Dialing In MEGA CROP for Auto's

[Bob's Auto's]

Umm maybe I didn't make that clear....

I weigh it out....but since I use the same scoop everytime I pretty much know what a level scoop weighs. I don't worry about balls vs powder I simply shake the bag up and scoop out the number of scoops I need, weigh it, adjust, dump it in the bucket of water.

I also don't try to mix 1 gal...I do min 5 gal. This requires 15 grams for the PPM I want. Its easier to get an even mix of balls/powder when using a larger scoop.

The balls are actually Calcium Nitrate. If you would be able to filter/sift them out you could make it even easier. I'll try to explain...
It's easier to make a stock solution which is lets say 200x concentrated. ie, 1L of stock would make 200L of usable solution and use a syringe to measure which is accurate ánd you know that the recipe is always correct, something a dry mix can't provide unless you mix an entire bag. But and there is a BIG BUT. That won't work in the state it is delivered (at least for the 1-part MC).
In it's dry form the Calcium Nitrate and Magnesium Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Copper Sulfate & Potassium Phosphate don't react, but when you put them in a highly concentrated stock solution the Sulfates and Phosphates will react with the Calcium Nitrate and form Calcium Sulfate also known as Chalk. This in turn will precipitate out of the solution and be useless for the plants.
If you could sift/filter out the balls then you could make two separate stock solutions from them. Let's keep the 200x concentration as an example.

• Metric - Well then you need 5ml of both stock solutions per liter of water (actually 990ml)
• Imperial - Well then you need 0.639fl oz of both stock solutions per Gallon of water (how much it actually is in this system you can calculate )

In the 2-part MC they separated the Calcium Nitrate from the rest so it would be much easier to create the above.


Regards,

B

 

[MassMom]

The balls are actually Calcium Nitrate. If you would be able to filter/sift them out you could make it even easier. I'll try to explain...
It's easier to make a stock solution which is lets say 200x concentrated. ie, 1L of stock would make 200L of usable solution and use a syringe to measure which is accurate ánd you know that the recipe is always correct, something a dry mix can't provide unless you mix an entire bag. But and there is a BIG BUT. That won't work in the state it is delivered (at least for the 1-part MC).
In it's dry form the Calcium Nitrate and Magnesium Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Copper Sulfate & Potassium Phosphate don't react, but when you put them in a highly concentrated stock solution the Sulfates and Phosphates will react with the Calcium Nitrate and form Calcium Sulfate also known as Chalk. This in turn will precipitate out of the solution and be useless for the plants.
If you could sift/filter out the balls then you could make two separate stock solutions from them. Let's keep the 200x concentration as an example.

• Metric - Well then you need 5ml of both stock solutions per liter of water (actually 990ml)
• Imperial - Well then you need 0.639fl oz of both stock solutions per Gallon of water (how much it actually is in this system you can calculate )

In the 2-part MC they separated the Calcium Nitrate from the rest so it would be much easier to create the above.


Regards,

B

I noticed a lot of liquid nute companies do a part a and part b. they keep the calcium separate until you mix them together with water. I think i get it! Making a concentrated solution of MC would render the calcium useless.
So, grinding down MC in coffee grinder is ok because it is still in dry form, correct???

 

[Bob's Auto's]

I noticed a lot of liquid nute companies do a part a and part b. they keep the calcium separate until you mix them together with water. I think i get it! Making a concentrated solution of MC would render the calcium useless.
So, grinding down MC in coffee grinder is ok because it is still in dry form, correct???

As long as it's a slow turning or crushing grinder yes, but don't put it in a NutriBullet type of grinder as those blades do spin around fast and generate heat. Potassium Nitrate combined with other chemicals can ignite if left in contact with heat... It's probably safe in this combination, but I wouldn't wanna be responsible for something happening on the other side of the world because of something I said on a forum if you catch my drift

 

[Old Sage Seeds]

The balls are actually Calcium Nitrate. If you would be able to filter/sift them out you could make it even easier. I'll try to explain...
It's easier to make a stock solution which is lets say 200x concentrated. ie, 1L of stock would make 200L of usable solution and use a syringe to measure which is accurate ánd you know that the recipe is always correct, something a dry mix can't provide unless you mix an entire bag. But and there is a BIG BUT. That won't work in the state it is delivered (at least for the 1-part MC).
In it's dry form the Calcium Nitrate and Magnesium Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Copper Sulfate & Potassium Phosphate don't react, but when you put them in a highly concentrated stock solution the Sulfates and Phosphates will react with the Calcium Nitrate and form Calcium Sulfate also known as Chalk. This in turn will precipitate out of the solution and be useless for the plants.
If you could sift/filter out the balls then you could make two separate stock solutions from them. Let's keep the 200x concentration as an example.

• Metric - Well then you need 5ml of both stock solutions per liter of water (actually 990ml)
• Imperial - Well then you need 0.639fl oz of both stock solutions per Gallon of water (how much it actually is in this system you can calculate )

In the 2-part MC they separated the Calcium Nitrate from the rest so it would be much easier to create the above.


Regards,

B

If I were to separate the balls from the powder, but keep them dry, would I just add equal parts by weight of each (balls and powder)? For example, if I would normally be making a 3g per gal mix, would I put 1.5g of each?
Seems like it would not matter as my scoops now are a random combo of balls and powder.

 

[Bob's Auto's]

If I were to separate the balls from the powder, but keep them dry, would I just add equal parts by weight of each (balls and powder)? For example, if I would normally be making a 3g per gal mix, would I put 1.5g of each?
Seems like it would not matter as my scoops now are a random combo of balls and powder.

Nope, that's not how it works sadly to say. The Calcium Nitrate is a part of the total mix.
Assuming we add 5gr of 1-part MC to 10L of water we get this as a result, according to the Elemental PPM Calculator on the MC website.

Element	PPM calculation
Total Nitrogen (N)	48.5000
Nitrate Nitrogen (NO3-)	45.0000
Ammonical Nitrogen (NH4+)	3.5000
Phosphorous (P)	17.0000
Potassium (K)	63.0000
Magnesium (Mg)	15.0000
Calcium (Ca)	40.0000
Sulfur (S)	20.0000
Iron (Fe)	0.7500
Zinc (Zn)	0.3000
Boron (B)	0.1300
Manganese (Mn)	0.1400
Copper (Cu)	0.0400
Molybdenum (Mo)	0.0650
Silicon (Si)	0.3700
Total PPM	205.2950

So you would need to calculate how much you'd need from the "balls" in the mix and the rest of the mix.

If I were to separate the balls from the powder, but keep them dry

This is the kicker... Most if not all of the ingredients in the mix are hydrophilic, which means it will suck up moisture in the air. By the time you've separated the "balls" from the rest you've introduced so much water the (different amounts for every substance in the mix) the weight can be off by more then 5% which will result in a different recipe. And following the recipe is paramount. You can dilute a mixed solution, but never change the ratio in which each substance is added. I know it's complicated, but as stated before I'm always willing to help a out if something is unclear.

If you're willing to make an investment (don't know the prices exactly for US/Canada, but they can't be much more then in Europe) of about 200$ I promise you, you won't ever need to buy any bottled nutrients anymore. I can explain you how to calculate the right mix with HydroBuddy, how to even incorporate your tapwater parameters into the mix creating a custom recipe which will have less then 1.3% deviation from the original on one or two ingredients.
Once you've done the calculation you get a nice printout with all the weights of each substance for your stock solution. The only thing you'll then need to figure out is which PPM level you want, but that is easily done with a ppm-meter... Oh man, I can keep going on for ever about this subject.

 

[TexasGrows]

If I remember right one version of the one part came.all ground up. I forget why MegaCrop quit doing that.

 

[CannabisMingus]

If I remember right one version of the one part came.all ground up. I forget why MegaCrop quit doing that.

Think that was v2.

 

[F.N.]

Wow I just read some good storage solutions and how to use in concentrate form too. Iam glad I dropped in today.

 

[throxic]

If I remember right one version of the one part came.all ground up. I forget why MegaCrop quit doing that.

Pretty sure I heard they quit grinding it up because it started clumping in the bag.

 

[BII]

The balls are actually Calcium Nitrate. If you would be able to filter/sift them out you could make it even easier. I'll try to explain...
It's easier to make a stock solution which is lets say 200x concentrated. ie, 1L of stock would make 200L of usable solution and use a syringe to measure which is accurate ánd you know that the recipe is always correct, something a dry mix can't provide unless you mix an entire bag. But and there is a BIG BUT. That won't work in the state it is delivered (at least for the 1-part MC).
In it's dry form the Calcium Nitrate and Magnesium Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Copper Sulfate & Potassium Phosphate don't react, but when you put them in a highly concentrated stock solution the Sulfates and Phosphates will react with the Calcium Nitrate and form Calcium Sulfate also known as Chalk. This in turn will precipitate out of the solution and be useless for the plants.
If you could sift/filter out the balls then you could make two separate stock solutions from them. Let's keep the 200x concentration as an example.

• Metric - Well then you need 5ml of both stock solutions per liter of water (actually 990ml)
• Imperial - Well then you need 0.639fl oz of both stock solutions per Gallon of water (how much it actually is in this system you can calculate )

In the 2-part MC they separated the Calcium Nitrate from the rest so it would be much easier to create the above.


Regards,

B

Or rather than it being "easier to make a stock solution which is lets say 200x concentrated...and use a syringe to measure," MC might ideally be manufactured in pre-weighed water-soluble solid forms. Perhaps have 1, 10 and 100 gram chalk-like rods with finer graduations (in grams) etched in so they can be easily broken or cut at an exact point (weight of MC). From there, just throw the sticks in the water.