Homemade Miraclegro Liquafeed Refill - Page 9

Worth1 · July 1, 2016

I bet you are, you are putting 3.031 PSI on the orifice when it is used to running off of 0 PSI.
Plus if I remember right you were having a vacuum problem.
Worth

Rajun Gardener · July 1, 2016

Worth, I think you may be right. Try it with an airtight top to that bucket and check the difference.

Worth1 · July 1, 2016

Everybody take note of this, you are going to have to recalculate everything you do for your times or concentrations due to the new feed rate.
This feed rate will also depend on how high the containers are in relation to the feeder.
You are looking at 0.433 PSI for every foot higher than the feeder.

Rajun Gardener · July 1, 2016

It might not be a bad thing depending on how you water, it should deliver more water so I should be able to cut down on the fertilizer strength.

I'll do test with my PPM meter and post the results. Salsacharley is there a reason you're using the 4-18-38 and Calnit separately? I use the same stuff in my dutch buckets and when I feed the outdoor plants with it they like it.

Worth1 · July 1, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rajun Gardener

Worth, I think you may be right. Try it with an airtight top to that bucket and check the difference.

If you do that then the rubber gasket seal thing will have that same pressure on it so you will in effect have to have around 18 PSI outside pressure to overcome this.
This is where the vacuum will come into effect to help this happen.
I can see it in my mind but I cant explain it.

With that amount of pressure it may just stop flowing.

Worth

Rajun Gardener · July 1, 2016

We can always add a square bucket about 1' above the feeder and add a float valve that is fed by the other buckets or a bigger container.

Salsacharley · July 1, 2016

I mix them separately because I add MgSO4 to the 4-18-38. If the MgSO4 is mixed with the CaNO3 it causes gypsum to form. I don't remember the chemical formula for gypsum, but it sure won't go through a feeder.

My vacuum problem was solved when I switched to buckets. I think I'll lower my buckets to just above the feeders to see how that works. I hope I didn't cook my plants already. They sure looked good today after all that fertilizer went to them. It does look like everything will have to be remeasured and re- calculated.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rajun Gardener

It might not be a bad thing depending on how you water, it should deliver more water so I should be able to cut down on the fertilizer strength.

I'll do test with my PPM meter and post the results. Salsacharley is there a reason you're using the 4-18-38 and Calnit separately? I use the same stuff in my dutch buckets and when I feed the outdoor plants with it they like it.

Rajun Gardener · July 1, 2016

How strong do you have them mixed?

Salsacharley · July 1, 2016

I put 52 oz of 4-18-38 and 26 oz of MgSO4 in 4 gallons, and 52 oz of CaNO3 in 4 gallons.

Rajun Gardener · July 1, 2016

That seems like a lot. Have you checked the PPM at the dripline. I'm curious because I use 72 grams per 5 gallons for the masterblend, calnit and epson is half that for my hydro system.

Salsacharley · July 1, 2016

It is a lot, but I figured it would dilute to 1:40 (1 pint fertilizer per 40 gallons water) with the feeder, so I was trying to produce 2.5 Tablespoons per 40 gallons (80 Tablespoons of fert in 4 Gallons (32 pints) of concentrate....80 Tablespoons divided by 32 pints = 2.5 T per pint. Since this fertilizer recommends 1 Teaspoon per gallon I was only putting out 7.5 Teaspoons per 40 gallons, assuming the feeder was putting out 40 gallons of water per pint of concentrate.

Rajun Gardener · July 1, 2016

I just curious where you found the amounts to use. I haven't used the masterblend for my tomatoes because I amend the soil when I plant but I use the calnit by dropping about 2 tablespoons around the plant and water it in. They respond very well but I'm gonna use it in the feeder and I don't think you need to use that much to get the same results. I used it twice on my bell peppers about a month ago and they're still dark green and producing good.

I'm just thinking out loud based on the results I had but since you've been using it you should know.

Salsacharley · July 1, 2016

The Hydro-Gardens Chemgro fertilizer requires the mix of 4-18-38 + MgSO4 as one part of their formula, and an equal amount of calnit as the other part. The low nitrogen in the 4-18-38 requires the added nitrogen from the calnit. The ratios can be adjusted to fit individual circumstances but their base formula is as I described. The combined ingredients are all necessary to get balance. AKmark uses it and that's why I went for it. I'll know more about how good it is in a couple more weeks, except for the fact that I've really messed it up with my huge over dosing.

Worth1 · July 1, 2016

Well if the plants dont burn they will be fine, it may be just what the doctor ordered.

Worth

Rajun Gardener · July 2, 2016

Worth the package came but no scorpions. I'll try them out later when it cools down a bit, it's crazy hot outside today.

July 1, 2016	#129
Salsacharley Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2013 Location: New Mexico Posts: 2,052	I put 52 oz of 4-18-38 and 26 oz of MgSO4 in 4 gallons, and 52 oz of CaNO3 in 4 gallons. Last edited by Salsacharley; July 2, 2016 at 10:38 AM. Reason: I erred in my recollection of the ounces compared to Tbs

July 1, 2016	#121
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	I bet you are, you are putting 3.031 PSI on the orifice when it is used to running off of 0 PSI. Plus if I remember right you were having a vacuum problem. Worth

July 1, 2016	#122
Rajun Gardener Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Tomato Cornhole Posts: 2,550	Worth, I think you may be right. Try it with an airtight top to that bucket and check the difference.

July 1, 2016	#123
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	Everybody take note of this, you are going to have to recalculate everything you do for your times or concentrations due to the new feed rate. This feed rate will also depend on how high the containers are in relation to the feeder. You are looking at 0.433 PSI for every foot higher than the feeder.

July 1, 2016	#124
Rajun Gardener Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Tomato Cornhole Posts: 2,550	It might not be a bad thing depending on how you water, it should deliver more water so I should be able to cut down on the fertilizer strength. I'll do test with my PPM meter and post the results. Salsacharley is there a reason you're using the 4-18-38 and Calnit separately? I use the same stuff in my dutch buckets and when I feed the outdoor plants with it they like it.

July 1, 2016	#126
Rajun Gardener Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Tomato Cornhole Posts: 2,550	We can always add a square bucket about 1' above the feeder and add a float valve that is fed by the other buckets or a bigger container.

July 1, 2016	#128
Rajun Gardener Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Tomato Cornhole Posts: 2,550	How strong do you have them mixed?

July 1, 2016	#130
Rajun Gardener Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Tomato Cornhole Posts: 2,550	That seems like a lot. Have you checked the PPM at the dripline. I'm curious because I use 72 grams per 5 gallons for the masterblend, calnit and epson is half that for my hydro system.

July 1, 2016	#131
Salsacharley Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2013 Location: New Mexico Posts: 2,052	It is a lot, but I figured it would dilute to 1:40 (1 pint fertilizer per 40 gallons water) with the feeder, so I was trying to produce 2.5 Tablespoons per 40 gallons (80 Tablespoons of fert in 4 Gallons (32 pints) of concentrate....80 Tablespoons divided by 32 pints = 2.5 T per pint. Since this fertilizer recommends 1 Teaspoon per gallon I was only putting out 7.5 Teaspoons per 40 gallons, assuming the feeder was putting out 40 gallons of water per pint of concentrate.

July 1, 2016	#132
Rajun Gardener Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Tomato Cornhole Posts: 2,550	I just curious where you found the amounts to use. I haven't used the masterblend for my tomatoes because I amend the soil when I plant but I use the calnit by dropping about 2 tablespoons around the plant and water it in. They respond very well but I'm gonna use it in the feeder and I don't think you need to use that much to get the same results. I used it twice on my bell peppers about a month ago and they're still dark green and producing good. I'm just thinking out loud based on the results I had but since you've been using it you should know.

July 1, 2016	#133
Salsacharley Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2013 Location: New Mexico Posts: 2,052	The Hydro-Gardens Chemgro fertilizer requires the mix of 4-18-38 + MgSO4 as one part of their formula, and an equal amount of calnit as the other part. The low nitrogen in the 4-18-38 requires the added nitrogen from the calnit. The ratios can be adjusted to fit individual circumstances but their base formula is as I described. The combined ingredients are all necessary to get balance. AKmark uses it and that's why I went for it. I'll know more about how good it is in a couple more weeks, except for the fact that I've really messed it up with my huge over dosing.

July 1, 2016	#134
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	Well if the plants dont burn they will be fine, it may be just what the doctor ordered. Worth

July 2, 2016	#135
Rajun Gardener Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Tomato Cornhole Posts: 2,550	Worth the package came but no scorpions. I'll try them out later when it cools down a bit, it's crazy hot outside today.