There are many brands of organic hydroponic nutrient on the market today. These nutrients are a bit more difficult to manage than 'regular' hydroponic nutrients, and they can cause problems if not managed correctly. Although you can use them, they do take a greater degree of skill and care to manage and can cause problems if not used correctly.

Regular hydropnic nutrients contain mineral elements (such as nitrogen, calcium, etc.) that are immediately available to the plant. Organic nutrients (such as bat guano or bone meal) must be broken down before the plant can absorb the minerals. Organic nutrients work great in soil because of the micro bacteria which increase the rate of this process. In hydroponics there are no beneficial 'helpers' and so growth can be much slower as nutrients are not as quickly available to the plants. The plants are also at greater risk for nutrient deficiencies and need to be watched a bit more closely.

Another thing to be wary of with organic nutrients is their propensity to clog drip emitters, tubing and pumps. It will be easier to grow organically using an ebb and flow system (with no drippers) as opposed to a drip system with many.

Many growers use a mineral based nutrient and supplement it with organic additives for the best of both worlds.

Organics can be great in Hydroponic systems, but it is important to make sure that the root zone is protected. This can be achieved by creating a "beneficial ecosystem" in the reservoir and at the roots. To get more information look here Root Zone

The reason many nutrient solutions are separated into 'A' and 'B' formulas is because essential elements have a tendency to react with each other (thus creating insoluable, unabsorbable particles) when they are in strong concentrations. So usually the calcium containing compounds are kept separate from the phosphate and sulfate compounds. There are some great one-part solutions on the market made by different manufacturers who have found various ways of tackling this problem.

The three-part solution we sell is General Hydroponics Flora Series. They have designed these nutrients this way to enable the grower to mix a huge range of different nutrient solutions to satisfy the needs of practically any type of plant, and each different stage in its life cycle by varying the combinations and overall strength of the mix. Thus with the three bottles you can provide the correct 'flavor' for every life stage of your plants.

General Hydroponic's Flora® Series is the most commonly used hydroponic nutrient on the market. It can work extremely well if you use it properly. One of the beauties of the three part solution is the ability to adjust the ratios to suit the type of plant and stage of growth. General Hydropnics suggests the dilution ratios we've posted below. . You will need to use an EC or TDS Meter to know exactly how much nutrient to use - it depends on your desired nutrient level. Just be sure that you always keep the three nutrients in the correct ratio.

t is important to know that you should never mix the nutrients together. You should only add them one at a time into your watering solution/reservoir. Stir well between each addition to prevent nutrient lock-up.

You should keep the nutrient solution temperature in the range of 65 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit (18 to 26 degrees Celsius) with the optimal range between 65 and 75 degrees F. But remember, plants don't like rapid temperature change, especially in the root zone. So before adding water to your reservoir, we suggest you allow it to come to the same temperature as the water in the reservoir. You can use an aquarium heater to heat the water in the winter and a "chiller" to cool the water during the summer. Also, letting the water stand in a container uncovered overnight helps dissipate any chlorine than might be in the water.

Those letters stand for the first three of the main macro nutrients that plants need.

N = Nitrogen
Nitrogen is the first major element responsible for the vegetative growth of plants above ground. With a good supply, plants grow sturdily and mature rapidly, with rich, dark green foliage.

P = Phosphorus
The second major element in plant nutrition, phosphorus is essential for healthy growth, strong roots, fruit and flower development, and greater resistance to disease.

K = Potassium (Potash)
The third major plant nutrient, potassium oxide is essential for the development of strong plants. It helps plants to resist diseases, protects them from the cold and protects during dry weather by preventing excessive water loss.

pH is a measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a solution. A basic, neutral solution is numerically equal to 7. The solution gets more acidic as the numbers decrease and more alkaline as the numbers increase. The ph scale ranges from 0 pH (very acidic) to 14 pH (highly alkaline). Pure water has a pH of 7, indicating that it is neither alkaline nor acidic, but neutral. Different nutrients may be absorbed at different pH levels.

The ideal range is different for different plants, but the general range for plant survival is between 5.0 and 7.5. Any lower and delicate plant tissues can be burned and any higher may cause some nutrients to precipitate out of solution, making them unavailable for uptake. It is also important to take into the considration the fact the different nutrients can only be absorbed at certain pH levels. The optimum pH range seems to be between 5.8 and 6.5. . If you want to get real fancy, tweak the pH of your solution to allow more nitrogen in the growth phases and then readjust during the bloom phase for more phosphorous uptake. You'll need to manually test and adjust your pH daily, unless you use an automated controller.

TDS stands for Total Dissolved Solids and is measured in ppm or parts per million. One ppm is one part by weight of the mineral in one million parts of solution. In a laboratory, TDS is found by allowing the liquid to evaporate and weighing the particles left over. In hydroponics TDS is estimated using a converstion from the measure of electrical conductivity (EC). TDS is currently the standard of measurement that most US growers use. This will probably begin to change in the future as hydroponic manufacturers begin changing their products to EC.

EC stands for Electrical Conductivity and is measured in mS/cm or miliSiemens per centimeter. An EC meter measures an electrical current in the solution and reads the conductivity produced from the motion of the mineral ions. Low conductivity means low nutrient concentration, often resulting in nutritional deficiencies and slow plant growth. High conductivity means more food for your plants. But be careful of not to get over zealous with the concentration of your nutrient solution; very high conductivity can burn or kill your plants.

In Europe, EC has been used exclusively. In the US, most growers have been using TDS. The problem is that, as explained earlier, TDS is a conversion from EC, and different manufacturers use different conversion rates. Different TDS meters may show a discrepancy of as much as 600 ppm when reading the same solution. Last June at the Hydroponic Merchants' Association conference is was decided that the industry will begin to switch over to EC. This switch over could take years.

American growers still seem to want to use TDS meters most often and we supply a wide range of quality ones. Be sure when calibrating these meters to use the correct callibrating solution from the correct manufacturer.

For example if your EC is 1:
1 x 1000/2 = 500ppm

And if your ppm is 500:
500 x 2/1000 = 1EC

The symptoms you describe are consistant with salt toxicity. Your plants are not able to take water up through their roots because there is too much salt in the solution. There are also probably too much salts lingering in plants roots etc.

The solution to this problem is to drain the reservoir immediately and fill it up with fresh water. You will use this fresh water to leach the salt from the plants over a period of days. You can use a flushing agent such as Final Flush or Clearex to speed up the process. Keep an eye on the TDS readings of your reservoir. If they go very high, you may want to drain the reservoir again and keep flushing. After a few days you should notice signs of more normal growth and can switch back to your regular nutrient schedule.

Although hydroponic formulas have come a very long way in providing total plant nutrition, many vital compounds and biological agents are available to the plant in healthy soil are absent. When used correctly, metabolic enhancers can bridge the gap between organic and mineral nutrition. They can help the achieve full plant potential at every stage of growth.

Whether you 'need' to use them is up to you. After you have estabilished your hydroponic system and are familiar with your plants, you could try adding one and observing whether it has beneficial effects. Some of the things that enhancers can do include

• Better seed germination
• Stronger seedlings
• Faster more vigorous clones
• Massive root systems
• Healthier vegetative growth
• Better resistance to pests & disease
• Bigger plants, higher yields

Please be aware that many of these techniques are new and much remains to be learned about the materials involved. Always be cautious when experimenting, and let us know your results! We'd love to know how they work for you.

You should begin by understanding the different categories of additves that are available. Once you have this understanding, You will have a better grasp on what the individual additives do and which ones would be right for you to use.

There are many different products to choose from. We suggest prioritizing what is most important to you. Start with only one or two additives in addition to your regular nutrient. Watch for results and decide whether or not to add more. Be careful some products are not recommended for use with each other. As a rule of thumb, organic products can be used together, but the more concentrated mineral based products should be used with more caution.

Metabolic Enhancers
This category includes anything that speeds up the rate of growth and or flower formation and facilitates nutrient uptake. These are often made up of hormones, enzymes and vitamins. Some of the more common enhancers available include fulvic acid and humic acids, cytokinin and auxin hormones, gibberellins, chitin, B-1 vitamins, amino acids and phosphorus boosters.

Preventatives
These products help protect plants against diseases and pest infestations. They do this by inhibiting pest and disease growth and by Strengthening plant defenses.

For beginners we really recommend using SM-90. It's very easy to use in the reservoir and it discourages root disease while encouraging new growth. We've had great results with it and have seen its amazing capabilities for giving new life to severely damaged roots. SM-90 does not work well with other biologically active products. We suggest using it with a regular nutrient throughout the growth cycle, and then if at the end you are hoping for large fruit or flowers, adding Monster Bloom. (These two products do not interfere with eachother and can be used together.) Monster Bloom's high phosphorous content promotes rapid and lush bloom sets. It's another of those products that we know REALLY works. For the last four days of your harvest you could use a flushing agent such as Final Flush. This should remove all excess salt from your final product.

A second combination that we often use relies on organic substances to add that 'organic' flavor to the harvest. Organic additives are not as strong or concentrated as refined mineral additives and therefore there is a bit more leniency when it comes to dosage concentrations and combinations. We suggest adding one organic additive at a time. As you get good results from the first, go ahead and add the second. Always watch your plants to see how they react. In addition to our nutrient solution we have had good results combining fulvic acid with Fossil Fuel (with humates). As soon as flowering starts, Kelp can be added to this mixture. You may also choose to add Pro-Silicate to promote healthy cellular growth. A final additive you might choose is BananaMana (this is great for any kind of fruits or flowers that produce resin)

If the solution you are adding is colorless and you see a cloud forming, what you are seeing is ions reacting with eachother to form insoluable salts. This reaction makes nutrients unavailable to your plants. In order to prevent this kind of reaction you should dilute the solution you are adding and add it very slowly while stirring. This will help to disperse the ions and will prevent them from clumping up.

Hydrogen Peroxide (H202) is made up of oxygen and water. When it breaks down a single atom of oxygen is released along with a single water molecule. It leaves no residue or waste behind. The single atom of oxygen is what makes it so useful.

Hydrogen Peroxide has two main uses in hydroponics: disease fighting and aeration. It can be added regularly to nutrient solutionin order to increase the amount of dissolved oxygen in solution. It can also be added to help fight root rot. At higher concentrations it can be used to sterilize growing medium, gardening tools and plastic hydoponic trays and pots.

d in a hydroponic garden, the results can be catastrophic. Spores will spread through nutrient & quickly kill susceptible plants. It is MUCH easier to prevent disease from ocurring in the first place than to treat a full blown attack. We are very fond of using SM-90 in our hydroponic systems. It keeps plant roots healthy throughout the growing cycle and prevents disease from taking hold.

Other alternatives are to use hydrogen peroxide in the solution, or to

Any water sample containing more than 150 mg/Litre of bicarbonates (HCO3) could be considered as "Hard". Hard water is found all over the world in different regions. It is characterised by high levels of mineral salts and it can cause problems for hydroponic growers.

Hard water usually has a very high pH and a grower will find that it takes a large amount of pH down to lower the pH. The hydroponic grower will usually add Phosphoric acid (H3PO4) to lower the pH. As it takes a significant amount of phosphoric acid to lower the pH, the levels of phosphates in the solution will skyrocket. Over time, the phosphate will accumulate and the high levels will affect the uptake of other nutrients, such as zinc for instance. Major nutrient imbalances will not be far off.

You may be able to tell if you have hard water just by looking around your home. It is harder to get soap to produce a lather in hard water. Hard water also often leaves a buildup of lime on your pots and pans. The surest way to tell is to get a water quality analysis from your local water company, or if you like you could take a sample to your local hydroponic shop who could send away for an analysis.

You have two choices when dealing with hard water. The first is to use a specially formulated for Hard water such as Ionic, a one-part nutrient solution available in both Grow and Bloom formulations. These formulas are more acidic and are also specially formulated to take account of the minerals, such as Calcium, that are usually present in Hard water. By lowering these elements in the nutrient solution it is possible to ensure that the final solution is as close as possible to ideal levels of the major elements.

A second choice is to go with a reverse osmosis unit. RO systems filter the water before it enters your reservoir, removing about 98% of inorganic salts.

A good rule of thumb is to always top off your reservoir with fresh water without any nutrient added. You will lose some water through evaporation and plant uptake, but the strength of the solution doesn't necessarily drop the with the level of the solution. Sometimes, as the reservoir water level drops the nutrient solution can actually become more concentrated. To avoid overdoing your nutrient, add only fresh water and then adjust your pH accordingly. The best way to know when its time to change your nutrient solution is to keep a record of how much water you're putting in the reservoir to top it off. When the amount added equals half of the reservoir capacity, it's time to change the solution and rinse the reservoir and growing medium. So, if you've got a 20 gallon reservoir and over the course of 12 days you've added 10 gallons -- it's time to change your solution.

The best way to handle algae is to prevent it from occurring. Algae needs light to grow, so keep your reservoir out of light. It should be shade or covered with a lid. You should also take care to shade the input and output pipes and other 'wet' equipment.

If you already have an algae problem you should clean out your system thoroughly, using the method discussed below. When you refill your reservoir you may consider adding a product such as HydroShield to prevent further outbreaks in the future.

If you are cleaning your reservoir just to add fresh solution, you can follow the following steps

• remove all plant matter and debris that you can grab from the water
• Drain reservoir
• wipe out as much residue as possible with a paper towel
• Refill reservoir and add new nutrient solution

If you wish to sterilize your reservoir (recommended in between crops to prevent disease or in case of pests!) You should use a 10% hydrogen peroxide or 10% bleach solution. If your reservoir is too large to wash in a sink, you may need to sterilize it where it stands, by filling it up with a bleach or h202 solution and allowing it to sit for several hours.

The beauty of h202 is that it will break down on its own and you do not need to rinse as carefully. If you are using a bleach solution you will want to be sure you rinse until there is no residue left.

Wear gloves when handling concentrated peroxide or bleach! It can burn your hands.

A watering timer is suggested to prevent unwanted floods from occurring. When your hydroponic system is running full steam ahead, the last thing you want is the float valve to drop, allowing EXCESS water into the reservoir.

When your system turns off and drains, there would be chance of too much water in the reservoir and the system could flood. The use of a watering timer prevents that. It turn on once or twice a day, when the hydroponic system is off, and allows the float valve to fill the reservoirs.

One thing to consider is that the existing waterline is usually nowhere near the reservoir. A detour often has to be made from a nearby faucet. Using PVC is often the chosen way of making a connection. This can be a little laborious, but it is worth doing and worth doing well.