There are many hydro suppliers that will ship hydro to you.

Google "hydroponics" on the web.

Any fertilizer labelled "hydroponic" will be over priced. You can find something suitable without buying "hydroponic" nutrient. Read my reply in the next thread down. Nitrogen from nitrates is the key.

Hi jdog006,

I read your reply in the previous post, it solves my problem. Thanks. Just wondering, though, if you have found any methods to include organic fertilizer to your solution.

Hi Kalmen,

If you look at my Australian web site, it explains what you need to make a good hydroponic nutrient solution. I notice that you are in the Persian Gulf region where many of these chemicals may not be available.

Your best option is to try to get a prepared product, as you are just starting out. When you get proficient at it, you may want to "make your own".

Some organic fertilizers may be suitable for hydroponics, but it depends upon their composition. If they contain Urea or Sulphate of Ammonia, they will not be suitable.

If you save each page of my web site to your computer, all in the one directory, then you will be able to navigate from page to page in a flash, when you are off-line.

My web site is below.

Jimr007
Australia.

Here is a link that might be useful: Simple Sand Hydroponics

It does not sound like white leaves are due to a nutrient deficiency. You need to post pictures of your leaves. You may have a pest or another problem. Also, you might consider cherry tomatoes. The larger ones, especially plum are subject to blossom end rot, which is not uncommon in hydro.

I've never attempted to go all organic. I've never had a reason to change what I am doing. It works well.

jdog006: Thanks a lot. Yes you are right, I am currently residing in that region... I'll go through your webpage one by one. Thanks.
baci: I forgot to mention, sorry, they were cherry tomatoes, I think they are tiny tom's ... I'll check for deseases.

Thanks all. You've been great.

Hello Kalmen,

The UAE has several golf courses. To keep these courses in top condition they need fertilizers. I would think the keepers of these courses would have a ready supply of fertilizers. They might even be willing to part with some. No harm in asking.

http://www.golftoday.co.uk/clubhouse/coursedir/world/UAE/abudhabi/

If you can't find any mineral nutrients you can always use urine as a organic fert in your hydro set up. Heres a link to a grow where the only nutrient used was human urine.

http://hydroponics.free-forums.org/hydroponics-about24.html

jimr007: Amazing site. Good on ya. I think it makes a great guide for anyone.
hank_mili: I asked around, and it turns out there is a store that provides a lot of growing stuff... I'll check it out.
kirk1977: The experiment is amazing... Did you make adjustments to the ppm/ph levels? Or just do it? :) Did it taste nice? (seriously.)

I also read that you can make organic hydro fertilizer by using fishtank water (full of $#!t) and liquid seaweed and Bloodmeal. I wonder if it has actually been tried.

Thanks all.

Its been done before its called aquaponics and it works great with leafy plants. Heres a link to a little aqua experiment I did last summer.

Here is a link that might be useful: aquaponics

Hi,

I found in the local plant store a product called: Phostrogen Plant food - Soluble:
http://www.bayergarden.co.uk/products/184/1/?Plant+Food+-+Soluble
I got one for the heck of it, but haven't had the energy to type up the ingredients. I found a safety fact sheet saying:
(http://www.interiorlandscaping.co.uk/PDF/Phostrogen%20Plant%20Food.PDF)

Composition: NPK FERTILISER 14-10-27

A mixture of potassium nitrate, ammonium phosphate, urea, calcium and magnesium sulphates with trace elements.

Hazardous Ingredients
Potassium Nitrate Maximum 60.0% (CAS No: 7757 -79-1)
Urea Maximum 5.0% (CAS No: 57-18-6)
Mono Ammonium Phosphate Maximum 20.0% (CAS No. 7783-20-2)
Ethylene Diamine Tetra Acetic Acid Maximum 1.0% (CAS No. 6381-92-6))

It has a little amount of urea... could it be safe? Let me check the guides.

Very nice Aquaponics!

The relatively high (14%) N content indicates this is primarily a soil fertilizer much like Miracle-Gro. I would double the recommended amount of water to reduce the NPK to 7-5-13.

How can I know the exact amount of water to add? on the pack it has different doses for different plants/phases of growth. Like a 14-10-27 is acheiving by adding 1 ounce to 1 gallon for example? is there a standard? or only as the instructions indicate?
Also, If I were to look around for alternatives, what would be a good ratio?

Sorry if I may be asking about things that could have been answered... I haven't fully studied all the answers so I run at risk of repeating... please let me know if I do.

Hi Kalmen,

The label should have the mixing instructions. If not try ask the people at the local plant store where you purchased the fert for the recommended fert to water mix ratio. A little clarification to my comments about doubling the amount of water. The resultant mix will give you an equivalent NPK of 7-5-13.

If you can find an EC (Electrical Conductivity) or TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) meter you can experiment with various mix ratios to determine the proper EC or PPM (Parts Per Million) for the particular plant that you want to grow.

I need more information about how to hydroponic fertilizer work.

Thanks for sharing information

christopher99
I'm not sure what your asking? Hydroponic fertilizers work the same way any fertilizers works. The difference is in the micro nutrient's. Soil nutrients don't generally contain micro nutrients because there are plenty found in the soil. In hydroponics you don't use soil, so the addition of micro-nutrients is the difference. The plant still uses the same nutrients weather they are growing in soil or hydro. If you need more help can you be more specific.

Hi Kalmen - You might want to consider the nutrients I've been using, from General Hydroponics.

Even though I'm in the USA, several friends and acquaintances who are abroad, including including all over Europe, Russia and elsewhere in the world are using the very same GH nutrients that I am, so I do know these nutrients are available or can be shipped to just about anywhere.

However, no matter what brand / type of nutrients you might decide to use or have access to, one important thought for consideration . . .

Yes, it might be basically possible to make up your own batch of nutrients, utilize "ordinary" brand x plant food and so on, but what makes hydroponics nutrients special is the purity and precision mixture of the nutrient elements and compounds.

This is not a small matter, since hydroponics is like an intravenous food injection for the plants.

hope this is helpful - good luck with your hydro project