How to DIY your own hydroponic nutrients from only raw salts
How to DIY your own hydroponic nutrients from only raw salts
In this video, I show you how to prepare hydroponic nutrients from all raw salts, without having to use any premixed micronutrient blend. The micronutrients are supplied using low-cost metal sulfates and the metals are then chelated in-situ using disodium EDTA. The solutions are prepared in a 1:100 concentration (1 gal prepares 100 gallons of final solution).
These ingredients, especially those of the B solution when bought in industrial-grade purities, are not adequate for the preparation of more highly concentrated solutions. To prepare solutions above 1:100, higher grade purity inputs, or different inputs altogether, are required.
The formulations for 250mL of final solution are given below:
Solution A (250mL final volume)
– Calcium Nitrate (agricultural grade) – 27.368g
– Potassium Nitrate – 0.425g
– Red food dye
Solution B (250mL final volume)
– Magnesium Sulfate (heptahydrate) – 12.677g
– Monopotassium phosphate – 4.394g
– Disodium EDTA – 1.8g
– Sodium Benzoate – 0.050g
– Potassium Sulfate – 9.912gg
– Iron Sulfate (anhydrous) – 0.163g
– Manganese Sulfate (anhydrous) – 0.069g
– Zinc Sulfate (monohydrate) – 0.034g
– Boric Acid – 0.072g
– Copper Sulfate (pentahydrate) – 0.005g
– Sodium Molybdate (dihydrate) – 0.003
– Green food dye
Please bear in mind that the exact salts above should be used. Adjustments need to be made when the degree of hydration of the salts does not match the example. For example, if you do not find anhydrous iron sulfate but, iron sulfate heptahydrate, you will need to adjust the amount accordingly. If you need help with any such adjustments, please leave a comment below.
These are the target concentrations for the different elements (in ppm):
N (NO3-) – 160
N (NH4+) – 12
P – 40
K – 235
Mg – 50
Ca – 208
S – 141
Fe – 2.4
Mn – 1.0
Zn – 0.5
B – 0.5
Cu – 0.05
Mo – 0.05
Here are some of the glassware and scales used in the process:
(Please notice that the Amazon links below are affiliate referral links. This means that if you click on them I may receive a commission from purchases. There is no additional cost to you, but it helps me to keep posting content for free.)
Class A Volumetric Flask (250mL)
https://amzn.to/3jME8WI
Beaker set
https://amzn.to/3lwdGkw
Recommended scale (+/-0.01, 500g max)
https://amzn.to/2GVBrTW
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@10:40 if you face such situation, there is always possibility, at least for soluble substances – you can weigh more mass, say 500mg, dissolve it in volumetric flask, fill up to mark, and then get 1:100 of full flask volume by pipette. You got these 5 miligrams of substance precisely.
I have problems with 3 inputs. These are Iron Sulfate monohydrate, Zinc Sulfate heptahydrate and Manganese Sulfate 98% Feed Grade. These are not the same as what you used. Can you help me by giving me the correct weight for these inputs?
I really like your channel and watching it almost daily. I am also a subscriber and signed up with your newsletter.
Thank you
What would be the N-P-K numbers for this solution? Great channel, thank you
Hello Dr. Danniel,
Thanks verry much for sharing this information with the world. I was searching for the chemicals to compose the solution and encountered I problem. I can’t
Find the anhydrous iron sulfate but the iron sulfate heptahydrate is available. The same problem with Manganese Sulfate (anhydrous), the monohydrate is available. The Zinc Sulfate (monohydrate) seems not to exist according to Wikipedia?
Witch replacement to use for those chemicals and how to adjust the amount in the formula. Please keep in mind that I m not a Chemist. Thanks verry much for you reply. 👍
Benzoate causes cancer! Dye’s and food coloring can cause cancer! Why would you use these in something you will be eating?
Can I use manganese sulfate (monohydrate)
To dissolve disodium EDTA the water needs to be ph to 8 first. But Tetrasodium EDTA will dissolve in water because it has a high ph naturally.
Thank you, so how do you dilute the solution to the plants?? Or you can give it directly to plants ?? Thanks
Finally, the video I’ve been looking for. So many videos claiming DIY nutrients only to be disappointed. Thank you 🙏🏼👍🏻✌🏼
Hi Daniel, it is great that you are sharing very informative videos on nutrient solutions and help people who don’t have access to Hydroponics Solutions. Just wanted to check if I have to prepare 1000ml instead of 250ml, Can I multiple the weights of individual salts by 4 times? Would it yield the same concentration as yours. Thank you.
can i use calcium ammunium nitrate alternat of calcium nitrate.
Quick question, so I am trying to replicate a well known brand fertilzier that has micro, grow, and bloom. Using salts, that means I would have to prepare 6 bottles from A and B solutions for all three? How are these companies able to combine A and B without worrying about compatibility and precipitation? Thanks
Measurements please
Is it possible to find your formula or recipe in a format that I can copy and paste?
Id love to have a printed sheet that I could more easily follow. I cant seem to copy the recipe that you provided in the video description.
Isn’t the amount of sulfate in the solutions going to supply a hefty amount of sulphur to the plants?
I got that u chose sulfates because of them being somewhat readily available and cost effective, but i’d love to hear if there is a decent alternative to the Potassium Sulfate in the mix 🙂
Also you make by far the most informative and in-depth content about this on youtube, thanks for this
What if I put iron chellate A mix❓
What is the ratio between various salt
If you have hard water would you need to test the water beforehand to see how much calcium and magnesium is already there, or is that not necessary? Thanks for the videos 🙂
excellent info keep it going
Hi Daniel, thank you as always for the great videos and knowledge sharing for the hydroponics community. I was wondering about the amount of disodium edta to be added to the heavy metal solution at higher concentration. Say at a 1:200 concentration factor (with higher grade starting material) at 250mL, do I just multiply it from 1.8g to 3.6? Thanks again and cheers from Thailand.🇹🇭
Hello Daniel,I am a european fellow of yours,what values do you suggest in my formulation including average 50ppm of calcium and 27 of Magnesium and a Total alkalinity of 240ppm Carbonates of my tap water,considering It Is for Coco coir Hydroponic cultivars?
I have problems with Coco coir specific formulation fertilizers and calcium uptake/lockout
please make a A and B Grow and a A and B Bloom 🙏
Another great video! Thank you! Is there a general rule on using Sodium Benzoate? Like a formula how much do I need on a specific quantity of stock nutrient solution?
insta sub
You’re amazing and generous. Bless you a lot. Thank you
Hey, thanks for the awesome content and for answering my last comment too. Ive been having tons of fun mixing my own solutions lately. Ive also noticed that when i add peroxide to keep my system cleaner (rather than something like hydroguard) my solution turns cloudy over the span of a few hours. Im assuming that it’s reacting with something and causing precipate? Should i be worried? Thanks and please keep making great videos.
Hello Daniel, great series, I really enjoy it. One question, if I substitute boric acid with liquid boric acid (purity >99.5%) … how many ml should I add instead of the 0.072g. cheers, Leonardo
Can I use zinc sulfate .7H2O?
Can iron sulfate anhydrous be swapped out with Ferrous Sulfate Heptahydrate?
How many gallons of nutrient solution can you make with this concentrate?
this can be used for foliar?
Been following your website and read all articles, very nice the youtube channel getting some love now 🙂
Keep up the good work!
Cheers from Poland
Can you recommend a substitute for the boric acid? I cant legally source it where I live :/
Hi What to do if iron sulphate(anhydrous) and magnesium sulphate(anhydrous) is not available?
You say that these are EASY to purchase but I haven’t got a clue where to buy this kind of stuff……..
Do you have any recommendations for getting the salts to dissolve? I am trying to add potassium sulfate to my nutrients but I’m struggling to get it completely dissolved.
I love the formulas but also how you used sodium benzoate in a probable vitamin C environment . Plants can get rid of benzene but better not having that possibility
How to judge the quantity of sodium benzoate that is to be added?
Very nice video, but I’ve watched in another video to that EDTA is not very good
Are the Nutrients same during different stages of plant? For which stage of plant we can provide this nutient
I downloaded your calculator but in substance selection there is no manganese sulphate to select from list. Previously it was there but now many salts are missing from the selection list. Could you please let us know why. I don’t have manganese edta. Could you please help how I can use Manganese sulphate
Really nice!
Do you prefer using a spray bottle instead of a washing bottle, or is it because you don’t have such bottle? (I personally find washing bottles much easier to work with)
Also, a few months ago I uploaded my method of formulating the exact nutrient compositions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4bgmQScF18&list=PLl8JPzZixQAaRoYYuo8Yc-t8v3yOetA65
Maybe you’ll find that interesting! 🙂
Hi Dr Dan! Could this possibly be used as a veg solution for medicinal plants?
Most of this seems no different than building furniture from Ikea or assembling a computer from components. It’s just a process. What struck me was the order of the additions. You mentioned adding one of them early in the preparation to eliminate the heavy metals precipitating out of solution later on. Like how do you know that? Is that just knowledge gained through a Chemistry education? Is there some kind of order of operations chapter in an organic chemistry textbook that informs you of what will cause things to fall out of solution?
When I first started hydroponics I would use a full strength ph down into my reservoir and a cloud would form. I learned it was precipitates falling out but I never understood how people know exactly what was happening.
truly economic salts if you knownwhere to look at
I did not get the reason why the top of solution you throw away from the flask right before you put it in the final jar, thank you.
Hello. How to count Disodium EDTA? Thank you.
meticulous every time…wonderful…mygreathanks and blessings
Can you please list the recipe for the best nutrition for leafy greens?
I love these series 🙂 So much to learn from them.
I would like to someday create a subtitle in my language and send it to you so people can come here and learn. It’s really hard to get quality contents like this where I live.
I actually have quite a few questions, if you have the time, please 🙂
1. Is there a reason why you added salts of larger amounts first, unlike the first vid?
2. For those of us who use a different chelated micronutrients premix, which micronutrient should we base our amount on? So, say if the micronutrient I bought has more Zinc or Boron than the one usually used in hydroponics, should we just go with a lower amount of Cu, Mn, Mo, or even Fe, so that we don’t get too much Zn or B in our solution?
3. In Hydrobuddy, iron is in the default set as to be mixed in solution A. Is this something you decided to change or should I still follow what it tells me?
4. I usually create a 1L batch of 1:250 solution by dissolving the hard to dissolve salts in 3 batches of 250ml volumetric flask and then mixing in the rest in the last 250ml. Wouldn’t doing this save time by not having to make concentrates too often, and also having the benefit of not needing to use sodium benzoate by being more concentrated? or is there a problem in this practice?
Also, not a question but a small bug report: the accuracy of the scale does not save correctly in Hydrobuddy.
Thank you again for your wonderful content. 10/10!