DIY hydroponic nutrients: how to make them

If you ever try hydroponic gardening, you will face one certain problem: you need hydroponic systems, or otherwise, your plants will not have conditions that are comfortable enough for them. But there is another problem: there are no cheap commercial nutrient solutions.

But, happily, hydroponic gardeners have already found the solution to this kind of problem. DIY hydroponic nutrients. The solution is a DIY hydroponic nutrient mix. You can mix nutrients by yourself. However, then, you may ask a simple question: “How to do it?”. 

If you have this question about DIY hydroponic solutions, you will find the answer in this article.

Mixing hydroponic nutrients: the basics

It is true, that making your DIY hydroponic solutions is not very hard, but you need to know the basics anyway if you don’t want to make any mistakes and lose your money. It is so because there are a lot of compounds in a hydroponic nutrient solution, which is required to be available to your plants.

And they have to be available at very various stages of their growth. Your plan which grows in a hydroponic system needs care, you need to make sure that your plan absorbs all the nutrients it needs for its development. 

First of all, your plant requires macronutrients and micronutrients for its development. The amount of nutrients strictly depends on what type of plant you have. Wrong ratios can make your plant die. 

You can use nutrient salts for your hydroponic nutrient solution, but don’t forget to change your mixture, the change depends on the weight of salts that you decided to add. Be careful with salts: they require staying dry and cool. 

How do hydroponic nutrient solutions come? Usually in two or three-part bottles. It means that you can make a mixture of a maximum of three nutrient solutions. Mixing nutrients requires a bucket, gallon jug, measuring spoons, rubber gloves for crystalline chemicals, a pH-measuring pen, an electrical conductivity meter, and weighing scales. 

PH level is an important part, it needs to affect plants’ ability to get elements from the nutrient solution. The EC level is important as well, it measures the concentration of the nutrient solution. The normal EC level is between 0.8 and 3.0 mMhos.

Nutrient deficiencies are situations when your plant suffers can happen if you don’t calculate the nutrient solution correctly and your nutrient mixes wrongly. All these nutrients can be harmful to a plant. Several symptoms show that something is wrong and remedies for them. 

• Nitrogen deficiency: it is when your plant’s lower leaves are yellowish-green. The growth has stopped. Add calcium nitrate to fix this. 
• Phosphorus deficiency: the growth has stopped, undersides of the leaves are purple. To fix this, add monopotassium phosphate. 
• Magnesium deficiency: Necrotic spots appear. To fix this, add magnesium sulfate. 
• Calcium deficiency: upper leaves are yellow. The growth has stopped. Add Ca (NO3) 2 to fix this.

The last tip: when you use your mixed nutrients, pay attention to your plants to notice if they show any sign of nutrient burn or deficiencies. And be careful by using and mixing the ingredients like boric acid and concentrated fertilizers. Follow the instructions and you will create a DIY hydroponic solution.

Hydroponic nutrient recipes: choose the best one

Several different hydroponic nutrient recipes are proven. Before start mixing hydroponic nutrients, read them all to figure out which one is comfortable for your plants. 

The first hydroponic nutrient formula

This formula is a relatively easy one because it is a one-part mix formula. It is a good hydroponic solution. The formula is intended for non-circulating systems. It is a good option for small systems. In small systems, you have roots sitting in the DWC solution or raft systems. Fortunately, the formula is proven, so if you decide to use it, then you probably get an excellent result. 

This formula is perfect for a nutrient solution in a 5-gallon container. 

So, if you decide to use this formula, then beforehand scale up the quantities to those numbers that are enough solution to fill your tank. 

The formula has the following combinations:

• Epsom Salt is 5g. 
• Masterblend Tomato 4-18-38 is 10g.
• Calcium Nitrate 15.5-0-0 is 10g.

So, as you can see, the formula is very easy, and you can be sure that it will not take much time. Dispose of this nutrient solution when the harvest, as salt level or EC level is increased. But it all depends on your plants. 

The second formula DIY hydroponic nutrients

This formula of a hydroponic solution is not as easy to accomplish as the first one because the number of compounds is bigger and different. But you will face no problems while mixing it. 

The formula has the following combinations:

1. Powdered Ammonium Sulfate is 43g.
2. Calcium Phosphate is 198g.
3. Potassium nitrate is 255g.
4. Magnesium Phosphate is 113g.
5. Monocalcium Phosphate is 113g.
6. Iron Sulfate is ½ teaspoon. 

After you mixed all the compounds, add 10 grams of the liquid for every gallon of water in your tank. Your ingredients must be mixed to form a powder, and then you should add 10 grams of it per gallon of nutrient-rich water which is required. 

Don’t forget to check your pH levels and EC levels after that. 

Caution: be careful, this mix can be harmful to your skin, and it can cause skin irritation. 

The third formula (Compost tea recipe)

This formula is not very easy, and by the way, it requires some free space and effort. But this nutrient mix may be considered organic nutrients, and you will not regret making it because it will have a perfect effect on your plants.

And it will take much more time, most of the time you will be simply waiting. So, you should be prepared to wait for a long time, but the more time has passed, the better the nutrient mix becomes.

You need to have a composting bin or a compost heap, and of course, it has to be outdoors. 

To make a compost heap, you need to use half-brown waste and half-green waste. Half-brown waste contains hay, straw, dead leaves, wood chippings, and old papers. Green waste contains food waste, which is from the kitchen, green leaves, and grass cuttings. 

After you have made a compost heap, you have to fill it every few weeks to make sure that the materials broke down, and the bacteria can use it. 

Now, after finishing making your compost and after a few weeks, you need to add two large shovels which are full to a large 5-gallon bucket. Put some water there. Leave it for a few days, three days would be enough. 

After three days at least, you need to let the water out and strain it because you have to remove traces of compost sediment, which you can get back to the compost heap later. 

Then use half a gallon of the liquid for every 50 gallons of water in the tank.

This is the whole formula, and now you can see that it is fully organic and will be perfect for your plants, once you start to add it to them. 

The fourth formula (The farmer’s friend)

This formula helps to create a nutrient mixture that is organic and perfect if you have a large system. If you have a small system, all the extra actions you need to do is scale your mixture back to fit this system.

So, the formula is easy to use, and the ingredients are easy to find, so you will probably face no problems with this formula.

The formula has the following combinations:

1. Agricultural lime is 1 lb and a ground.
2. Bone meal is 1 lb.
3. Gypsum is 1 lb.
4. The seed meal is 4 lbs.
5. Kelp is 1 lb (use dried kelp).

As it said, the formula is easy to follow, and all you have to do now is just put the ingredients into 5 gallons of water and mix it to a thin consistency. 

Then, if you decide to use it, you have to add 6 fluid ounces for every 100 gallons of water in the tank.

That’s it, the mixture is done, try to use it and notice that your plants are getting much better.

The fifth formula (A gift from the sea)

The formula is another easy option to create and use. All you need is just two ingredients. Just don’t forget to measure your pH and EC levels, and everything will be just fine. 

So, the formula has the following combinations:

1. Seaweed is 6oz.
2. Epsom Salts is 5 teaspoons. 

How to create the hydroponics nutrient mixture of these ingredients?  Firstly, wrap the seaweed in cheesecloth. Then tie it with twine. Then put 5 gallons of water into a bucket, and add the seaweed bag there. Now all you have to do is leave this under the sun for five days at least. After five days have passed, put five teaspoons of Epsom salts there. 

That is it, your nutrient solution is made, and now you can try it on your plants. 

The sixth formula

The formula is a three-part nutrient mix that has several phases. You require one gallon of each nutrient. 

This formula is the hardest to create. Concentrate here at a high level and read the instructions carefully. If it is too hard for you (and this is fine, the formula is complicated), ask for help or choose another formula to make.

The formula has the following combinations:

• Vegetative phase:

1. Ca (NO3) 2 is 6g.
2. Magnesium Sulfate is 2.42g.
3. Potassium nitrate is 2.09g.
4. Monopotassium Phosphate is 1.39g.
5. Potassium sulfate is 0.46g.
6. 7% Fe chelated trace elements is 0.40g.

• Flowering phase:

1. Calcium nitrate is 4.10g.
2. Magnesium Sulfate is 2.40g.
3. Potassium nitrate is 2.80g.
4. Monopotassium Phosphate is 1.39g.
5. Potassium sulfate is 0.46g.
6. 7% Fe chelated trace elements is 0.40g.

• Fruiting phase:
• Calcium nitrate is 8g.
• Magnesium Sulfate is 2.80g.
• Potassium nitrate is 2.40g.
• Monopotassium Phosphate is 1.70g.
• The sulfate of Potash is 0.39g.
• 7% Fe Chelated Trace Elements is 0.40g.Chelated Trace Elements:

1. Iron is 7%.
2. Manganese is 2%.
3. Boron is 1.30%.
4. Zinc is 0.40%.
5. Copper is 0.10%.
6. Molybdenum is 0.06%.

You need to add the trace elements together and mix them to a powder in a mortar and then pestle them before adding them to the three mixtures. 

Frequently Asked Questions

In conclusion: create your own nutrients

DIY hydroponic nutrients are good options to help to garden in your hydroponic system. There are a lot of formulas that you can use to stimulate root growth and plant growth. They are different, there are hard and easy formulas.

All you should do after reading about them is to choose the formula that fits your interests best or try to make experiment with them.

Read also: Types of water for hydroponics and treatment methods