Veg and Bloom Grow
- Thread starter Cuebossa
- Start date
homebrewer
Well-Known Member
Ok, so I did some quick math and it looks like a $20 tub would last about 9 weeks with feeding levels at 1.0 EC in my 15 gallon res. Don't get me wrong, this stuff clearly works, it's just not a great value compared to other liquid and dry food options.
Where VEG+BLOOM is $99 for 5lbs, Maxibloom is $90 for 16 pounds (maxigrow is more comparable though).
Simply an observation.
PetFlora
Well-Known Member
IMO there is a lot more to V+B than reducing it to vol v vol of nutrient X
I just measured ONE tsp of the new V+B (more Si + fulvic). Now we all know there is some variation amongst commercial tsps, but
MY 1 tsp= 3gms.
Mixed into 2G of RO water (~20ppm) the readout is 590 ppms. As my seedlings are developing the 3rd leaf set, 200ppms is sufficient; it takes ~ 4 more gallons to dilute to 200 ppms...
As per their directions they recommendation ramping up/down the EC/PPMs.
You don't need anywhere near 500ppms until you are getting ready to flip. PLUS, <2 EC during height of flowering, then back off
I just measured ONE tsp of the new V+B (more Si + fulvic). Now we all know there is some variation amongst commercial tsps, but
MY 1 tsp= 3gms.
Mixed into 2G of RO water (~20ppm) the readout is 590 ppms. As my seedlings are developing the 3rd leaf set, 200ppms is sufficient; it takes ~ 4 more gallons to dilute to 200 ppms...
As per their directions they recommendation ramping up/down the EC/PPMs.
You don't need anywhere near 500ppms until you are getting ready to flip. PLUS, <2 EC during height of flowering, then back off
patlpp
New Member
@pet By no means am I writing V&B off. I always take extra ingredients into consideration. That is why I think PH-Sensi is a good value with its' Fulvic/humic/amino's and wetting agent added. I e-mailed V&B and he said the added Si of ~ 30 ppm is sufficient to reap the Si benefits yet not too much to comprimize PH stability. It sure mixes well, real clean like Dyna.
Cuebossa
Active Member
I decided to do some cost comparing.
Dyna-gro's feed schedule;
Dynagrow Bloom @ Kmart 23.99 qt., suggested 10ml per gallon average, makes 94 gallons, $.25 a gallon
Dynagrow Protekt @ Kmart 17.99 qt., suggested 4ml per gallon average, makes 236 gallons, $.08 a gallon
Dynagrow Mag Pro @ Kmart 26.99 qt. suggested 1ml per gallon average, makes 946 gallons, $.03 a gallon
Dynagro $.36 a gallon.....
Veg+Bloom $.24 a gallon.....
Veg+Bloom works out to be 30% less. Plus, I am using less than 5.5 grams Veg+Bloom per gallon so my cost is actually more like $.20 a gallon.
Dyna-gro's feed schedule;
Dynagrow Bloom @ Kmart 23.99 qt., suggested 10ml per gallon average, makes 94 gallons, $.25 a gallon
Dynagrow Protekt @ Kmart 17.99 qt., suggested 4ml per gallon average, makes 236 gallons, $.08 a gallon
Dynagrow Mag Pro @ Kmart 26.99 qt. suggested 1ml per gallon average, makes 946 gallons, $.03 a gallon
Dynagro $.36 a gallon.....
Veg+Bloom $.24 a gallon.....
Veg+Bloom works out to be 30% less. Plus, I am using less than 5.5 grams Veg+Bloom per gallon so my cost is actually more like $.20 a gallon.
homebrewer
Well-Known Member
I wasn't comparing VEG+BLOOM to any liquid plant food in particular but since you used DynaGro, we can crunch some numbers to compare.
1ml of a DG base into a gallon of RO is around 120ppm (.7 scale). So to get to 1.0 EC, you'd need 5.8 mls/gallon. The DG bases run about $50/gallon so that puts the cost of a ml at 1.3 cents ($50/3780mls).
So to compare apples to apples here, it would cost 7.54 cents to get 1 gallon of RO to 1.0 EC with DG so in my 15 gallons res, a nine week flowering cycle would cost $10.17 (.0754*15*9) as compared to VB which is almost double to cost.
I'm not saying one food is better than the other, I was just surprised at the cost of this dry food. It works though and your plants look great. Keep up the good work!
patlpp
New Member
@HB you should add pro-tekt costs in also since VB has silica and fulvics and can not be segregated in the measurements. VG has free shipping when you buy 3lbs or more (about 3 lbs equals 1 gallon Dyna dosage wise). I can get dyna @50/gal free shipping all day. When I stated 5.5g/teaspoon I was going off the label. When I actually measured 10 level teaspoons I got 38g so 3.8 g/tsp (more inline with @petflora's measurement) With these amended numbers I get 2.3 grams for an EC of 1 in 1 gallon. 1 lb will feed 195 gallons@1ec. or 10c / gallon.
DYNA: 7.5c/gal
V&B : 10c/gal with silica/fulvic/amino's
@HB if you add pro-tekt what would the dosed per gallon cost be pushed up to ? (if you were to decrease your grow calc and add silica to reach the same EC of 1)? Probably close to 7.5c anyways?
All in all I think they are equal in value given the added stuff in VB
DYNA: 7.5c/gal
V&B : 10c/gal with silica/fulvic/amino's
@HB if you add pro-tekt what would the dosed per gallon cost be pushed up to ? (if you were to decrease your grow calc and add silica to reach the same EC of 1)? Probably close to 7.5c anyways?
All in all I think they are equal in value given the added stuff in VB
homebrewer
Well-Known Member
Gotcha, that's more inline with what i'd think a dry food would cost.
Protekt at a rate of 4mls/gallon and priced around $40/gal adds about $5 to the cost of a grow in my 15 gallon res and adds about 4 cents to the cost of a gallon. So 11.5 cents vs VB's 10 cents.
I'm all for 'cheap and easy' and it definitely looks like VB is easy. Your initial numbers surprised me but it actually does look like VB is cheap afterall.
Cuebossa
Active Member
I find the simplicity of use a huge value factor as well. 1 part, nothing else to worry about....priceless. I also like that if you keep it in it's container it lasts forever and won't settle like liquids do.
The Ocean Forest specimen is really putting out the pistils now, I've kept her around 1.3-1.5 EC
Lucius Vorenus
Well-Known Member
4ml gallon of Protekt?? I have never used that much.
Kite High
Well-Known Member
I use up 10 ml/gal...upon research 140 ppm showed the most benefit
homebrewer
Well-Known Member
DG 'recommends' 5mls/gal and I use 3mls/gal in veg for my hydro girls. The combination of my base nutes and protekt always puts the pH in my hydro reservoirs at 5.8. I could use less Protekt but I'd be adding pH up instead, pick your poison.
CaliMackdaddy
Active Member
Just started using V+B on my soil plants, so far 1 week in and their taking it on pretty well.. ill post pictures of the final results.
450ppm Ro/soft formula might bump it up a bit later in flower then lower it at the end for a flush
Ro water 6.5ph
450ppm Ro/soft formula might bump it up a bit later in flower then lower it at the end for a flush
Ro water 6.5ph
CaliMackdaddy
Active Member
Lovely lady bossa, how many watts are your plants under?
stumpjumper
Well-Known Member
Nice! I need a ec meter I guess..
So break that down, how many teaspoons per gallon have you been using? Did you wait until flower to start feeding it VB or was you giving your vegging plant VB on top of the nutes already in the ffof?
So break that down, how many teaspoons per gallon have you been using? Did you wait until flower to start feeding it VB or was you giving your vegging plant VB on top of the nutes already in the ffof?
stumpjumper
Well-Known Member
Wow. That's a lot of nutes, do you have pics of the different stages? My plants have always flourished up to week 4 with just what's in the soil.. I didn't really plan on starting the VB until I flipped. Unless they start acting hungry before of course.
I'd like to see a pic of that plant at 4 weeks veg..
I'd like to see a pic of that plant at 4 weeks veg..
Cuebossa
Active Member
Here is a day or two after I transplanted. I only veg for a couple weeks.
cuebossa-153098-albums-veg-bloom-picture2280954-riu1.jpg
and that was on 8/3 so I'm about 5 weeks in, I think it really helped build the bones by starting it earlier on
cuebossa-153098-albums-veg-bloom-picture2280954-riu1.jpg
and that was on 8/3 so I'm about 5 weeks in, I think it really helped build the bones by starting it earlier on
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