Nutrients Advanced Nutrients - is this overkill?

[420master]

I've decided to take advantage of my 0% introductory interest rate on my new credit card and buy new lights and nutrients.

I am going to go with Advanced Connoisseur Bloom and Grow.

They have a Nutrient Calculator thing on their website, but I'm a little confused.
They have different "grower levels", Hobbyist, Expert, Professional, and Grand Master. Each level lists certain supplements, with the highest level including about 15 different supplements.

My question is, would it be overkill to buy all the supplements or would using everything make a significant improvement over just the nutes and cal-mag?
I do want to use only Advanced, and I don't mind springing for it at this point.

I'm looking at almost $600 for just the 1L base nutes and 500ml bottles of everything else. This will be a small grow of no more than 3 plants, but I want to squeeze every bit of bulk and flavor I can into these plants.

 

[AutoWonders]

I personally wouldn't buy all those nutes. Just too many to mess with. Seems like over-kill. I have 3 nute lines and one is Advanced Nutrients Sensi coco A&B. I use Rhizotonic with seedlings, then Bud Ignitor and Big Bud. It's about the same amount when I use Canna coco A&B, Rhizotonic and Boost. Throw in Calmag and Buried Treasure Seabird Guano. I really like that guano.

 

[Death The Cultivator]

I've decided to take advantage of my 0% introductory interest rate on my new credit card and buy new lights and nutrients.

I am going to go with Advanced Connoisseur Bloom and Grow.

They have a Nutrient Calculator thing on their website, but I'm a little confused.
They have different "grower levels", Hobbyist, Expert, Professional, and Grand Master. Each level lists certain supplements, with the highest level including about 15 different supplements.

My question is, would it be overkill to buy all the supplements or would using everything make a significant improvement over just the nutes and cal-mag?
I do want to use only Advanced, and I don't mind springing for it at this point.

I'm looking at almost $600 for just the 1L base nutes and 500ml bottles of everything else. This will be a small grow of no more than 3 plants, but I want to squeeze every bit of bulk and flavor I can into these plants.

Have you considered Mega Crop by Greenleaf Nutrients? That is an all in one nutrient that goes for $30 for 2lbs. They also have a few additives but they aren't going to break your bank like Advanced Nutrients. I've been using Mega Crop for awhile with great results.

Also have you considered beneficials like Real Growers Recharge?

You're only growing three plants no reason to give your newfound credit to AN. You could go with Mega Crop+CalMag and use that extra money to buy some quantum boards or DIY or something else good. For that money you could buy a heater, fans, humidifier, dehumidifier, and controllers to dial in your environment and that would have a higher impact than throwing Advanced Nutrients entire line at three plants.

Sorry if it sounds like I'm telling you how to grow but I sunk several hundred in General Hydroponics only to find Jack's Hydro and Mega Crop did much more for much less

Good luck

 

[Mañ'O'Green]

I've decided to take advantage of my 0% introductory interest rate on my new credit card and buy new lights and nutrients.

I am going to go with Advanced Connoisseur Bloom and Grow.

They have a Nutrient Calculator thing on their website, but I'm a little confused.
They have different "grower levels", Hobbyist, Expert, Professional, and Grand Master. Each level lists certain supplements, with the highest level including about 15 different supplements.

My question is, would it be overkill to buy all the supplements or would using everything make a significant improvement over just the nutes and cal-mag?
I do want to use only Advanced, and I don't mind springing for it at this point.

I'm looking at almost $600 for just the 1L base nutes and 500ml bottles of everything else. This will be a small grow of no more than 3 plants, but I want to squeeze every bit of bulk and flavor I can into these plants.

I am the cheapest grower on AFN. My mother used to call me a cheapskate. I like to think of it as being frugal. I have learned the hard way that buying cheap tools really costs more in the long run and just the opposite with nutrients. The expensive ones (I always use an entire line until recently) did not grow better plants than the inexpensive ones. I am using GreenLeaf nutrients now and since learning a lot more about nutrients I am making minor supplementation with NPK Industries RAW products. I took Harley Smiths Master Grower Course. It is a bit expensive but there is a wealth of knowledge to be gained from him. Mega Crop 2.01 will grow great plants all by itself for Tenths of pennies compared to AN. Minor suplamentation makes it as solid as any nutrient system I have used to date. Another thing with AN is you should be running RO water, just another wasted expense unless your water is already bad enough to need RO.

 

[420master]

I am looking for all the input I can get. I am still researching to see what the costs are from different suppliers, but I do want to stick with one line. I know advanced is expensive, but it seems like they have done a lot of r&d to develop their stuff. I am mainly leaning towards them for the ph stability. I am not growing at home and I don't want to have to check on things every day.
The guy's house I am growing at is older and he doesn't see very well and I want to be able to just mix up a stable res bucket and let him top things off as needed. Another thing is their yield claims.
I am also a little on the impatient side I guess... For the last week straight, every day and night I have done nothing with my time except read about growing. I finally decided on the lights, and now I need to decide on nutes.
I still have enough GH floraduo to do a run, but I dont know...

I am the cheapest grower on AFN. My mother used to call me a cheapskate. I like to think of it as being frugal. I have learned the hard way that buying cheap tools really costs more in the long run and just the opposite with nutrients. The expensive ones (I always use an entire line until recently) did not grow better plants than the inexpensive ones. I am using GreenLeaf nutrients now and since learning a lot more about nutrients I am making minor supplementation with NPK Industries RAW products. I took Harley Smiths Master Grower Course. It is a bit expensive but there is a wealth of knowledge to be gained from him. Mega Crop 2.01 will grow great plants all by itself for Tenths of pennies compared to AN. Minor suplamentation makes it as solid as any nutrient system I have used to date. Another thing with AN is you should be running RO water, just another wasted expense unless your water is already bad enough to need RO.

RO even with good old country well water? We have very good water quality here.

My biggest issue is going to be Ph. I know from past experience that with the GH stuff I have, I will probably end up using as much ph down as do the nutes. The GH works fine, its just a pain in the ass and takes a while to get the ph dosing dialed. After a while, I can get to where I just know I'm going to have to add certain amounts at certain times, but I guess I was just expecting to throw money at it upfront and hope to do this as close to maintenance-free as I can.

I know, now "saying that out loud" that's probably a pretty high bar, as there is no such thing as maintenance-free with hydro, but I just wanted to try to eliminate some of the variables.... By adding a shit ton more variable in the form of nutrients I guess...

I might just use what I have. I know I still need to do more reading before I can really make an informed decision, rather than hasty purchase rooted in what basically amounts to wanting to find a magic shortcut.

There is no substitute for experience.

Thanks Man! I'll look into Harley Smith. Maybe that AN nute money would be better spent on that.

 

[Mañ'O'Green]

I am looking for all the input I can get. I am still researching to see what the costs are from different suppliers, but I do want to stick with one line. I know advanced is expensive, but it seems like they have done a lot of r&d to develop their stuff. I am mainly leaning towards them for the ph stability. I am not growing at home and I don't want to have to check on things every day.
The guy's house I am growing at is older and he doesn't see very well and I want to be able to just mix up a stable res bucket and let him top things off as needed. Another thing is their yield claims.
I am also a little on the impatient side I guess... For the last week straight, every day and night I have done nothing with my time except read about growing. I finally decided on the lights, and now I need to decide on nutes.
I still have enough GH floraduo to do a run, but I dont know...


RO even with good old country well water? We have very good water quality here.

My biggest issue is going to be Ph. I know from past experience that with the GH stuff I have, I will probably end up using as much ph down as do the nutes. The GH works fine, its just a pain in the ass and takes a while to get the ph dosing dialed. After a while, I can get to where I just know I'm going to have to add certain amounts at certain times, but I guess I was just expecting to throw money at it upfront and hope to do this as close to maintenance-free as I can.

I know, now "saying that out loud" that's probably a pretty high bar, as there is no such thing as maintenance-free with hydro, but I just wanted to try to eliminate some of the variables.... By adding a shit ton more variable in the form of nutrients I guess...

I might just use what I have. I know I still need to do more reading before I can really make an informed decision, rather than hasty purchase rooted in what basically amounts to wanting to find a magic shortcut.

There is no substitute for experience.

Thanks Man! I'll look into Harley Smith. Maybe that AN nute money would be better spent on that.

Yes IMPO taking the course would be a better choice. AN claims to be PH balanced until it is not. I have seen it wonky here more than once. AN reccomends 10 to 50 PPMs for starting water. I doubt your well water is that low. Hydroponic growing is a daily event to stay on top of it but if you set-up a top off tank of 5 or more gallons with an airstone and air pump you can get your nutrients fairly PH stable. The trick is to aerate the water for a day before you add the nutrients. The aeration will precipitate some of the calcium carbonate (lowering PH) and this helps to stabilize the PH after you add your nutrients. It will still drift down but not as fast. Be sure not to use any metal in your system (other than Stainless Steel) the nutrient rich water will leach metals and become toxic to your plants - learned that one the hard way.

 

[Animatey]

This is just my opinion but: AN are pretty much your average nutes spread into as many bottles as possible with maximum marketing and claims.

The pH perfect thing is sketchy at best... They say it works guaranteed for 7 days. I watched my rez go from 5.8 to 7.5 pH in 2 days with once a day flooding. The only thing it does is mix at a proper pH.

It's ok for drain to waste, I have even personally seen OK results there with just sensi base nutes, but I recommend pretty much anything else for a ricirculating system. Even in a dtw system, there are cheaper nutes that work just as well and they don't require 907 bottles.

Environment is a larger factor than nutrients to plant health, so if that could use some work still you're better off investing there (temps/humidity/etc).

If you can keep VPD in range with GH nutes, that would grow better plants than AN nutes without optimal environment.

The class and nutrients that MOG is suggesting is likely worth it as he grows killer plants consistently.

Good luck whatever you decide bro!

 

[Death The Cultivator]

I am looking for all the input I can get. I am still researching to see what the costs are from different suppliers, but I do want to stick with one line. I know advanced is expensive, but it seems like they have done a lot of r&d to develop their stuff. I am mainly leaning towards them for the ph stability. I am not growing at home and I don't want to have to check on things every day.
The guy's house I am growing at is older and he doesn't see very well and I want to be able to just mix up a stable res bucket and let him top things off as needed. Another thing is their yield claims.
I am also a little on the impatient side I guess... For the last week straight, every day and night I have done nothing with my time except read about growing. I finally decided on the lights, and now I need to decide on nutes.
I still have enough GH floraduo to do a run, but I dont know...


RO even with good old country well water? We have very good water quality here.

My biggest issue is going to be Ph. I know from past experience that with the GH stuff I have, I will probably end up using as much ph down as do the nutes. The GH works fine, its just a pain in the ass and takes a while to get the ph dosing dialed. After a while, I can get to where I just know I'm going to have to add certain amounts at certain times, but I guess I was just expecting to throw money at it upfront and hope to do this as close to maintenance-free as I can.

I know, now "saying that out loud" that's probably a pretty high bar, as there is no such thing as maintenance-free with hydro, but I just wanted to try to eliminate some of the variables.... By adding a shit ton more variable in the form of nutrients I guess...

I might just use what I have. I know I still need to do more reading before I can really make an informed decision, rather than hasty purchase rooted in what basically amounts to wanting to find a magic shortcut.

There is no substitute for experience.

Thanks Man! I'll look into Harley Smith. Maybe that AN nute money would be better spent on that.

If you're wanting stability with your pH then Mega Crop is the way to go. I run a living reservoir with an air pump to keep it from going anaerobic when the temp rises. I don't clean or do water changes, I just add more when it gets below half. Mega Crop keeps my pH around 5.5-5.8 where I need it with only 3tbsp of pH down for a 55 gallon reservoir with air stones.

I second @Mañ'O'Green on being cheap and nothing beats MC for hydro. I believe Mega Crop is the magic shortcut you're looking for. Good luck

 

[Arthur]

I run a similar line (16 products) 4 levels of growing.

My recommendation would be start with the basic. As few addons possible. If you've never grown, or never run their line, multiple additions, while they may improve the end product, really require an eye for what's needed. Like drag racing, you can race a station wagon, or an alchohol rail... both get to the end, one requires a finer, more experienced hand.

Take the station wagon out for a couple rounds, get comfortable, then start building your monster.

 

[Smoking Frog]

@Arthur
Wise words...