Calcium & Magnesium

[Deerfern]

I am a beginner Paphiopedilum grower. Currently, I have:

Paphiopedilum Malipoensa "Josh" x delenatii "Destiny"
Paphiopedilum Delenatii var. Dunkel
Paphiopedilum barbatum var nigritum

I am currently using FirstRays K-Lite, and from what I've read here, I may not need an additional Calcium supplement. However, since I had done a little research digging prior to understanding that, I am now very curious, what is the difference between the Nitrate and Carbonate versions of both Calcium and Magnesium? Is one more easily absorbed by the plant? What does Ray have in his K-Lite?

I know that I take Calcium Carbonate for own bones!! (haha!)

But as example, I am comparing,

General Hydroponics CALiMAGic NPK of 1-0-0 Carbonate based
Bloom City Professional Grade Ultra Pure Cal-Mag 2-0-0 Nitrate based
Botanicare Cal-Mag Plus Iron Nitrate based

Thanks for anything anyone can help me with!

 

[Ozpaph]

i think the ions dissociate in water so the form may not matter.

 

[Ray]

That is correct.

The K-Lite label tells you what’s in it.

 

[Deerfern]

Thanks Ray! For anyone reading this in future, Rays K-Lite is the best. And the label told me it has the Nitrate version for both Calcium and Magnesium.

Ray, is there any particular reason you chose the nitrate over the carbonate? Perhaps it was cost, or availability at the time? Or did your research tell you nitrate is better than carbonate for orchids? Thanks!

 

[Ozpaph]

its available nitrogen, is my guess.

 

[eds]

The carbonate will also push the hardness and pH of your solution up which is rather counter-productive when using RO or rain water to keep the hardness and salt levels down.

 

[Ray]

First, let me say that I didn’t choose the ingredients. When another grower and I came up with the concept, we approached the PhD that formulated the “MSU” fertilizers and he used the same raw materials to formulate K-Lite, as they are commonly used in fertilizers in general.

I think Ozpaph and eds nailed it. Nitrogen is, by far, the most important nutrient in any fertilizer, so it makes sense to use ingredients that provide more of that, rather than a component that isn’t important or that can negatively affect other properties like pH. Plus there’s the matter of solubility.

At 20C, about 1200 g of calcium nitrate can dissolve in a liter of water, while it’s only about 0.01 g for the carbonate. The magnesium compounds have similar ratios.

 

[Sherry H]

I love this forum! As a new lady slipper grower building a collection in isolation I bought k lite after reading lots of recommendations. Moving my new phrags and paphs from my summer home in Nc to join my vast orchid collection in Tampa. Thanks to all of you for sharing your knowledge!

 

[ScientistKen]

I use K-Lite and it works great for me. Looks like a good start on your orchids. You have nice foliage to look at when they aren't in bloom.