Quote Originally Posted by rhizome
Well, let's not forget about the interaction w/ genetics-

F'rinstance, the Advanced stuff really does best w/ BC commercial genetics- they grew up together. Right genetics, right environment- ya really ca see 2 per K.

Running something a little subtler- ya gotta watch out or you'll fry em, same environment.

Any of the name brand nute regimens will get ya there- I like Canna, AN, GH Flora, Pure Blend. Not a huge FoxFarm fan, but that's mostly cause the Grow Big doesn't shelf very well, and it gets really expensive cost-per-use as yer using so much.

If ya google about, you can find A/B comparison runs between major products- have a look. One thing that you'll notice is that the results vary wildly- some folks get great results with one thing, others with other things. All a matter of what works for you in your room w/ your plants.

I'm a chem salt guy myself, but that's mostly because I hate the way that bottles of semi-organics and organics get sticky after a while. The chemmy shit just gets crunchy up around the neck.

My point wasn't to endorse any particular nute system- loads of good products out there. My point was to discourage new growers from getting focused on nute brand names, when a more holistic look at their whole process will be more beneficial.

Lots of times it's easiest to just pick a system and learn how to use it, in your space with your plants. When you were learning to drive, were you thinking about what brand of brake pad was on the car? Nah, ya just drove on what was there. Any racer will tell you that there are big differances between brake pads, and that they can make or break a race- and they'll be glad to tell you what you should be using. Problem is, they'll each tell you something differant, and be really partisan about it. Ya can go by recs to make sure you get something that won't just explode when it touches a rotor, but in terms of braking feel- ya gotta run them. And you're developing your preferances as you learn how to use those particular pads, or to swing that particular hammer, or grow plants with these particular nutes.

Ya wanna start an argument? Walk up to three carpenters and ask what the best hammer is. Hammer's a simple thing when you pound twenty nails a week, much more important when it's 2000.
Lotta guys use one hammer for siding/framing, another for finish. Then you have the old guys who only carry one hammer, but they've been singing that same hammer for so long that they can be snapping a nail and nudging a stud over one minute, then laying finish brads the next without changing tools. Let's not even talk about nailers.

So go to a reputable shop, find out what they like ( cause what they like interacts well with the local water supply- that's why they like it), and just pick one. If you're an organic type of person, get whatever organic system is the freshest stock, and buy little bottles- ya don't save the twenty bucks getting gallons if they go sour on ya.

Now learn how to use it. You'll probabley try a hundred things before you settle in, but for the first couple runs, just learn how to use it.


I guess my point was that the brand name on the bottle doesn't matter until you know enough for the brand name on the bottle to matter, if that makes any sense.

Don't buy the expensive stuff unless you know why you're buying the expensive stuff- it's a tool you don't know how to use, otherwise known as a good way to hurt yourself.

I haven't typed a name in this thread that I wouldn't use- but I'm pretty sure that if I looked at how I'm using them, I'm way off label instructions. So I'm not gonna make recs, other the the obvious one upthread ( but that's really a management issue- shit is incredibley simple to use).

My $.02 US ( worth less now than last time...)
great info!

so ummm whats the cheapest brand that is still good? might as well start with the cheapest to see if it works for me