Mel Frank's Marijuana Growers Insider's Guide

Introduction
This nutrient recipe comes from Mel Frank's Insider's Guide. The implementation was
derived from various internet postings on this and other sites.

Intended Usage
There are two versions of this - one is for low intensity lighting and the other is
for high intensity lighting.

The version given here is for high intensity lighting - which he defines as either
outdoors in full sun or indoors under a 1,000 watt HID.

For indoor growing with less powerful lighting configurations - you should use the
Low Intensity Lighting schedule.

Assumptions and Statements

All measurements are given in ml/gallon. I accomplish this by using the conversion
of 3.78 L / Gal in the spreadsheet.

For figuring costs, I assume that you change the reservoir once per week and that
your reservoir holds 10 gallons of nutrient solution (which is 37.8 Liters). This
gives a relative cost only - your mileage will certainly vary.

All prices for nutrients were taken from a sponsors site and are current as of the
date of posting. So the costs are real world numbers.

To figure costs for 1 gallon - divide by 10. To figure costs for 20 gallons -
multiply the figures by 2.

Recommendations
First Two Weeks
The formula to use for this phase is 6G-4M-9B, you should end up with an N-P-K-Mg
ratio of 100-67-189-50 with an estimated TDS of 1038 @.7 CF.

<table="width: 500">
<tr>
<td>Nitrogen (N)</td>
<td>Phosphorus (P)</td>
<td>Potassium (K)</td>
<td>Magnesium (Mg)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>60-100</td>
<td>30-50</td>
<td>100-180</td>
<td>30-50</td>
</tr>
</table>
?

Growth Phase
The formula to use for this phase is 4G-20M-14B, you should end up with an N-P-K-Mg
ratio of 348-98-253-70 with an estimated TDS of 2517 @.7.

<table="width: 500">
<tr>
<td>Nitrogen (N)</td>
<td>Phosphorus (P)</td>
<td>Potassium (K)</td>
<td>Magnesium (Mg)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>250-350</td>
<td>70-90</td>
<td>150-250</td>
<td>50-60</td>
</tr>
</table>
?

Flowering Phase
The formula to use for this phase is 3G-5M-15B, you should end up with an N-P-K-Mg
ratio of 49-146-230-100 with an estimated TDS of 1200 @.7.

<table="width: 500">
<tr>
<td>Nitrogen (N)</td>
<td>Phosphorus (P)</td>
<td>Potassium (K)</td>
<td>Magnesium (Mg)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>40-100</td>
<td>70-100</td>
<td>100-200</td>
<td>30-60</td>
</tr>
</table>
?

All of the charts are contained within two PDF documents. If you would like to
download and print a copy - feel free.

GL4A MFIG Charts

GL4A MFIG Tables

? I have never used this one as I felt it was a little too aggressive during the
Veg Phase. It would be more approriate - in my opinion - for interrupted feeding
systems.
But this man has undoubtedly forgotten more than I know about MJ...

Because this formula is implemented with Advanced Nutrients - I have done a

dilution test and can give fairly accurate estimates on what you should end up with
on EC. My dilution test on Micro comes out a little lighter than what they indicate
- and thus that corrupts (or corrects for me) the estimate given above.

Mel Frank's Marijuana Growers Insider's Guide - Moderate Lighting

Introduction
This nutrient recipe comes from Mel Frank's Insider's Guide. The implementation was
derived from various internet postings on this and other sites.

Intended Usage
There are two versions of this - one is for low intensity lighting and the other is
for high intensity lighting.

The version given here is for moderate lighting - which he defines as indoors with
less than a 1,000 watt HID.

For indoor growing with more powerful lighting configurations - you should use the
High Intensity Lighting schedule.

Assumptions and Statements

All measurements are given in ml/gallon. I accomplish this by using the conversion
of 3.78 L / Gal in the spreadsheet.

For figuring costs, I assume that you change the reservoir once per week and that
your reservoir holds 10 gallons of nutrient solution (which is 37.8 Liters). This
gives a relative cost only - your mileage will certainly vary.

All prices for nutrients were taken from a sponsors site and are current as of the
date of posting. So the costs are real world numbers.

To figure costs for 1 gallon - divide by 10. To figure costs for 20 gallons -
multiply the figures by 2.

Recommendations
First Two Weeks
The formula to use for this phase is 6G-4M-9B, you should end up with an N-P-K-Mg
ratio of 100-67-189-50 with an estimated TDS of 1038 @.7 CF.

<table="width: 500">
<tr>
<td>Nitrogen (N)</td>
<td>Phosphorus (P)</td>
<td>Potassium (K)</td>
<td>Magnesium (Mg)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>40-80</td>
<td>30-50</td>
<td>100-180</td>
<td>30-50</td>
</tr>
</table>
?

Growth Phase
The formula to use for this phase is 4G-20M-14B, you should end up with an N-P-K-Mg
ratio of 348-98-253-70 with an estimated TDS of 2517 @.7.

<table="width: 500">
<tr>
<td>Nitrogen (N)</td>
<td>Phosphorus (P)</td>
<td>Potassium (K)</td>
<td>Magnesium (Mg)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>150-250</td>
<td>60-80</td>
<td>250-350</td>
<td>50-80</td>
</tr>
</table>
?

Flowering Phase
The formula to use for this phase is 3G-5M-15B, you should end up with an N-P-K-Mg
ratio of 49-146-230-100 with an estimated TDS of 1200 @.7.

<table="width: 500">
<tr>
<td>Nitrogen (N)</td>
<td>Phosphorus (P)</td>
<td>Potassium (K)</td>
<td>Magnesium (Mg)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>40-100</td>
<td>70-90</td>
<td>120-220</td>
<td>30-50</td>
</tr>
</table>
?

All of the charts are contained within two PDF documents. If you would like to
download and print a copy - feel free.

GL4A MFIG ML Charts

GL4A MFIG ML Tables

?

Because this formula is implemented with Advanced Nutrients - I have done a

dilution test and can give fairly accurate estimates on what you should end up with
on EC. My dilution test on Micro comes out a little lighter than what they indicate
- and thus that corrupts (or corrects for me) the estimate given above.

GH / AN Label Formula

Introduction
This nutrient recipe comes from the label on the bottle of every GH and AN Grow,
Micro, and Bloom container. It is, in many ways, considered the gold standard for
hydroponic nutrients.
Intended Usage
This is labeled for general use on a wide arrangement of plants.

This is a 1 to 2 to 3 formula. That means that you use differing amounts of Grow,
Micro, and Bloom at all times - but nearly always in that ratio. What you vary for
strength is the amount of the multiplier. For the label formula - the multiplier is
1.32. A short calculation to show what I mean:

Basic Formula: Rate x Multiplier = Application Rate

Example:

Rate = 2

Multiplier = 1.32

Application Rate = 2.64 = 2 x 1.32

?

If you were to mix this up and the plants showed indications of nutrient burn - you
would need to mix it a little less hot next time. So you can take 10% off the
Multiplier and re-mix (Multiplier = 1.2). This will fix most issues with nute burn.
If the plant continues to show burn - re-mix and dilute by another 10% (Multiplier
= 1.1).

When the multiplier hits 1 - then you have a variation of this formula which is
quite popular for MJ. It will be shown in a separate post and is called the 1 2 3
Formula.

If the plants don't show any stress from nutrients - then you can use the
multiplier to increase the application rate in the same way. Change the Multiplier
to 1.4 and remix. If they can still handle more - increase the rate to 1.5.

In this way, you can slowly build a nutrient plan using this formula which
optimizes growth for your particular variety.

This plan works very, very well. But most who grow MJ end up with a Multiplier very
close to 1.

Assumptions and Statements

All measurements are given in ml/gallon. I accomplish this by using the conversion
of 3.78 L / Gal in the spreadsheet.

For figuring costs, I assume that you change the reservoir once per week and that
your reservoir holds 10 gallons of nutrient solution (which is 37.8 Liters). This
gives a relative cost only - your mileage will certainly vary.

All prices for nutrients were taken from a sponsors site and are current as of the
date of posting. So the costs are real world numbers.

To figure costs for 1 gallon - divide by 10. To figure costs for 20 gallons -
multiply the figures by 2.

Recommendations
First Two Weeks
The formula to use for this phase is either 1/2 or 1/4 of the regular Growth Phase
strength.

Growth Phase
The formula to use for this phase is 15G-10M-5B, you should end up with an N-P-K-Mg
ratio of 250-53-296-45 with an estimated TDS of 1770 @.7.

<table="width: 500">
<tr>
<td>Nitrogen (N)</td>
<td>Phosphorus (P)</td>
<td>Potassium (K)</td>
<td>Magnesium (Mg)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>250-350</td>
<td>70-90</td>
<td>150-300</td>
<td>30-45</td>
</tr>
</table>
?

Transition Phase
This formular is to be used the first two weeks of the flowering cycle.

The formula to use for this phase is 10G-10M-10B, you should end up with an N-P-K-
Mg ratio of 221-80-274-60 with an estimated TDS of 1720 @.7.

<table="width: 500">
<tr>
<td>Nitrogen (N)</td>
<td>Phosphorus (P)</td>
<td>Potassium (K)</td>
<td>Magnesium (Mg)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>220</td>
<td>80</td>
<td>275</td>
<td>60</td>
</tr>
</table>
?

Flowering Phase
The formula to use for this phase is 15G-10M-5B, you should end up with an N-P-K-Mg
ratio of 250-53-296-45 with an estimated TDS of 1770 @.7.

<table="width: 500">
<tr>
<td>Nitrogen (N)</td>
<td>Phosphorus (P)</td>
<td>Potassium (K)</td>
<td>Magnesium (Mg)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>190-220</td>
<td>80-110</td>
<td>250-280</td>
<td>30-60</td>
</tr>
</table>
?

All of the charts are contained within two PDF documents. If you would like to
download and print a copy - feel free.

GL4A MFIG Charts

GL4A MFIG Tables

? Editorial Comments
I have never used this one as I felt it was a little too aggressive for use with
MJ.

I have used a variant of this called 1-2-3 which is discussed in another post.

Because this formula is implemented with Advanced Nutrients - I have done a

dilution test and can give fairly accurate estimates on what you should end up with
on EC. My dilution test on Micro comes out a little lighter than what they indicate
- and thus that corrupts (or corrects for me) the estimate given above.

1 2 3 Recipe

Introduction
This nutrient recipe is a variation from the label on the bottle of every GH and AN
Grow, Micro, and Bloom container. It is a very good recipe for making MJ.

Intended Usage
This is a variation of the general use formula for GH 3 part nutrients. THis
version has been customized to e use on a wide arrangement of MJ plants. You should
customize it to your plants and environment following the directions given below.

The GH Bottle uses ml / 100 Liters - and I will follow that convention in this
section of the document. The spreadsheets have this converted to ml / gallon.

This is a 1 to 2 to 3 formula. That means that you use differing amounts of Grow,
Micro, and Bloom at all times - but nearly always in that ratio. What you vary for
strength is the amount of the multiplier. For this nutrient formula - the
multiplier is 1.00. A short calculation to show what I mean:

Basic Formula: Rate x Multiplier = Application Rate

Example:

Rate = 2

Multiplier = 1.00
Application Rate = 2.00 = 2 x 1.00
?

If you were to mix this up and the plants showed indications of nutrient burn - you
would need to mix it a little less hot next time. So you can take 10% off the
Multiplier and re-mix (Multiplier = 0.9). This will fix most issues with nute burn.
If the plant continues to show burn - re-mix and dilute by another 10% (Multiplier
= 0.8).

If the plants don't show any stress from nutrients - then you can use the
multiplier to increase the application rate in the same way. Change the Multiplier
to 1.1 and remix. If they can still handle more - increase the rate and repeat.

In this way, you can slowly build a nutrient plan using this formula which
optimizes growth for your particular variety and environmental conditions.

Assumptions and Statements

All measurements are given in ml/gallon. I accomplish this by using the conversion
of 3.78 L / Gal in the spreadsheet.

For figuring costs, I assume that you change the reservoir once per week and that
your reservoir holds 10 gallons of nutrient solution (which is 37.8 Liters). This
gives a relative cost only - your mileage will certainly vary.

All prices for nutrients were taken from a sponsors site and are current as of the
date of posting. So the costs are real world numbers.

To figure costs for 1 gallon - divide by 10. To figure costs for 20 gallons -
multiply the figures by 2.

Recommendations
First Two Weeks
The formula to use for this phase is either 1/2 or 1/4 of the regular Growth Phase
strength.

Growth Phase
The formula to use for this phase may be rounded to 11G-8M-4B. Implemented as shown
in the spreadsheet, you should end up with an N-P-K-Mg ratio of 189-40-224-34 with
an estimated TDS of 1345 @.7.

<table="width: 500">
<tr>
<td>Nitrogen (N)</td>
<td>Phosphorus (P)</td>
<td>Potassium (K)</td>
<td>Magnesium (Mg)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>189</td>
<td>40</td>
<td>224</td>
<td>34</td>
</tr>
</table>
?
Transition Phase
This formular is to be used the first two weeks of the flowering cycle.

The formula to use for this phase is 8G-8M-8B, you should end up with an N-P-K-Mg
ratio of 167-60-207-46 with an estimated TDS of 1300 @.7.

<table="width: 500">
<tr>
<td>Nitrogen (N)</td>
<td>Phosphorus (P)</td>
<td>Potassium (K)</td>
<td>Magnesium (Mg)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>167</td>
<td>60</td>
<td>207</td>
<td>46</td>
</tr>
</table>
?

Flowering Phase
The formula to use for this phase is 4G-8M-11B, you should end up with an N-P-K-Mg
ratio of 145-81-190-57 with an estimated TDS of 1260 @.7.

<table="width: 500">
<tr>
<td>Nitrogen (N)</td>
<td>Phosphorus (P)</td>
<td>Potassium (K)</td>
<td>Magnesium (Mg)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>145</td>
<td>81</td>
<td>190</td>
<td>57</td>
</tr>
</table>
?

All of the charts are contained within two PDF documents. If you would like to
download and print a copy - feel free.

GL4A MFIG Charts

GL4A MFIG Tables

?

Because this formula is implemented with Advanced Nutrients - I have done a

dilution test and can give fairly accurate estimates on what you should end up with
on EC. My dilution test on Micro comes out a little lighter than what they indicate
- and thus that corrupts (or corrects for me) the estimate given above.

Editorial Comments
This is the formula that I have used more than any other. Used on many different
varieties and it can always be dialed in to produce good results. If you are not
lost to the world of additives - you may want to grow one time using this as a
baseline. You may be genuinely surprised by how good the results are.... especially
if you add humic acid and b vitamins into the mix. Damn... there's those additives
again.

At the current time, I am using the 3 2 1 phase for veg and then switching to the
Lucas formula for flowering. I transition using a target of 2 2 2 ml/liter and then
1 2 3 ml/liter before settling on 0 2 4 ml/liter for the remainder of the flowering
period. In reality - I usually mix up the 2 2 2 and let it ride for two weeks. If
you change every week though, I would use the transition first listed.

My mixture causes the fan leaves of most plants to yellow during the end of
flowering. So if you can't stand a little yellow in the fan leaves due to the low
nitrogen... you may want to stay with the 1 2 3 formula instead. It produces
beautiful green plants all the way through the end of flowering... generally.

Growers Handbook - Ed Rosenthal and pH Imbalance

Introduction
This nutrient recipe comes from Ed Rosenthal's Marijuana Growers Handbook. The
implementation was originally developed for use with General Hydroponic Nutrients
and is available from many different places on the net..

Intended Usage
This formula is intended for use with any variety of weed. You may need to raise or
lower the PPM levels for a particular strain to grow optimally.

No other usage constraints are given.

Assumptions and Statements

All measurements are given in ml/gallon. I accomplish this by using the conversion
of 3.78 L / Gal in the spreadsheet.

For figuring costs, I assume that you change the reservoir once per week and that
your reservoir holds 10 gallons of nutrient solution (which is 37.8 Liters). This
gives a relative cost only - your mileage will certainly vary.

All prices for nutrients were taken from a sponsor�s site and are current as of the
date of posting. So the costs are real world numbers.

To figure costs for 1 gallon - divide by 10. To figure costs for 20 gallons -
multiply the figures by 2.

Recommendations
The following recommendations have been developed for use with Cannabis.

First Two Weeks

The formula to use for this phase is 0G-9M-15B, you should end up with an N-P-K-Mg
ratio of 146-99-175-68 with an estimated TDS of 1317 @.7.

<table="width: 500">
<tr>
<td>Nitrogen (N)</td>
<td>Phosphorus (P)</td>
<td>Potassium (K)</td>
<td>Magnesium (Mg)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>110-150</td>
<td>70-100</td>
<td>50-75</td>
<td>Unspecified</td>
</tr>
</table>
?

Growth Phase
The formula to use for this phase is 4G-14M-12B, you should end up with an N-P-K-Mg
ratio of 250-85-217-61 with an estimated TDS of 1916 @.7.

<table="width: 500">
<tr>
<td>Nitrogen (N)</td>
<td>Phosphorus (P)</td>
<td>Potassium (K)</td>
<td>Magnesium (Mg)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>200-250</td>
<td>60-80</td>
<td>150-200</td>
<td>Unspecified</td>
</tr>
</table>
?

Pre-Flowering Phase
This formula is intended to be used the two weeks prior to induction (the start of
the flowering cycle).

The formula to use for this phase is 0G-6M-22B, you should end up with an N-P-K-Mg
ratio of 97-146-238-100 with an estimated TDS of 1401 @.7.

<table="width: 500">
<tr>
<td>Nitrogen (N)</td>
<td>Phosphorus (P)</td>
<td>Potassium (K)</td>
<td>Magnesium (Mg)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>70-100</td>
<td>100-150</td>
<td>75-100</td>
<td>Unspecified</td>
</tr>
</table>
?

Flowering Phase
The formula to use for this phase is 0G-3M-22B, you should end up with an N-P-K-Mg
ratio of 49-146-230-100 with an estimated TDS of 1140 @.7.

<table="width: 500">
<tr>
<td>Nitrogen (N)</td>
<td>Phosphorus (P)</td>
<td>Potassium (K)</td>
<td>Magnesium (Mg)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>0-50</td>
<td>100-150</td>
<td>75-100</td>
<td>Unspecified</td>
</tr>
</table>
?

All of the charts are contained within two PDF documents. If you would like to
download and print a copy - feel free.

GL4A MFIG ML Charts

GL4A MFIG ML Tables

?

Because this formula is implemented with Advanced Nutrients - I have done a

dilution test and can give fairly accurate estimates on what you should end up with
on EC. My dilution test on Micro comes out a little lighter than what they indicate
- and thus that corrupts (or corrects for me) the estimate given above.

Lothar's Recipe

Introduction
This is another one of the famous 3-part recipes available on the Internet.

I don't know anything about the creator... so if someone wants to add something to
this post...

Intended Usage
This formula is a complete recipe for MJ using the GH / AN Flora series of nutes.

From public sources:

Lothar's recipe for General Hydroponics 3-part nutrient solution designed for
interrupted feedings like ebb-n-flow or drip. Values are given in Millilitres per
Gallon. (Nice mix of standards, eh?)
You should leach your system between the veg and the flower cycle or your plants
may stretch. This is also designed for a 9 week strain so if you have a 7 week
strain only go to 5 weeks then leach. Weeks 5-6 and 7 are the same anyways. Weeks 8
and 9 are plain water for clearing.
?

Assumptions and Statements

All measurements are given in ml/gallon. I accomplish this by using the conversion
of 3.78 L / Gal in the spreadsheet.

For figuring costs, I assume that you change the reservoir once per week and that
your reservoir holds 10 gallons of nutrient solution (which is 37.8 Liters). This
gives a relative cost only - your mileage will certainly vary.

All prices for nutrients were taken from a sponsors site and are current as of the
date of posting. So the costs are real world numbers.

To figure costs for 1 gallon - divide by 10. To figure costs for 20 gallons -
multiply the figures by 2.

Recommendations
First Two Weeks
Unspecified in the recipes that I could find.

I used the typical 1/4 for a week then move to 1/2 strength for a week philosophy.

Growth Phase
There are two formulas to use for this phase.

The first week is 10G-5M-3B, you should end up with an N-P-K-Mg ratio of 140-33-
190-28 with an estimated TDS of 1050 @.7.

The second and each successive week is 12G-6M-3B, you should end up with an N-P-K-
Mg ration of 168-36-222-31 with an estimated TDS of 1230 @.7.

<table="width: 500">
<tr>
<td>Nitrogen (N)</td>
<td>Phosphorus (P)</td>
<td>Potassium (K)</td>
<td>Magnesium (Mg)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>140-168</td>
<td>33-36</td>
<td>190-222</td>
<td>28-31</td>
</tr>
</table>
?

Transition Phase
This formular is to be used the first two weeks of the flowering cycle.

The formula to use for the first week of this phase is 2.5G-6M-10B, you should end
up with an N-P-K-Mg ratio of 112-70-154-49 with an estimated TDS of 1015 @.7.

The formula to use for the second (and any following) week of this phase is 3G-6M-
12B, you should end up with an N-P-K-Mg ratio of 115-84-181-59 with an estimated
TDS of 1135 @.7.

<table="width: 500">
<tr>
<td>Nitrogen (N)</td>
<td>Phosphorus (P)</td>
<td>Potassium (K)</td>
<td>Magnesium (Mg)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>112-115</td>
<td>70-84</td>
<td>154-181</td>
<td>49-59</td>
</tr>
</table>
?

Flowering Phase
The formula to use for the first (or third, depending on how you look at it) week
of this phase is 3G-7M-14B, you should end up with an N-P-K-Mg ratio of 131-97-204-
68with an estimated TDS of 1295 @.7.

The formula to use for the second (and any following) week of this phase is 4G-8M-
16B, you should end up with an N-P-K-Mg ratio of 153-112-242-79 with an estimated
TDS of 1505 @.7.

<table="width: 500">
<tr>
<td>Nitrogen (N)</td>
<td>Phosphorus (P)</td>
<td>Potassium (K)</td>
<td>Magnesium (Mg)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>131-153</td>
<td>97-112</td>
<td>204-242</td>
<td>68-79</td>
</tr>
</table>
?

All of the charts are contained within two PDF documents. If you would like to
download and print a copy - feel free.

GL4A MFIG Charts

GL4A MFIG Tables

HighGrade's Formula

Introduction
This is the first nutrient recipe that I have presented that varies from the basic
Grow, Bloom, Micro tradition. This is a very good nutrient recipe, IMO.

It takes the 1 2 3 Recipe as a base and adds Pro-Tekt and Epsom Salts. This is
essentially enhancing the base with the addition of Silicon, and additional
Potassium, Magnesium, and Sulfur.

Intended Usage
This nutrient formulation was designed specifically for use with MJ. It may be used
for soil or soilless grows.

Because this uses the 1 2 3 recipe as its base - you would use the same system for
reducing or increasing the strength. You should keep the original strength of all
additives - and reduce the EC reading by diluting the strength of the base
nutrients.

Here are the example calculations:

Basic Formula: Rate x Multiplier = Application Rate

Example:

Rate = 2

Multiplier = 1.00

Application Rate = 2.00 = 2 x 1.00

?

If you were to mix this up and the plants showed indications of nutrient burn - you
would need to mix it a little less hot next time. So you can take 10% off the
Multiplier and re-mix (Multiplier = 0.9). This will fix most issues with nute burn.
If the plant continues to show burn - re-mix and dilute by another 10% (Multiplier
= 0.8).

Example 2:

Rate = 2

Multiplier = 0.9

Application Rate = 1.8 = 2 x 0.9

?

If the plants don't show any stress from nutrients - then you can use the
multiplier to increase the application rate in the same way. Change the Multiplier
to 1.1 and mix the new strength of nutrient solution. If they can still handle more
- increase the rate to 1.2.

In this way, you can slowly build a nutrient plan using this formula which
optimizes growth for your particular variety.

Assumptions and Statements

All measurements are given in ml/gallon. I accomplish this by using the conversion
of 3.78 L / Gal in the spreadsheet.

For figuring costs, I assume that you change the reservoir once per week and that
your reservoir holds 10 gallons of nutrient solution (which is 37.8 Liters). This
gives a relative cost only - your mileage will certainly vary.

All prices for nutrients were taken from a sponsors site and are current as of the
date of posting. So the costs are real world numbers.

To figure costs for 1 gallon - divide by 10. To figure costs for 20 gallons -
multiply the figures by 2.

Recommendations
First Two Weeks
The base formula for the first two weeks of growth uses a straight 1 - 1 - 1 ratio.

The base formula to use for this phase is 5G-5M-5B, you should end up with an N-P-
K-Mg ratio of 111-40-180-180 with an estimated TDS of 860 @.7.

<table="width: 500">
<tr>
<td>Nitrogen (N)</td>
<td>Phosphorus (P)</td>
<td>Potassium (K)</td>
<td>Magnesium (Mg)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>111</td>
<td>140</td>
<td>180</td>
<td>180</td>
</tr>
</table>
?

Growth Phase
The base formula to use for this phase is 15G-10M-5B, you should end up with an N-
P-K-Mg ratio of 250-53-339-195 with an estimated TDS of 1780 @.7.

<table="width: 500">
<tr>
<td>Nitrogen (N)</td>
<td>Phosphorus (P)</td>
<td>Potassium (K)</td>
<td>Magnesium (Mg)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>250</td>
<td>53</td>
<td>339</td>
<td>195</td>
</tr>
</table>
?

Transition Phase
This formula is to be used the first two weeks of the flowering cycle.

The base formula to use for this phase is 10G-10M-10B, you should end up with an N-
P-K-Mg ratio of 221-80-317-210 with an estimated TDS of 1720 @.7.

<table="width: 500">
<tr>
<td>Nitrogen (N)</td>
<td>Phosphorus (P)</td>
<td>Potassium (K)</td>
<td>Magnesium (Mg)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>220</td>
<td>80</td>
<td>317</td>
<td>210</td>
</tr>
</table>
?

Flowering Phase
The base formula to use for this phase is 15G-10M-5B, you should end up with an N-
P-K-Mg ratio of 192-107-294-226 with an estimated TDS of 1665 @.7.

<table="width: 500">
<tr>
<td>Nitrogen (N)</td>
<td>Phosphorus (P)</td>
<td>Potassium (K)</td>
<td>Magnesium (Mg)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>197</td>
<td>107</td>
<td>294</td>
<td>226</td>
</tr>
</table>
?

All of the charts are contained within two PDF documents. If you would like to
download and print a copy - feel free.

GL4A MFIG Charts

GL4A MFIG Tables

?
Because this formula is implemented with Advanced Nutrients - I have done a
dilution test and can give fairly accurate estimates on what you should end up with
on EC. My dilution test on Micro comes out a little lighter than what they indicate
- and thus that corrupts (or corrects for me) the estimate given above.

Mel Frank's Marijuana Growers Insider's Guide - Table 9.6

In order to be able to intelligently examine the nutrient plans given above,

additional information is required. As such, we need some reference material to go
forward.

So I have decided to post a table from Mel Frank's Insider's Guide "Table 9.6:
Acceptable Levels of Nutrients". I won't post any of the explanatory material - you
need to buy the book. Every grower should buy this book, IMO.

<table="width: 500, class: outer_border, align: center">

<tr>
<td>Element</td>
<td>Symbol</td>
<td>Lower Limit</td>
<td>Upper Limit</td>
<td>Average</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Nitrogent</td>
<td>N</td>
<td>150</td>
<td>1000</td>
<td>300</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Phophorus</td>
<td>P</td>
<td>50</td>
<td>100</td>
<td>80</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Potassium</td>
<td>K</td>
<td>100</td>
<td>400</td>
<td>250</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Magnesium</td>
<td>Mg</td>
<td>50</td>
<td>100</td>
<td>75</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Sulfur</td>
<td>S</td>
<td>200</td>
<td>1000</td>
<td>400</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Calcium</td>
<td>Ca</td>
<td>300</td>
<td>500</td>
<td>400</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Iron</td>
<td>Fe</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>10</td>
<td>5</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Boron</td>
<td>B</td>
<td>.5</td>
<td>5</td>
<td>2</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Manganese</td>
<td>Mn</td>
<td>.5</td>
<td>5</td>
<td>2</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Zinc</td>
<td>Zn</td>
<td>.5</td>
<td>1</td>
<td>.5</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Molybdenum</td>
<td>Mo</td>
<td>.001</td>
<td>.002</td>
<td>.001</td>
</tr>
</table>

The information from this table is posted in various places all over the Internet -
they just don't state that this is the source. I am trying to split the line - post
it without permission (as everyone else does) - but give the man credit for the
work that he has done.

A couple of interesting points.

Nitrogen is way higher than I would have thought. Looking at the Lucas formula with
it's low levels of nitrogen is fooling me.
Calcium and Sulfur are way higher than you will typically get by using commercial
nutrients - in fact both are under the lower limit that Mr Frank recommends. Which
is an interesting point... since both are relatively good pH buffers in hydroponics
reservoirs. Hydro guys using R/O water would probably be wise to increase these
elements to help keep pH stable - since it won't hurt the plant. Calcium Carbonate
and Magnesium Sulfate... are your hydro friends.
How to Calculate PPMs for Nutrient Solutions

I also need to give some explanation on the basic math that I am using.

Basic Facts and Conversions

1 Liter = 1,000,000 mL
1 Kilogram (kg) = 1,000 grams (g)
1 Gram = 1000 milligrams (mg)
?

I will show everything in metric - but you can convert this to use for US by the
following:

1 Liter (L) = 3.78 US Gallons

1 oz = 28.35 grams (we should all know this one!)
1 gram = .035 oz
?

Formulas
We want to calculate how many parts per million are present within a nutrient
solution.

The information that is given to us by the nutrient companies are called

"Guaranteed Analysis" and are posted on every bottle and bag of fertilizer sold.
This information is given to us as a percentage... but what does this mean? It
means that if you dried up all the water from the solution - there would be this
percentage of the nutrient in what is left. So it is actually a dry weight that we
are given. If you have a bag of dry fertilizer... it means the same thing only you
don't have to get rid of the water.

This is important. As you add salts into water... the water keeps the same volume
(roughly speaking) but gains weight. So every bottle of fertilizer should also
contain the net volume (liters or gallons) and net weight (kg or pounds). In order
to accurately calculate the PPMs - we need this ratio. So here is the first
calculation:

W/V% = Net Weight / Net Volume

?

Since we are doing this in metric - the result we want is kg / liter - but this is
exactly the same number when expressed as mg / ml.

Let's do a real world example...

My bottle of AN Micro has a volume of 1L. It also has a weight of 1.22 kg. So let's
substitute and see what we get:

W/V% = 1.22kg / 1L
W/V% = 1.22 kg/Liter
?

This is really a percentage - which means if we didn't include this in our

calculations - the resultant calculated PPMs would be 22% low. And an error of this
magnitude can cause deficiencies with some nutrients.

If you are mixing a dry fertilizer into a solution, then you can use a value of
1.00 for W/V%.

Given this information, we can calculate many things, but of interest to us is the
resultant PPMs. For now, lets assume that we are using 1ml / Liter of nutrient
mixture - we can correct for actual use later.

So to calculate the PPM for any one element, we perform the following:

PPM = (((Usage * Label Percentage) / WV%)*1000)?

I have simplified this slightly - and ignored dimensional analysis. It works and is
a little complicated to explain... so ask if you are interested I will write it up
in a separate post.

Earlier, we assumed we would use 1ml /L of the nutrient solution. Let's assume that
the Label's guaranteed analysis shows 5% Ca. We will further assume that we are
using the Micro formula given above. So now we have all the information we need for
an example calculation:

PPM = (((1 ml / Liter) * 5%) / 1.22 kg / Liter) * 1000g / kg)?

And when we solve the equation we get:

PPM (Ca, Micro, 1 ml/L) = 41?

Now, before we take the final step...

For calcium and other minerals -
have some additional calculating
on the side of the bag discussed
gives you the value of the plant
weight of P - you actually could
we are done. If we are looking at P, or K... we
to do. The problem is that the guaranteed analysis
earlier doesn't give you elemental P and K - it
available forms. So rather than having 6% by
have 6% by weight of P2O5.

To figure out exactly how much is quite complicated. But once the calculations are
done - they never change and can be approximated. So I will give the approximations
at this point in time:

<table="width: 500, class: outer_border, align: center">

<tr>
<td>Element</td>
<td>Factor</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>P</td>
<td>44%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>K</td>
<td>83%</td>
</tr>
</table>
?

For all other nutrients not listed, you can use a reduction factor of 1 (no
reduction).

Now that we have reduced our PPM from plant available molecules to the actual
elemental composition, we are ready to multiply by our actual usage.

Now let's set up another example. Let's say we repeated our previous calculation
only this time we used Bloom and P, rather than calcium. Here is the result we
would get:

PPM(P205, Bloom, 1 ml / L) = 57
?

Let's assume that our usage directions are expressed in ml / Liter as 1G-2M-3B then
we know we want three ml / Liter of Bloom mixed into our solution. So we simply
perform the final calculation like so:

PPM(P, Bloom, Z ml/L) = Z * 19 * 44%

PPM(P, Bloom, 3 ml/L) = 3 * 19 * .44 = 25
?
It seems obvious that these calculations are quite tedious - and the US versions
even more so. But when you put them into a spreadsheet - it becomes quick and
effortless to model various nutrient plans.

I have been searching and searching for a way to measure the ppm of individual
nutrients (n, p, k, etc.) in runoff water. Unfortunately, I haven't been
successful. At first, I was hoping for something digital that could isolate
individual nutrients and give me an accurate measurement of them. After a LOT of
searching I'm thinking I won't find that (at least not cost-efficient), so I'm
thinking maybe I could find some test strips/solutions that could give me a
somewhat accurate reading. I am not giving up on my initial goal though and was
wondering if anyone here could point me in the right direction.