[SIZE=medium]I'm just finishing my first hydro grow and I am wondering if the bud sweetener I've been using is really advantageous. I'm using the Lucas Formula in an ebb & grow system. I have a great grow going with a good yield. I've used the GH Floranectar supplement and with the high ppm's occurred with the full strength Lucas during flowering as well as the Koolbloom I'm curious to hear other opinions if the sweetener is really necessary. I could always try without it on the next grow and compare but I would like to hear what other growers think. My ppm's during flowering were right around 2000 which would rise 10-15 per day, not using the nectar would certainly lower the ppm's but if it's known to improve the flavor significantly I probably shouldn't discontinue it's use. [/SIZE]
I started using it through bud stage on my last couple of crops and have realized a much better (greater) aroma at the very least. Can't say it changed the taste much but hard to say for sure as I changed strains for the last crop. I am going to keep using it for the time being. I used to crank my PPMs way up during bud but have come to realize that even though it caused little damage it didn't need to be that high. I cured PH fluctuations in my res's by lowering the PPMs until they and the PH remained stable during the week I run nutes before my res changes. I found 1300 to 1500 PPM worked perfectly during bud stage
Thanks deman81k, I feel like you do. I like to keep ppms as low as possable. That why I want to hear from others on the use of the sweetners. The 0-8-16 lucas with the koolbloom and I'm up to 16-1700 ppms. I add the floranectar and I'm up to 1800-2000. I'm really not tryin to crank things up, I could drop the lucas down to 0-5-10 (which is what I use during veg.) but I thought the full strength would be better for flowering.
Try botanicares sweet raw. They also have other flavors if ur looking for a certain flavor. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using Grasscity Forum mobile app
you can supplement those expensive bud sweeteners with an inexpensive bag of epsom salts. 1/4 tsp(1.25mL) - 1/2 tsp(2.5mL) per gallon of water is all you need. dont over do it (with your bud sweetener bottles as well), because a magnesium lockout in your soil will give you a HUGE headache. the extra sulfur in Magnesium Sulfate (epsom salts) may build up after awhile and cause a drop in your soil's pH.....thus another reason to water with nothing but plain water once a week or so.