You can't mix both "concentrates", as calcium nitrate with any of both acids, that's correct. Because these acids will react with the calcium and it will precipitate and hence be insoluble and unavailable for plants. But as soon as you add them separately in your diluted nutrient solution (or in a sufficient amount of water), the potency of the acid isn't strong enough to react with the calcium (nitrate). To do it right, add (hence dilute) the acids first to the nutrient solution or the water in the reservoir, stir well and let sit a bit, - and only then add the calcium nitrate.

ok that works perfectly with me
i will mix the acid and dilute it with water first, let it sit for a while and then add calcium nitrate.

thanks lucas..u r always there to help me out :D.
my plants r doin amazingly well, all of them..

Heba

Glad to hear that Heba!
But wait a minute, - to be sure you got the acid/calcium plot 100% right here:

I can't say exactly from what dilution you're safe from any precipitation, as I am not a chemist - but I meant highly diluted as in the range of a nutrient solution in the reservoir. Well, such dilution isn't actually necessary, but that's what I was talking about and can guaranty for. So, take care to apply it only as suggested!

hey lucas
just one more quick urgent question
i tested the ppm after adding the humic acid to plain water and it turned out to be 430 ppm, my water is 200 ppm before adding anything.. thats way too high before adding any nutrients, or should i substract the number from the total final ppm?

Hi again tiphereth,

230 ppm that's quite a bit of a plus, but that depends on the amount of water you use for the purpose (is it the full amount or just some part of it?). I was thinking of using humic acid in my nutrients as well and wasn't sure what the 0.5 % that seemed to be a common content meant to be. Because manufacturers tend to be vague about their additives. Anyway other sources suggest less, actually only as half as much.

Anyway, check the amount/content to use again - I believe the 0.5% is in fact ONLY 0.5% of the sum of ALL NUTRIENTS - and NOT 0.5% of the volume of the nutrient solution you make up! That's the first thing to be sure of and to take care of.

As soon as you are sure of the actual amount to use, you may also dilute the acid(s) even more and make your nutrient solution somewhat stronger (accordingly) as usual, as it will become weaker as soon as you add the highly diluted acid/water mix. Also, your pH will most probably drop somewhat after adding the acids, as you may have guessed.

I would recommend to test the mix in a clear water bottle first and watch the bottom for any white precipitations (of Ca), but I am not sure if they are visible in such small amounts. In a higher concentration and if there is a reaction, you can spot them easily - but that's obvious and that's not what you want to test nor achieve.

PS: the actual ppm of the acids should be added, not subtracted from the total/final ppm. Otherwise what you substract, is what you will actually have less in nutrients. 230 ppm plus still seems too much.

i followed the instructions (0.5 cubic cm/litre) and that what raised the ppm by 230, so i used 0.25 instead of 0.5 and it raised the ppm by abt 40 ppm..i will keep using it like that, really diluted to avoid calcium precipitations or ppm raise...and i will keep watching my plants if they r not doin as well as before, im goin to stop using these acids.

You did OK, If I am not wrong, half of the suggested dose, 0.25 cc/liter would equal around 0.5% of the actual nutrients.

Btw: I didn't want to cut your enthusiasm for trying something new and experimenting with additives, but I believe these products are better suited (and more effective) when used as an additive with leached out and exploited agrarian soils, instead of nutrient solutions. Why? Well because hydroponists have been successfully growing for decades without any of those. With sophisticated NFT systems, people are able to growing lettuces from seed to maturity in 6-7 weeks, - how and why do you want to improve that? And as with hydroponics all required, essential and even some beneficial nutrients are directly available, we don't need to "cure" any soil or screwed up bacterial conditions or improve trace element availability. Also: either all nutrients ARE sufficiently available for plants in a nutrient solution, or they aren't - additives of any kind can't improve ideal conditions, or can they? ;-)

Yes, u r totally right, but the thing is i don't place the plants in nutrient solutions :D ...i grow in peatmoss + vermiculite medium but still i water the plants with nutrient solution..that is why i always ask my questions in hydroponics, i apply same rules and since i started doing that, i can grow any kind of plant in containers with very fast growth and optimum health...sorry for not making that clear at first..

Thanks again Lucas

No harm done... I'm actually doing quite a lot with similar medium and technique (mostly "recycled" nutrients actually) ;-)

It's not a big difference anyway it even has a few advantages. Why not trying some additives in that case Btw: have you ever used Chitosan? It's certainly worse a shot if you can find it at your end!
I'd be interested in your results anyway (others as well I suppose), so keep us posted if you don't mind.

Cheers
Lucas

no i ve never heard of chitosan! i will look around for it.
i will update u regularly once everything gets stable. i got more confident already knowing that u r doin somethin similar to what i do.. :D

Cheers