I already invested in 5 lb of MSU and 5 of Calcium Nitrate, which is going to last me quite some time...I'll have to sit back and watch the results of you all.
K-Lite Trial
- Thread starter Ray
- Start date
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Ups! If read well the thread mentioned and after some computations it is 10% Ca and 4% Mg.
So far, this is what I've got:
Rick - 2 or 5
Ray - 2 or 4
Ross - 2
Eric M - 2 jar
yakmanq - 2 jar
jtrmd - 2 or 3
Jim T - 2 or 6
cnycharles - 0.5
That's 14.5# minimum, 24.5# max.
I think that, if we're are limited, we should allow participants in this forum to take precedence over others. Is that OK?
Rick - 2 or 5
Ray - 2 or 4
Ross - 2
Eric M - 2 jar
yakmanq - 2 jar
jtrmd - 2 or 3
Jim T - 2 or 6
cnycharles - 0.5
That's 14.5# minimum, 24.5# max.
I think that, if we're are limited, we should allow participants in this forum to take precedence over others. Is that OK?
Rick
Well-Known Member
Rick
Well-Known Member
Probably two ways to look at your first question. Ideally the answer is yes, but since this is a bit more of a Beta test under real life hobby conditions, I wouldn't necessarily expect everyone to give up their personal creative experimenting.
Same for records. It's gotta be convenient or records fall apart. I already put in 40++ hours getting paid for producing data, but despite my personal knowledge and experience of the importance of good record keeping it's just about all I can manage in my hobby time to keep up with this forum (as a form of documentation).
So for my orchid growing, I try to put together something on a strict ritualistic schedule, and then document the start date (somewhere that I can find at a later date
), and then just do it until something changes. Certainly with plants we are talking months and years rather than hours and days, so you would think it wouldn't kill me (or anyone else trying this) to use a log book and keep notes, but I'm sure I'll be the first one to slob out on this, and go by memory and intuition.
Better than records is just generally keeping track of what you do and do it on a regular basis or schedule. Use the K-lite fertilizer instead of your regular fertilizer and see what happens. If you all of a sudden notice that your plants look better, then the new fertilizer is effective. If you don't really notice a change then it has not made enough difference for a short test to determine anything.
That's what I was thinking.i use city water so the test results for that are always on the public works website.I keep tabs on when I feet already due to memory problems.everything but the mounted plants are in bark.i will just have to figure out what rate I would like to use.I would love to find something else that works besides what I use now.its getting harder to get the jacks 20-10-20 peat lite.
M
Mike
Guest
Hi all, new to the forum, but have been actively reading the k-lite thread. I would be in for 2 lbs. I have been using MSU exclusively and getting ready to put in an RO system so i should be able to setup a controlled environment to keep track of all the variables. I have a couple hundred paphs (mostly seedlings) and enough mature plants to compare results as well. Let me know what other info you need from me to get going.
Mike
Mike
K
keithrs
Guest
Isn't the point of this "experiment" to see how this fertilizer works? Hows one going to know the real results if one is adding kelp, rooting hormones, or what ever else one uses?
Agreed but records are important for others and yourself..... I guess weekly up date on a thread may work.
Certainly with plants we are talking months and years rather than hours and days, so you would think it wouldn't kill me (or anyone else trying this) to use a log book and keep notes, but I'm sure I'll be the first one to slob out on this, and go by memory and intuition.
This is why people involved need a year supply
K
keithrs
Guest
Isn't that part of recording records?
The major point is to see how the low potassium levels effect growth. So ideally you would just substitute this formula for your base formula that you have been using. Continue to add your extras. The results you see will be because of the low potassium level.
Records are good but.... Even without records you will have an opinion whether or not you see an improvement of growth or less disease problems. That overall opinion everyone forms is the result, regardless of what is in recorded records.
I think Rick said he noticed "results" in a few months time? Rick?
A possible obstacle to seeing results is that your media that is in the pots already may me overdosed with potassium already. That may slow down the quickness of seeing any results.
Sure, but folks here are mostly hobbyists and may not be so good at keeping good records. Incomplete records are not of much value and can actually be misleading. This experiment (test) is more like a clinical trial where a bunch of people are given a new drug and sent home to take the doses and then see if they are cured after some time. Maybe Ray should make a percentage of "placebo" bags up to send to random experimenters? :evil: Just kidding.
It would be a good idea to keep records in a thread on the forum. Each user could state what their usage plan is that they intend to do. Then when they see something they think might be reportable they could post. Pictures of plants at the beginning would be enjoyed by readers as well as would progress pictures.
K
keithrs
Guest
I thought we where testing both?!?!?!
True
He said in a few post back that it would take months and years. You may see result in a few months but you also need to see results a year from now.
If you use both at the same time on different plants you will be testing both!
Most people that will be trying the k-lite already have experience and know how their plants are growing. When they change to the new formula and start seeing plants growing differently (hope better) they can simply compare what the remember they used to look like. Not very scientific but if a % of the users report positive results then we can assume the formula was effective. Then likely many people will do some formal tests with control groups and good records.
Long term results will take years. But if in a few months you start seeing plants produce more growths than before or notice that plants are not rotting anymore then the experiment is final and the formula is a success.
J
Jim Toomey
Guest
Anyone willing to take photos of at least some of their plants that include a ruler?
SlipperFan
Addicted
Yes -- I just went through the whole thread and found this:
http://www.slippertalk.com/forum/showpost.php?p=328370&postcount=202
I'd love to join in getting some of this now, but I have nearly 1/2 bag of MSU rain water formula that I'm trying to proportion with Cal/Mag. I'll be very interested in watching how all of you do with this formula.
emydura
Well-Known Member
On larger plants you will easily be able to compare the size of the new growths against older previously flowered growths.
E
Eric Muehlbauer
Guest
Just to be clear....I'm down for 1 2lb jar, not 2 of them? I'm not that good at math...so I've just generally been using 1 tspn/gal MSU for catts, Vanda's, Cyms, and strap leafed paphs.....1/2 tspn/gal for the rest of my paphs, pleuro's, species phrags, and bulbo's....successfully. Can I keep the same dosing with this formula?
Keith, I'm sorry. When going from a handwritten tally to typed, I left you out. You originally asked for 1#, but 2 seems fine.
