Mixing Magnesium Salts and Calcium Nitrate

[MateoinLosAngeles]

Originally Posted by Ray

I must also ask why you think you need to supplement the Ca and Mg?

I was actually experimenting mixing 1 part MSU RO & 1 part Calcium Nitrate with 0.5 parts Epsom Salts to make a knock off K-Lite! I use distilled water

[Ray]

Originally Posted by MateoinLosAngeles

I was actually experimenting mixing 1 part MSU RO & 1 part Calcium Nitrate with 0.5 parts Epsom Salts to make a knock off K-Lite! I use distilled water

How big is a "part", and in how much water?

[sunfire]

I just want to say I also tried to make a K-lyte knock off and wound up with sludge. I use RO water because my tap water is NaCl softened and tried to make a concentrate of the fertilizer because I only need a few liters at a time.

I think you can mix mag nitrate and calcium nitrate without precipitating out, but mag sulphate is in the calculator. My collection is small so I wound up just buying a small bag of the MSU rainwater and I'm happy with that.

Originally Posted by MateoinLosAngeles

I was actually experimenting mixing 1 part MSU RO & 1 part Calcium Nitrate with 0.5 parts Epsom Salts to make a knock off K-Lite! I use distilled water

[MateoinLosAngeles]

Originally Posted by sunfire

MSU rainwater and I'm happy with that.

I also use MSU but curious to transition to K-Lite, especially because I grow other epiphytes that I think would really enjoy it. I did buy a 2lb bottle to take advantage of a sale FR was running. Kelley's Korner sells it at a good price too but Ray includes shipping so pick your poison.

I did have success mixing one teaspoon of Epsom Salts and one teaspoon of Calcium Nitrate per gallon for a LECA prep. But it did not contain fertilizer. What I did was pouring a gallon of distilled water into a bucket, then taking a 32oz deli container's worth of water. Heated that in a kettle, and then mixed one teaspoon of Epsom Salts in 16oz of boiling water (half deli container) and then one teaspoon of Calcium Nitrate in a different container with the remaining 16oz of distilled water. I then added the Epsom Salt solution into the bucket first, then the Calcium Nitrate. Finally I added the LECA. I did not notice any precipitation occurring.

[elljorgo]

Hello All.

Not sure if this was mentioned but here it goes.

Epsom salts a.k.a. Magnesium sulfate, (MgSO4) will "react" with Calcium Nitrate if concentration allows it.
What happens is that Calcium and sulfate really dislike hanging with each other in water. So they bind up and coprecipitate as CaSO4 (Calcium sulphate)

If you use precursors such as MgCl2 or Mg(NO3)2, magnesium chloride or nitrate, no whatsoever formation of solids will occur as the CaCl2 or Ca(NO3)2 ( the nitrates and chlorides of calcium) are all soluble. So everyone stays happilly in solution.

If they form, then you were ripped off. As they won't have been the MgCl2 or Mg(NO3)2

Mind you that Chloride is usually toxic to Orchids.

Also as others have said, most likely their needs are met with TAP water or Spring water. 100-200ppm TH.

Cheers.
ell