. that spreedsheet will do the math for you.

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Thanks for that. I think maybe I wasn't clear with my question.

I can do the math and figure out how much of each nutrient. My question is how to add the nutes? Each one individually to the res, mixing after each one? And, if it's done this way what happens at the end when the ppm is not right? How will you know which nute to add to make the ppm right?

For example , let's say we use only two nutrients, pbp grow at 8ml per gallon and liquid karma at 10ml per gallon. So we had 160ml of pbp grow to our res, and 200ml of liquid karma. Now, let's say our desired ppm is 750 but our reading shows 580. How do we know which nutrient to add more of, pbp grow or liquid karma.

Or, is it easier and possible to mix all the nutrients together in a gallon jug and pour until ppm is where we want it?

I guess my question boils down to can we mix all of ss's recommended nutes in a jug and go that route or are there certain nutrients that have to go in separate?

You have to be careful with certain elements as they will bind together and cause lock out, which means they will not be available to your plants. I had the same dilemma when I first started mixing tanks, my recommendation is if you want a 20-gallon res, fill it with 15 gallons then add your nutrients and if your concentration is too high add more water. Make sure you follow the feed charts properly because there are certain elements you should add to the reservoir first, such as potassium silicate if you're using that.

For the botanicare line, you can make a super concentrate solution with all the nutes except for silica blast. If you add SB right into the concentrate it will chelate and fall out, rendered useless. That is the only additive you must add in after the rest of your rez has been mixed.

GreenTools said:

For the botanicare line, you can make a super concentrate solution with all the nutes except for silica blast. If you add SB right into the concentrate it will chelate and fall out, rendered useless. That is the only additive you must add in after the rest of your rez has been mixed.

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Thanks Green, is there anywhere on botanicare's website or somewhere that has this information? Like a chart or something showing which ingredients can or cannot be mixed together with what? I've looked all over the botanicare website and can't seem to find one.

Bottom of their website is just a nutrient formula, doesn't show what can and cant be mixed as a concentrate though....I only speak out of experience with the line.

GreenTools said:

Bottom of their website is just a nutrient formula, doesn't show what can and cant be mixed as a concentrate though....I only speak out of experience with the line.

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Okay, thanks. I have a seedling that only has 4 really small leaves.

I went ahead and put it in the veg unit with 30% of ss's recommended veg nutes.

I premixed everything except silica blast, hydroguard, and pondzyme. Added everything to about 300ppm and then ph'd down to 5.6.

What's everyone think of that concentration? Too little? Or just right for a seedling?

superstoner1 said:

Budley, I'm a big believer in pondzyme. I used it before and with hydroguard and aquashield with great results. I do not monitor res temps, ever, and I do not remove and clean systems between harvests.

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I'm running hydroguard and pondzyme in my res. I adjusted my ph to 5.6 after adding nutes. About 7 hours later the ph was up to 6.6. My res temp hangs between 68-70. My room is 76-79.

Is this type if ph change normal? Should I ride it out or continuously keep adding ph up and down to keep it 5.6-5.8?

having the same issue with PH moving massive amounts within hours also. adjusted to 5.5 within 5 hours its at 6.6 - 6.8. Dont know what is the reason for that. Even pre-mixed nuts sitting a bowl, mixed, adjusted to 5.5, next day do a check and there at 7.0+.......scratching my head here.

Hammer_time said:

having the same issue with PH moving massive amounts within hours also. adjusted to 5.5 within 5 hours its at 6.6 - 6.8. Dont know what is the reason for that. Even pre-mixed nuts sitting a bowl, mixed, adjusted to 5.5, next day do a check and there at 7.0+.......scratching my head here.

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I adjusted mine to 5.6, later that afternoon it was 6.6 so I adjusted it down to 5.6.

The next afternoon it was back up to 6.5 again, so I again adjusted it down to 5.6.

The next afternoon it was only up to 6.1 so I went ahead and adjusted it down to 5.6

The next morning, yesterday morning, it was only up to 5.7 and then yesterday evening it was only up to 5.9.

Seems like the reservoir just needed a couple days to stabilize. I'm going to change my res this weekend and see if the same thing happens over the course of the first 3 days or so.

superstoner1 said:

I have only ever used ecoplus pumps and never had one go bad on me in 6+years.

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dead thread I know but I just had to chime in on this one.

every single ecoplus pump I have ever had is in the trash because they last about 3-6 months and crap out. Absolute shit. Half of my active aqua are the same, half shit. Only about half still running and I am phasing them out.

The only pumps I have that are 100% functional after 2 years continuous duty are the cheap ass harbor freight. I can't remember what the old ones brand name was but they have fairly recently changed to creekstone. They look about identical and I hope it was just a manufacturer name change or something just for formality. Knock on wood, I haven't been running these for years because they haven't been available but for months. Let's hope these are the same quality as the old ones.

However, I will never buy another hydro store pump again as long as I live, at least not ecoplus or active aqua. I haven't seen any other brand.

anybody that is still paying attention to this thread, do you know how marvin the martian modded his pumps? I have seen pics where he removed the inlet cover and filter and fitted some sort of pipe to the intake to change the pickup style and location. I haven't seen this discussed anywhere yet.

Pvc elbow on the intake.

By chance have you done it?

I haven't had one apart in quite awhile plus I don't use the same brand but I don't remember it being just round, like it had locking tabs preventing a simple connection.

Do you know how he did it? Or if you have, how?

Yes I have done it, the front of the ecoplus pumps come off and have a female threaded inlet. I used a barbed pump fitting to an elbow instead of pvc though, just had them on hand at the time.

Ok thanks, that sounds different than what I've got. I'll have to check and see if I can rig something. These seem to have nothing but a keeper for the impeller/armature, no threads. We'll see.

I think my 365's have a female threaded inlet as well, I'll have to check lol. As for them not lasting, one of mine is around 5-6 years old

I don't even know you and I can already tell you, your luck is better than mine. I will never chance buying another one. I wouldn't even take a free one. Really. But I am glad someone can trust them, I don't.

Crazy how sometimes you get what you pay for and sometimes the cheapest one is the highest quality you can get!!

I also can't just run down to my (non-existent) hydro shop to try the next brand offered, ergo, can't run down and return a defect. However I can run to HF and swap em out, I have over 20!!!! People think I'm fucking growing pot or something around here!!

Wow completenoobie sorry bout the bad luck with eco pumps. I have 8 of them and more than 4 of them are over 5 yrs old and running like the day I bought em. I have had 1 die though and that was due to running dry for almost a week while I was away.

As for your question about the intakes, they're threaded with the same size thread as the output. One can simply pull off the guard/filter and thread any one of the spare ends into it and hook up a vinyl hose or PVC adapter.
I have all my rez's drains plumbed together and a pump hooked up this way because my drain is higher. Just one thing to note on this arrangement though, the pump has to be primed as it has no draw capability. I do this in my arrangement by keeping the pump lower than the rezes I'm draining.

Another pump quite similar to the eco that's threaded on the input is Elemental H2O pump, I have 2 I've ran for over a year with no issues.

Lite Brite said:

Wow completenoobie sorry bout the bad luck with eco pumps. I have 8 of them and more than 4 of them are over 5 yrs old and running like the day I bought em. I have had 1 die though and that was due to running dry for almost a week while I was away.

As for your question about the intakes, they're threaded with the same size thread as the output. One can simply pull off the guard/filter and thread any one of the spare ends into it and hook up a vinyl hose or PVC adapter.
I have all my rez's drains plumbed together and a pump hooked up this way because my drain is higher. Just one thing to note on this arrangement though, the pump has to be primed as it has no draw capability. I do this in my arrangement by keeping the pump lower than the rezes I'm draining.

Another pump quite similar to the eco that's threaded on the input is Elemental H2O pump, I have 2 I've ran for over a year with no issues.

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You wouldn't feel sorry for me at all if you only knew how little money I spend on a better quality pump. In fact you'd be pissed ass jealous. You would cuss my very soul because I spend so much less than you guys and have NEVER EVER EVER NOT ONCE had a cheap pump go bad. I have pumps in service for over 4 years now and haven't replaced a single one since cheaping out and going with the harbor freight local supply rather than driving 110 miles and paying twice for an inferior product.

I am SUPER HAPPY with my luck

FUCK eco plus bullshit. I'll never buy another hydro shop pump as long as I live

completenoobie said:

You wouldn't feel sorry for me at all if you only knew how little money I spend on a better quality pump. In fact you'd be pissed ass jealous. You would cuss my very soul because I spend so much less than you guys and have NEVER EVER EVER NOT ONCE had a cheap pump go bad. I have pumps in service for over 4 years now and haven't replaced a single one since cheaping out and going with the harbor freight local supply rather than driving 110 miles and paying twice for an inferior product.

I am SUPER HAPPY with my luck

FUCK eco plus bullshit. I'll never buy another hydro shop pump as long as I live

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I wish we had more than one hydro store here as well. The one we have charges double what I can get from Amazon which is where I buy most of my stuff. I think the Eco pumps are around $35 Canadian so probably $10 US lol. I have tried a few different ones and the Eco seems to work well. I may upgrade for a RDWC setup and will check out harbour

Budley Doright said:

I wish we had more than one hydro store here as well. The one we have charges double what I can get from Amazon which is where I buy most of my stuff. I think the Eco pumps are around $35 Canadian so probably $10 US lol. I have tried a few different ones and the Eco seems to work well. I may upgrade for a RDWC setup and will check out harbour

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There's almost always a better/cheaper supplier than a hydro store.