For the new members in the $14.99 level, the online course is here: ua-cam.com/play/PLk4IGbDM3vfqQ1k9IiiijcU_uYkfgjR_g.html New video coming out today. several more, 12 in all, will be out within the month.
Mike: I clicked on link provided to see about joining class. What's the difference between first one shown & Level Two? Thanks for any response. - Susan Burns
Here''s a tip... Fill the bucket with a hose at a fairly high pressure -- dump in first powder, when about 1/3rd full dump in the second, when 2/3rds dump the last... The water splashing around does all the mixing for you!
Thanks , I cannot afford to pay $14 + being on a strict income so I hope Mike realizes this and the more people watch him and share he should do well on UA-cam
This is so funny to see ya showing how to mix it the correct way. Master Blend contacted me a few years back which I done a video on that. Anyway the one teaspoon came from my recommendations so they printed it with out no reference back to me or my channel. Oh well been preaching it for years now that the amount of grams that has been shown for many years was not the correct amount. Just another kick in my butt and failure to my channel. Glad to see a top notch channel like yourself do a video like this to help all the folks that were taught the wrong way. Stay safe and have a great weekend down there!
All this time (about 2 years) I have been mixing the Masterblend/epsom salts/calcium nitrate according to the instructions on my bag of MB (2tsp of each). I just went to the MB website to see if they have updated the ratios, and sure enough they now recommend 1.5-2tsp epsom salts. When did this happen??? I have been having good results with the original ratios, but can I now expect better results when I do it correctly? I'm really glad I ran into your comment here, thanks for doing that!
@@catherinepususta8639 EC meter is the only way to go. This allows you to know what the total reading really is then you can adjust to make it come out perfectly. Yeah I seen MB change a couple times that has many confused. I have a few videos where I speak of this that has helped so many folks get it in order which made for much happier plants. Thanks for watching! Stay safe!!
What you could use to stir in the nutrients is what they use in labs or yeast culture mixing for brewing. One of those mixers with a magnetic stirrer you drop in and let it mix without having to stand over it.
I used organic cow manure and urnie mixed with water, wheat flour, some fine clay and molasses. It works wonders. I don't buy any other nutrient fluid. Ratio to water is most important though.
Thanks.... You just saved me $15 bucks. Money is tight and I appreciate any money saving tips. But bigger, I appreciate and am thankful for these iconic videos here on UA-cam. Healthy eating is important, but also learning about how to grow food and share with those in need of more food than they can afford.... 🤔🙏😎
I use white buckets that do let a bit of light in -- to stop the algae I just put the buckets in black plastic bin bag/rubble sack... works well for me.
I feel blessed that i found your channel first. You also trying to help people out is wonderful. I myself am basically indigent. But this is the next thing i want to learn. And i thought to myself before getting onto UA-cam (cause i see on amazon how much they sale set ups for those tiny counter things they say grows herbs and you can buy certain ones with food stamps. But lord they aren't cheap. So i put on UA-cam. " beginners diy cheap and here i am after watching 6 videos so far. Pretty sure i will do your course. Awesome but now in have to go see how much the masterblend is. Thanks i subbed.
I am a retired widow in a one person household exploring countertop and very limited patio hydroponics. Preparing 5 gals of solution seems a bit daunting for such a minimal endeavor for one person. My questions are : 1. Can I prepare just a one gal solution or even a 2.5 gal amount. 2. What is the shelf life for solutions ? 1mo, 6 Mos, 1 yr, indefinite ? 3. Can a solution be poured into ice cube molds, frozen, stored in foodsaver vacuum bags for freezer storage ? Does freezing destroy or weaken the solution ? Would be okay with the 5gal so long as I did not lose it to waste by having to throw it out. But a smaller more manageable amount would be preferable. Thank you for any information you provide.
I have ordered 4-18-38, epsom salt and calcium nitrate. Can someone use litres/gms and give the ratio of water to the 3 chemicals ? Appreciate it. Thanks
What I do is mix the Masterblend formula in a small cup of water, like those little bathroom cups, plastic ones and stir it with a small stick or wooden dowel. Sometimes it even helps to nuke a larger cup of the water in the microwave for a minute and poor it into the smaller cup so it disolves faster when stirred. Then I poor it in the bucket and stir a few times. Same for the Epsom salt next and then the Calcium Nitrate. 10-10-5 for leafy greens like lettuce and micros and 12-12-6 for vine plants like Tomatoes. Simple. Disolve first in a small cup and stir until disolved and then poor into the bucket. This is by far the most effective way to mix nutrients with absutely no effort and I can't believe nobody does it this way! Lol C'mon people, innovate and don't make things so darn complicated. Love your videos though. :) Good luck with the course.
@@francoistran5681 Okay...so You have your Master blend formula that's green color, your epsom salt and your calcium nitrate which are the little pebbles. Always mix your Master blend and calcium nitrate at the same ratio and the Epsom salt is always exactly half. Now for 10-10-5 what that means is that you are going to make a lesser concentrated blend per gallon. It's a 5 gallon ratio so 10 grams master blend for every 5 gallons of nutrients, 10 grams of calcium nitrate and only 5 grams of Epsom salt for 5 gallons. 10-10-5. If you wanted to make 1 gallon instead of 5 it's easy. Just divide the 10-10-5 by 5 gallons and you get your per gallon ratio. In this case it would be 2-2-1. Now if you are growing peppers or tomatoes you probably want to up the concentration to the 12-12-6 ratio for 5 gallons. So for one gallon it would be 2.4 - 2.4 - 1.2 grams. Now always mix your nutrient in a small cup of warm water first and then poor it into the container with at least several cups of water already in it to avoid calcification. Don't mix the nutrients together until they are completely blended in each cup and disolved. You can make any size batch you want as long as you make sure you know how many gallons of nutrients you put in your original jug and you divide it out equality amount the gallons you want to make. If you still have questions let me know. Oh and also follow this order. master blend first, then Epsom salt then calcium nitrate. Don't ever mix your nitrate into the solution before the other two. That's it.
No idea what Coastal Direct is saying. I don’t understand any of this mixing and ratios. Why does Mike show the cap that says how many cups etc per gallon when that doesn’t apply to these ratios? And I don’t understand because it seems the epsom is already added to the blend so how does that act as a separate ratio? I’m so confused!
the reason you dissolve the green one first because that would help the calcium nitrate to dissolve faster. if you mix the calcium nitrate by itself you're going to spend a lot of time stirring it to dissolve.
Ahahaha. I don't know if yo are right, I never heard of Master Blend before today, but it would be funny if that is true. This seemed like a master class in making things complicated, to me.
I use three separate dissolving each in microwave hot water. Each in big measuring cup, master blend into firehouse bucket in sink, then the dissolved epsom mixing well then the totally dissolved calcium nitrate then fill bucket to five gallons.
My question is about maintenance. Do I need to add nutrients to my hydroponic system every couple of weeks or how does that work out with masterblend? Do I just wait for them to be almost empty and then make a new 5 gallon bucket and refill? Any and all help would be greatly appreciated
Hello I am new to hydroponics. I have two questions. 1. I have re filled my buckets water multiple times in the last 2-3 weeks, I keep it at a steady level but I’m curious do I need to add more nutrients to it like every week or something? 2nd question is my first stack of greens that are doing amazing is full of green algae, which lead me to think maybe I should be adding more of the nutrients that Mike originally told us to put in?
I'm at a loss. My dad and I built a 10 gallon ebb and flow system, and we can't seem to find the right nutrient mix. What I'm trying to ask is: If you mix the nutrients in a five gallon bucket just like Mike does here, do you further dilute this in more water, and use it as an external nutrient mix? Or do you just make two of these (10 gallons), dump them in as they are, and you're good to go? If this is unclear, I can elaborate. But someone please fill me in here, we're having trouble getting anything to grow!
I dissolved the Masterblend and Epsom salt together, then I added the Calcium nitrate crystals, then stirred everything. I found over a week or two they separate and the calcium nitrate appears to settle at the bottom of my reservoir. It appears to cause nutrient lockout, is this what's taking place? The way you mixed it (dissolving everything first and separately, then mixing together afterward) will that keep the solution from settling out while in the reservoir? I ask because when looking in my reservoir after a couple weeks, I see the white residue on the bottom of the reservoir. TIA
HELP!! I just found this channel & Subscribed! I'm growing (and killing) a few things using this method. Lol Strawberries & tomatoes are my concern, as they're growing but not happy. Strawberries are sending runners out but mother leaves are dying & burnt on the ends. Amish paste & Cherry tomatoes are growing but the limbs are firm & grow straight down (?) and leaves are wilted, but LOTS of blooms & little tomatoes are forming. So what am I doing wrong? My red Bell pepper is thriving, tons of blooms & fruit, but my Lunchbox pepper stay wilted, light flimsy leaves, I finally potted it in soil & stuck it outdoors & now its perking up. Collard greens are growing crazy like the lettuces & spinaches but there's burnt(?) spots on a few leaves. I've never grown greens in my outdoor garden so I don't know what's causing this either. LOVE your channel, sure wish I had watched all your videos BEFORE I started this Hydroponics Journey, as I've been stumbling in the dark with only basic information from other channels. Since I'm having failures, I obviously need more info to do it right. Thanks in advance to whomever takes the time to respond to my questions, I realize this video is a couple years old so it may not be seen.
Thanks for the video. I tried growing some of my alfalfa sprouts to the full plant hoping to eventually get some seeds; however the sprouts dried within a week despite the fact that their roots were always in the nutrition medium and they all started looking healthy. I suspect that they "burned" by the amount of fertilizer in the solution. I will try diluting it even more in my next try but I wonder if you have ever tried this and have a special recommendation. Thanks again!
Wrong nutrient blend, legumes prefer ammonium to nitrate. Ammonium is what their root nodule bacteria produce when field grown.(No nodules in hydroponics so all N must be supplied. The nodules also require extra elements like cobalt not found in normal fertilizers, not even hydro blends)
@KeepOnGrowin How often do you fill your buckets with nutrients? Obviously, if you continuously put nutrients into your 5 gallon buckets the mixture will become more potent and burn your plants. How often do you replace the nutrient mixture?
I am not trying to be in any way negative. Please understand any question I ask is in the spirit of learning. You are saying the nutrients that are mixed, as you showed us how to do in this video, will last the entire growing season from March/April to September? All we need to do is keep the water levels up to where you can touch them with your finger. Is this correct?@@KeepOnGrowin
I am starting a Dutch bucket system with a 5 gallon tank that is feeding 6 / 3 gallon Dutch buckets How much of the 5 gallon versus fresh water do I need to start my system
- Instead, can one just buy the premixed 4-18-38 salt/nutrient blend? Or is there an advantage to buying the pre-blends separately? - How often do you replace the nutrient solution? Thank you!
The calcium nitrate has to be kept separate, it absorbs a lot of moisture. Epsom salt is cheap at a drug store, better to just pay for nutrients and get the epsom salt yourself.
Calcium likes to bond with sulfate to make gypsum which is only soluble in very dilute amounts and is difficult to redissolve so Ca and sulfates should never be mixed in a concentrate, dry or liquid. Calcium and Magnesium can, under some conditions, bond with phosphate in a similar insoluble manner so is ideally stored separate, I have had issues with long term storage of granular mixes. The phosphate issue doesn't seem to be a big problem in stock solutions that are slightly acidic because other elements preferentially bond with the phosphate, but I have only tested solutions with modest P ratios.(eg 13-2-13 with Ca and Mg but no sulfates) The granular issue is likely due to micro concentrations.
I made the mistake of trying to make a concentrate in a small amount of liquid. Once I added the calcium, the liquid turned bright yellow and crystals started to form. No matter how much I shook it, the crystals would not re-dissolve and the plants did NOT like it. I do not recommend making a blend to add all at once and to make sure your solution is dilute enough so that it doesn't want to form crystals and lock up the nutrients from the plants.
I love your videos, I'm getting started but having trouble understanding what nutrients are for what and which ones to buy. I keep looking through your videos but still confused. Is there a video i'm missing?
Thank You for referring me to this video of yours! I really appreciate it. I've seen others and tried them about 5 yrs ago with no success. I haven't looked in the info below yet to see if you've put the nutrients you used/source...I just screwed that up. I hope you know what I mean😂😂😊
Hi Mike! I started my hydroponic buckets. Filled them up with the nutrients. I would love to know which fruits or vegetables can or can not be grown in these. Thanks!!!!!
So when adding more water to existing tower or downspouts and such. Are we using using more mixed water or just adding water? new to this all want to make sure i on right track. Plz and ty
is that in the bags you show, what came from the 2 tubs? I just got that in the mail, seal was cut and the masterblend is miricale grow blue. Is yours blue???
Can anyone please explain how many grams I have to mix to get the 10-10-5 ratio or 12-12-6 ratio for young plants that he described at the beginning of the video?
I'm about to purchase my nutrient formula and I see "kits" on Amazon with all the parts pre-measured. I thought I saw your affiliate link on another video for the kit but can no longer find it. Any chance you could post the link so I can buy it and funnel you a few pesos?
@@KeepOnGrowin Of course 👍. It's the least I could do for the wealth of info I have received from you already. Even if I fail, your simple method and quality delivery have given me the confidence to give it a go. Thank you sincerely.
Love your videos Mike! Have you ever checked the ph of your water before you add nutrients? I know you say you have never had a problem I'm just curious? Thanks!
Mike, I built a garden tree, and conventional wisdom says I need to use plants that have like EC and Ph levels. I'd like to grow fruit and veggies on the same tree is that ok to do?
Mike, this comming year grow me some cucumbers, petunias, green bell peppers and some tomatoes. And for the record, I could not get my seeds to germinate in diluted grape koolaid...
I am still lost I even got the drill holes from Home Depot - just wondering since Masterblend nutrients are 4-18-13 --- isn't that low on Nitrogens for my greens? @@KeepOnGrowin
Keep as much light out of the container as possible to minimize algae. You will have to adjust to the heat. Keep the nutrients as cool as possible. Morning sun, afternoon shade.
Is there any issue with premixing the dry components together in a premeasured amount? I have to travel for work and would like to have the amounts ready to go, so there will be less work for my wife to do.
Some say you can get nutrient lockout. I have been mixing them together for years. Just don't mix the dry ingredients together, the calcium nitrate will suck up moisture and become a rock.
My first few years of videos was with well water. the last few years has been with city tap water. A little algae is ok, too much will use up your nutrients compete with your plants.
For the new members in the $14.99 level, the online course is here: ua-cam.com/play/PLk4IGbDM3vfqQ1k9IiiijcU_uYkfgjR_g.html
New video coming out today. several more, 12 in all, will be out within the month.
Mike: I clicked on link provided to see about joining class. What's the difference between first one shown & Level Two? Thanks for any response. - Susan Burns
@@deeannray5093 @DeeAnn Ray The $4.99 level one does not include the course, level two, $14.99 does.
@@KeepOnGrowin Do you still recommend the ebook if I join in this course? Thanks.
Hi how I can pay to get the level 2 to see the other vídeos???
Here''s a tip... Fill the bucket with a hose at a fairly high pressure -- dump in first powder, when about 1/3rd full dump in the second, when 2/3rds dump the last... The water splashing around does all the mixing for you!
thanks for that tip...
I will definitely try this, I had a little trouble getting it to dissolve by trying to stir it. Thank you!
Thanks , I cannot afford to pay $14 + being on a strict income so I hope Mike realizes this and the more people watch him and share he should do well on UA-cam
Mix with heated water each component in a 1 litre bottle and it’s totally blended, then dump into your bucket.
I do it like this!
Thanks , some of us are visual learners and your videos help so much.
Came back to watch again after receiving the master blend. Thank you so much 🙏
This is so funny to see ya showing how to mix it the correct way. Master Blend contacted me a few years back which I done a video on that. Anyway the one teaspoon came from my recommendations so they printed it with out no reference back to me or my channel. Oh well been preaching it for years now that the amount of grams that has been shown for many years was not the correct amount. Just another kick in my butt and failure to my channel. Glad to see a top notch channel like yourself do a video like this to help all the folks that were taught the wrong way. Stay safe and have a great weekend down there!
I was the one showing them the wrong way, lol. Have an awesome week. 😎🌱🌱
All this time (about 2 years) I have been mixing the Masterblend/epsom salts/calcium nitrate according to the instructions on my bag of MB (2tsp of each). I just went to the MB website to see if they have updated the ratios, and sure enough they now recommend 1.5-2tsp epsom salts. When did this happen??? I have been having good results with the original ratios, but can I now expect better results when I do it correctly? I'm really glad I ran into your comment here, thanks for doing that!
@@catherinepususta8639 EC meter is the only way to go. This allows you to know what the total reading really is then you can adjust to make it come out perfectly. Yeah I seen MB change a couple times that has many confused. I have a few videos where I speak of this that has helped so many folks get it in order which made for much happier plants. Thanks for watching! Stay safe!!
I have 5 gallon tanks and I mix mine in Mason jars , Shake them up and then ad to tank . Its much easier.
You’re a very generous person, Mike! Thank you so much! I want to take your course as soon as I can. Thank you!
Email me at keepongrowin1@gmail.com and tell me about this comment, I will put you in, you just missed the $1 special I had all last month.
Thanks so much for your videos Mike. This is really helpful! Just starting out growing with the kids. We are all learning so much from you!!
Awesome! I love to hear that!
What you could use to stir in the nutrients is what they use in labs or yeast culture mixing for brewing. One of those mixers with a magnetic stirrer you drop in and let it mix without having to stand over it.
I used organic cow manure and urnie mixed with water, wheat flour, some fine clay and molasses. It works wonders. I don't buy any other nutrient fluid. Ratio to water is most important though.
Want to know actual proportions
This is very interesting! can you explain with more details? Thank you
Thanks.... You just saved me $15 bucks. Money is tight and I appreciate any money saving tips. But bigger, I appreciate and am thankful for these iconic videos here on UA-cam. Healthy eating is important, but also learning about how to grow food and share with those in need of more food than they can afford.... 🤔🙏😎
In what ratio you mix these components?.
Care to share further on this? Thanks if so. 🙏
I use white buckets that do let a bit of light in -- to stop the algae I just put the buckets in black plastic bin bag/rubble sack... works well for me.
Awesome! Thanks Paul!
I feel blessed that i found your channel first. You also trying to help people out is wonderful. I myself am basically indigent. But this is the next thing i want to learn. And i thought to myself before getting onto UA-cam (cause i see on amazon how much they sale set ups for those tiny counter things they say grows herbs and you can buy certain ones with food stamps. But lord they aren't cheap. So i put on UA-cam. " beginners diy cheap and here i am after watching 6 videos so far. Pretty sure i will do your course. Awesome but now in have to go see how much the masterblend is. Thanks i subbed.
So glad yo find it useful. Start simple and keep it fun, it will grow on you.
I am a retired widow in a one person household exploring countertop and very limited patio hydroponics. Preparing 5 gals of solution seems a bit daunting for such a minimal endeavor for one person. My questions are : 1. Can I prepare just a one gal solution or even a 2.5 gal amount. 2. What is the shelf life for solutions ? 1mo, 6 Mos, 1 yr, indefinite ? 3. Can a solution be poured into ice cube molds, frozen, stored in foodsaver vacuum bags for freezer storage ? Does freezing destroy or weaken the solution ? Would be okay with the 5gal so long as I did not lose it to waste by having to throw it out. But a smaller more manageable amount would be preferable. Thank you for any information you provide.
You can mix smaller amounts and I have seen some other gardeners freezing the masterblend.
KEEP ON MAKING A POSITIVE IMPACT
I have ordered 4-18-38, epsom salt and calcium nitrate. Can someone use litres/gms and give the ratio of water to the 3 chemicals ? Appreciate it. Thanks
cal nitrate 0.64g masterblend 0.64 grams and 0.5 grams epsom salt for 1 liter water for 125ppm n 50 ppm p 200 ppm k 121 ppm cal 64 ppm s 50 ppm mag
What I do is mix the Masterblend formula in a small cup of water, like those little bathroom cups, plastic ones and stir it with a small stick or wooden dowel. Sometimes it even helps to nuke a larger cup of the water in the microwave for a minute and poor it into the smaller cup so it disolves faster when stirred. Then I poor it in the bucket and stir a few times. Same for the Epsom salt next and then the Calcium Nitrate. 10-10-5 for leafy greens like lettuce and micros and 12-12-6 for vine plants like Tomatoes. Simple. Disolve first in a small cup and stir until disolved and then poor into the bucket. This is by far the most effective way to mix nutrients with absutely no effort and I can't believe nobody does it this way! Lol C'mon people, innovate and don't make things so darn complicated. Love your videos though. :) Good luck with the course.
Can you please explain how to make 10-10-5 and 12-12-6? I am new to Mining.
@@francoistran5681 Okay...so You have your Master blend formula that's green color, your epsom salt and your calcium nitrate which are the little pebbles. Always mix your Master blend and calcium nitrate at the same ratio and the Epsom salt is always exactly half. Now for 10-10-5 what that means is that you are going to make a lesser concentrated blend per gallon. It's a 5 gallon ratio so 10 grams master blend for every 5 gallons of nutrients, 10 grams of calcium nitrate and only 5 grams of Epsom salt for 5 gallons. 10-10-5. If you wanted to make 1 gallon instead of 5 it's easy. Just divide the 10-10-5 by 5 gallons and you get your per gallon ratio. In this case it would be 2-2-1. Now if you are growing peppers or tomatoes you probably want to up the concentration to the 12-12-6 ratio for 5 gallons. So for one gallon it would be 2.4 - 2.4 - 1.2 grams. Now always mix your nutrient in a small cup of warm water first and then poor it into the container with at least several cups of water already in it to avoid calcification. Don't mix the nutrients together until they are completely blended in each cup and disolved. You can make any size batch you want as long as you make sure you know how many gallons of nutrients you put in your original jug and you divide it out equality amount the gallons you want to make. If you still have questions let me know. Oh and also follow this order. master blend first, then Epsom salt then calcium nitrate. Don't ever mix your nitrate into the solution before the other two. That's it.
@@coastaldirect Thank you.
No idea what Coastal Direct is saying. I don’t understand any of this mixing and ratios. Why does Mike show the cap that says how many cups etc per gallon when that doesn’t apply to these ratios? And I don’t understand because it seems the epsom is already added to the blend so how does that act as a separate ratio? I’m so confused!
I just ph the water first then add nutrients.
Acid breaks down the masterblend so don't need to mix forever
The whisk is everything 😍😄. Great video 👏🏾👏🏾.
Yep, from my chef days.😎🖒
the reason you dissolve the green one first because that would help the calcium nitrate to dissolve faster. if you mix the calcium nitrate by itself you're going to spend a lot of time stirring it to dissolve.
Ahahaha. I don't know if yo are right, I never heard of Master Blend before today, but it would be funny if that is true. This seemed like a master class in making things complicated, to me.
Absolutely love the way you teach
I just bought your pdf book on etsy. I can't wait to get started.
Awesome! You will love it once you get started.
@@KeepOnGrowin I am building my 7 gallon tower garden now. Is there a specific ppm that I should use in the water?
@@drfrankm I don't own any meters
I use three separate dissolving each in microwave hot water. Each in big measuring cup, master blend into firehouse bucket in sink, then the dissolved epsom mixing well then the totally dissolved calcium nitrate then fill bucket to five gallons.
cool
I'm really enjoying your videos and thanks so much
My question is about maintenance. Do I need to add nutrients to my hydroponic system every couple of weeks or how does that work out with masterblend? Do I just wait for them to be almost empty and then make a new 5 gallon bucket and refill? Any and all help would be greatly appreciated
Thanks so much for this advice
How do you keep the butterflies slugs and snakes off your plants?
I don't. Butterflies and snakes have their place and I do chop and drop. Old leaves fall and decay, most slugs go after that.
Hello I am new to hydroponics. I have two questions. 1. I have re filled my buckets water multiple times in the last 2-3 weeks, I keep it at a steady level but I’m curious do I need to add more nutrients to it like every week or something?
2nd question is my first stack of greens that are doing amazing is full of green algae, which lead me to think maybe I should be adding more of the nutrients that Mike originally told us to put in?
Try little peace of copper in the water should solve the problem with algae
Hi can we use the same formula for cucumber plants.
Ye
After mixing up the nutrients, do you check the pH and EC/PPM levels?
I have never owned a meter.
About how many plants can you do with one 5 gallon bucket and also can they be different plants in one bucket
I'm at a loss. My dad and I built a 10 gallon ebb and flow system, and we can't seem to find the right nutrient mix. What I'm trying to ask is: If you mix the nutrients in a five gallon bucket just like Mike does here, do you further dilute this in more water, and use it as an external nutrient mix? Or do you just make two of these (10 gallons), dump them in as they are, and you're good to go? If this is unclear, I can elaborate. But someone please fill me in here, we're having trouble getting anything to grow!
My tomatoes are not flowering. What do I do?
Good tip on a Blue bucket to see the Calcium Nitrate it does dissolve slower and needs more sturing.
Would to ok to grind the epsom salts finer to help with it dissolving faster?
Great how to! You're always coming up with some awesome side hustles and to help people out! Keep up the great content!!
Thanks Jeff, Happy Easter.
Thank you for the video. Great job but how will I know when to add more of the fertilizer solution to my hydroponic system?
Always keep it between half and three quarters full.
You are a good dude! Thank you for this!
Thank you Aaron!
Thanks for the videos as always!
I dissolved the Masterblend and Epsom salt together, then I added the Calcium nitrate crystals, then stirred everything. I found over a week or two they separate and the calcium nitrate appears to settle at the bottom of my reservoir. It appears to cause nutrient lockout, is this what's taking place? The way you mixed it (dissolving everything first and separately, then mixing together afterward) will that keep the solution from settling out while in the reservoir? I ask because when looking in my reservoir after a couple weeks, I see the white residue on the bottom of the reservoir. TIA
Yes, give it a try. It could also be the difference in water hardness.
Mixing everything separately and then together works for me. Thx
Mike, do you have a video with growing herbs?
Not any one in particular. I do grow cilantro, basil, mint, etc.
Is this what you use for strawberries?
HELP!!
I just found this channel & Subscribed!
I'm growing (and killing) a few things using this method. Lol
Strawberries & tomatoes are my concern, as they're growing but not happy.
Strawberries are sending runners out but mother leaves are dying & burnt on the ends.
Amish paste & Cherry tomatoes are growing but the limbs are firm & grow straight down (?) and leaves are wilted, but LOTS of blooms & little tomatoes are forming.
So what am I doing wrong?
My red Bell pepper is thriving, tons of blooms & fruit, but my Lunchbox pepper stay wilted, light flimsy leaves, I finally potted it in soil & stuck it outdoors & now its perking up.
Collard greens are growing crazy like the lettuces & spinaches but there's burnt(?) spots on a few leaves. I've never grown greens in my outdoor garden so I don't know what's causing this either.
LOVE your channel, sure wish I had watched all your videos BEFORE I started this Hydroponics Journey, as I've been stumbling in the dark with only basic information from other channels. Since I'm having failures, I obviously need more info to do it right.
Thanks in advance to whomever takes the time to respond to my questions, I realize this video is a couple years old so it may not be seen.
Why are my plants wilting? I'm having problems with hydroponic tomatoes im not over watering could someone please help thank you!
This guy is so cool and helpful. Thank you!
Ok. Got it. Any DIY?
Thanks for the video. I tried growing some of my alfalfa sprouts to the full plant hoping to eventually get some seeds; however the sprouts dried within a week despite the fact that their roots were always in the nutrition medium and they all started looking healthy. I suspect that they "burned" by the amount of fertilizer in the solution. I will try diluting it even more in my next try but I wonder if you have ever tried this and have a special recommendation. Thanks again!
Wrong nutrient blend, legumes prefer ammonium to nitrate. Ammonium is what their root nodule bacteria produce when field grown.(No nodules in hydroponics so all N must be supplied. The nodules also require extra elements like cobalt not found in normal fertilizers, not even hydro blends)
@@mytech6779 Thank you for this amazing explanation!
Do the starter pots with the dirt, have water below or do you simply water them till transpnanting. Thanks
How do you know how much off the solution into each receptacle? Do you add more water plus the mix or just the solution?
can you use this master blend for soil gardening?
Yes, the manufacturer says it works for both
How do keep ur containers and pipes from molding with constant water in them??
Rarely ever see mold. Algae sometimes grows a little but it just a matter of keeping light out.
@KeepOnGrowin How often do you fill your buckets with nutrients? Obviously, if you continuously put nutrients into your 5 gallon buckets the mixture will become more potent and burn your plants. How often do you replace the nutrient mixture?
I never replace, obviously
I am not trying to be in any way negative. Please understand any question I ask is in the spirit of learning. You are saying the nutrients that are mixed, as you showed us how to do in this video, will last the entire growing season from March/April to September? All we need to do is keep the water levels up to where you can touch them with your finger. Is this correct?@@KeepOnGrowin
@@edwardrichardson7631 I am not telling you what will and won't work. I am just sharing what I do.
Thank you sir@@KeepOnGrowin
How do you mix the bag I purchased that has the 20-20-20, in 5 gallon bucket 🪣 how much do I put in the gallon???
If from me, one bag is for 5 gallons. If from Amazon, 2 tsp per gallon.
hi Mike...what's the gallon formula? 1 gallon = how many litres? there are 2 gallons. imperial gallon and US liquid gallon. bit confusing :D thanks
For a gallon you could use 2g/2g/1g ratio. That would be about 3.8 liters.
I am starting a Dutch bucket system with a 5 gallon tank that is feeding 6 / 3 gallon Dutch buckets
How much of the 5 gallon versus fresh water do I need to start my system
I have never done the dutch bucket system. Looks cool though.
Ok thank you
What is your water to master blend ratio
In the system you run
- Instead, can one just buy the premixed 4-18-38 salt/nutrient blend? Or is there an advantage to buying the pre-blends separately?
- How often do you replace the nutrient solution?
Thank you!
The calcium nitrate has to be kept separate, it absorbs a lot of moisture. Epsom salt is cheap at a drug store, better to just pay for nutrients and get the epsom salt yourself.
Calcium likes to bond with sulfate to make gypsum which is only soluble in very dilute amounts and is difficult to redissolve so Ca and sulfates should never be mixed in a concentrate, dry or liquid.
Calcium and Magnesium can, under some conditions, bond with phosphate in a similar insoluble manner so is ideally stored separate, I have had issues with long term storage of granular mixes. The phosphate issue doesn't seem to be a big problem in stock solutions that are slightly acidic because other elements preferentially bond with the phosphate, but I have only tested solutions with modest P ratios.(eg 13-2-13 with Ca and Mg but no sulfates) The granular issue is likely due to micro concentrations.
I made the mistake of trying to make a concentrate in a small amount of liquid. Once I added the calcium, the liquid turned bright yellow and crystals started to form. No matter how much I shook it, the crystals would not re-dissolve and the plants did NOT like it. I do not recommend making a blend to add all at once and to make sure your solution is dilute enough so that it doesn't want to form crystals and lock up the nutrients from the plants.
I notice that the fertilizer mix kind of has a scum on top of the water. Is that normal?
yes
Hello, bought your part A and part B packs on Etsy. Does this include epsom salt or do I have to get that separately?
I love your videos, I'm getting started but having trouble understanding what nutrients are for what and which ones to buy. I keep looking through your videos but still confused.
Is there a video i'm missing?
I use this mixture for everything I grow. I try to keep it simple so everyone gets interested.
Thanks Mike for your MasterBlend video. Do you have the similar formula for Chilli?
I use warm water and it will resolve faster. I also learned from another UA-camr to use a blender
Can you grind the calcium nitrate into a powder or a course grind so it could dissolve better and/or quicker?
Sure. Sounds good.
Thank You for referring me to this video of yours! I really appreciate it. I've seen others and tried them about 5 yrs ago with no success. I haven't looked in the info below yet to see if you've put the nutrients you used/source...I just screwed that up. I hope you know what I mean😂😂😊
Hi Mike! I started my hydroponic buckets. Filled them up with the nutrients. I would love to know which fruits or vegetables can or can not be grown in these. Thanks!!!!!
This channel is for beginners. I deal with mostly leafy greens, some tomatoes and a few peppers.
@@KeepOnGrowin I am new to hydroponics but I will contact the masterblend company and see what they say. Thank you for all your great ideas!
Any option for masterblend in Canada? To my knowledge we cannot get that here
Geckogrow is great and the same.
Can we use masterblend npk for all plants
Most leafy greens. I also do with tomatoes and peppers.
So when adding more water to existing tower or downspouts and such. Are we using using more mixed water or just adding water? new to this all want to make sure i on right track. Plz and ty
I usually add nutrient water. When it gets hot like it is now, I just use water and add nutrients every third or fourth refill.
@@KeepOnGrowin Awesome looking for 5 gallon buckets i can get hold of and start ty for info.
is that in the bags you show, what came from the 2 tubs?
I just got that in the mail, seal was cut and the masterblend is miricale grow blue. Is yours blue???
When you mix it, it will be yellow.
@@KeepOnGrowin ok, because my tub is kool aid blue, the npk not cal nit. I think I got shipped an adulterated product.
The 5 12 25 powder* is dyed bright blue
Master Blend formula for one gallon 600 PPM? Thank you.
Plant yummy. I like it! I'll be back!
So - if Masterblend is not available or it costs $$$ what are the options? What should we be looking for? Can we use normal fertilizer for lettuce?
If you are following the channel, I have a video coming out. It will be in the frequently asked questions playlist.
@@KeepOnGrowin Thank you! Looking forward it.
breaking up the calcium nitrate is such a hassell. I dissolve them quicker when I use warm water.
I have an in ground tradition row garden with drip tape. Do you have any idea on how to use this( quantity per 40 ft row) throw the water system?
Sorry, I just do small containers
Hoss tools has some very informative videos on fertilizing through drip tapes.
Love watching your videos trying to learn..how much of the nutrients once blended do you add to water or do you use this as the water?? Thank you
Use it as the water when mixed like this.
Thank you so much, I ordered it, going to try again..
Can anyone please explain how many grams I have to mix to get the 10-10-5 ratio or 12-12-6 ratio for young plants that he described at the beginning of the video?
Yes Jill. That ratio is grams. 12 grams Masterblend / 12 grams Calcium nitrate / 6 grams epsom salt to 5 gallons of fresh water.
Water prep before adding chemicals?…tap water ok? Rain water? Let sit for a day? Test ph? Other?
nope, nope, nope. Just hose water
How do you start your seeds?
I'm about to purchase my nutrient formula and I see "kits" on Amazon with all the parts pre-measured. I thought I saw your affiliate link on another video for the kit but can no longer find it. Any chance you could post the link so I can buy it and funnel you a few pesos?
Thanks, I appreciate it.
amzn.to/36qEQDY
@@KeepOnGrowin Of course 👍. It's the least I could do for the wealth of info I have received from you already. Even if I fail, your simple method and quality delivery have given me the confidence to give it a go. Thank you sincerely.
Love your videos Mike! Have you ever checked the ph of your water before you add nutrients? I know you say you have never had a problem I'm just curious? Thanks!
Thank you! No, I never test. It's not wrong, you can do it. I am just trying to simplify the process to help everyone.
I take it some form of nutrients are added to the water or else how do you get health benefit from just water?
Photosynthesis actually plays a part in that too.
Mike, I built a garden tree, and conventional wisdom says I need to use plants that have like EC and Ph levels. I'd like to grow fruit and veggies on the same tree is that ok to do?
I would do similar plants.
Thank you! 😊
why do they separate the calcium nitrate from masterblend instead of apportion out the premixed pack?
In larger quantities you can get lockout. Also the cal mag absorbs moisture from the air, everything will turn to a solid block.
Mike, this comming year grow me some cucumbers, petunias, green bell peppers and some tomatoes. And for the record, I could not get my seeds to germinate in diluted grape koolaid...
Are you using purified water? My tap water has quite a bit of calcium in it. Would that be a problem?
I am using tap. I would try a few small batches to start.
Hey Mike how big do the micro greens have to be? If they are too small will they die ?
Up to you, I get anxious, lol
Wonderful! thank you!!
How does this formula work for leafy greens
It's all I use
I am still lost I even got the drill holes from Home Depot - just wondering since Masterblend nutrients are 4-18-13 --- isn't that low on Nitrogens for my greens?
@@KeepOnGrowin
How long can i keep this mix in a bucket unused ?
How are the downspouts aerated; or do they not need aeration?
no aeration, most of the stuff on my channel for 6 yrs is with none
do you have a Masterblend 20-20-20 video? I thought I remember watching it, but can't seem to find it
I got a new video coming out soon. Yes, it wat the only thing I put in but I only grew greens.
@@KeepOnGrowin Thank you! Do you know where I can find your previous video that you talked about the 20-20-20?
@@acee7224 It's gone, new video coming out.
I have been watching your videos. Thank you. What do I need to change being in Yuma,AZ? Hot and sunny and dry....do I worry about algae? Thank you.
Keep as much light out of the container as possible to minimize algae. You will have to adjust to the heat. Keep the nutrients as cool as possible. Morning sun, afternoon shade.
@@KeepOnGrowin Thanks!
My blend came out at 7.5 and my system needs to be between 5.5-6.5. Do you have a suggestion what I should add to neutralize my mixture? Thank you
Use some ph down, it’s more stable than acetic acid (vinegar) or other home-type options.
I can’t find Masterblend 4-18-38 in My town. Nothing to do?
Look for hydroponic nutrients.
I have no problem mixing all in the same bucket. Why separate buckets?
Calcium will bond with sulfate and turn insoluble. Unusable by plants
I have mixed it like you for over 8 years now.
I bought the fertilizer they sent me Epson salt too how do you use it why do you use it
12g Masterblend, 12g calcium nitrate and 6g epsom salt per 5 gallons of water.
What’s under the newly made paper?
??
@@KeepOnGrowin looks like a paper towel already in the dish; then you added your newly made paper.
@@bonniepatterson878 That's a hydroponic grow pad. I also make homemade ones out of cardboard egg cartons
Do you use a meter to check nutrients and PH?
Never.
Can masterblend be used with any plant or just tomatoes?
Everything on my channel is grown with masterblend
Maybe 1 gallon out in the sun (warm water) to mix the calcium nitrate?
Is there any issue with premixing the dry components together in a premeasured amount? I have to travel for work and would like to have the amounts ready to go, so there will be less work for my wife to do.
Some say you can get nutrient lockout. I have been mixing them together for years. Just don't mix the dry ingredients together, the calcium nitrate will suck up moisture and become a rock.
Mike, I've never asked, do you use tap water, rainwater or store bought spring water?
Also: what happens if Algae grows in the water?
My first few years of videos was with well water. the last few years has been with city tap water. A little algae is ok, too much will use up your nutrients compete with your plants.
Spray the algae with “zerotol “ around maybe 5-10 ml per gallon.