Mixing Your Own Nutrient Solution
The first part of your hydroponics journey is learning how to make your own nutrient solution. You can buy pre-made solutions, but they can be expensive. By purchasing the chemicals and mixing them yourself, you can save a lot of money. As you scale up your growing operation, these savings really add up. I recommend investing in a scale that can weigh by the gram. I’ve included Amazon affiliate links to the scale and the chemicals used in this guide. If you purchase through these links, it helps me create more guides like this one.
For accurately measuring your chemicals, I recommend using a portable precision scale. Here's the one I personally use: Diyife Portable Precision Scale – A great tool for precision in nutrient mixing.
When using liquid kelp extract, it's important to measure precisely. A 5 mL syringe works perfectly for this task and helps avoid overfeeding your plants. I recommend using these individually wrapped syringes: 5 mL Syringes (No Needle) – Simple and accurate for measuring small nutrient doses.
Two-Bucket Approach for Nutrients
I advise new growers to have two 6-gallon buckets with nutrient solution: one for young plants (low-end) and one for adult plants (high-end). While 6 US gallons is equal to 22.7 liters, these amounts can be used for 25-liter buckets without issue. For people on the correct system of measurements. Get 6-Gallon Buckets on Amazon
🌱 Young Plants – Low-End Solution (6 Gallons)
- Calcium Nitrate: 40g – Provides calcium and nitrate nitrogen
- Potassium Nitrate: 20g – Provides potassium and nitrate nitrogen
- Monopotassium Phosphate (MKP): 10g – Supplies phosphorus and potassium
- Magnesium Sulfate (Epsom Salts): 20g – Supplies magnesium and sulfur
- Kelp Extract: 1g powdered or 5mL liquid – Micronutrients and growth hormones
🌿 Adult Plants – High-End Solution (6 Gallons)
- Calcium Nitrate: 50g
- Potassium Nitrate: 25g
- Monopotassium Phosphate (MKP): 15g
- Magnesium Sulfate (Epsom Salts): 25g
- Kelp Extract: 2g powdered or 10mL liquid
Important Notes
- Always dissolve each salt separately in a bit of water first, then combine them into the main solution to avoid precipitation (especially calcium + phosphate).
- pH should be adjusted to 5.5–6.5 for optimal nutrient uptake.
- EC (electrical conductivity) should land around 1.5–2.5 mS/cm depending on plant species and growth stage.