My Top 5 Ingredients To Grow Big Tropical Plants At Home

Summary

In this video, Nigel shares his secret to growing big, healthy plants through proper plant nutrition. He demonstrates how he uses fish tank water, which is ideal for tropical plants due to its pH balance, as a base for his plant care routine. The process involves adding essential nutrients, such as Maxi, Calmac, Liquid Dirt, and Super Thrive, to create a nutrient-rich solution. Nigel explains how to monitor pH and ppm levels to ensure optimal plant health. His detailed, step-by-step guide helps viewers understand how to properly nourish their plants for lush growth.

Takeaways

• 😀 Using fish tank water is a great eco-friendly way to water plants and is often perfect in terms of pH for tropical plants.
• 😀 Fish tank water is naturally low in chlorine, making it a better choice for plants compared to tap water.
• 😀 pH levels are crucial for plant nutrition—tropical plants thrive in a pH range of 5.5 to 6.5.
• 😀 A PPM (Parts Per Million) meter helps determine the nutrient concentration in water, which is essential for plant growth.
• 😀 Start with lower PPM when adding nutrients to your plants to avoid over-fertilizing them.
• 😀 Maxi Acid Plant Food provides essential nutrients, such as nitrogen, phosphate, sulfur, and iron, ideal for tropical plants.
• 😀 Super Thrive, a vitamin solution, helps enhance plant growth but has a strong, unpleasant odor.
• 😀 Liquid Dirt is an all-purpose plant food that can supplement your regular fertilization routine.
• 😀 Calmac is a calcium and magnesium supplement that helps maintain plant health, preventing yellowing leaves.
• 😀 pH Down (phosphoric acid) is used to lower the pH of nutrient solutions, ensuring better nutrient absorption for plants.
• 😀 Regularly test the pH and PPM of your nutrient solution to maintain the right balance for plant health and growth.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the video?

The video focuses on plant nutrition, specifically sharing the creator's secret to growing large, healthy plants using a specially prepared nutrient solution.

How does the creator source water for their plants?

The creator uses water from a fish tank, which contains water from goldfish and tetras. This water is reused for the plants and has benefits like a low chlorine level and suitable pH for tropical plants.

Why is water pH important for plant growth?

Water pH is crucial because it affects whether plants can absorb nutrients efficiently. For tropical plants, a pH between 5.5 and 6.5 is ideal for nutrient absorption.

What does the ppm (parts per million) measure in water?

PPM measures the concentration of dissolved nutrients in the water. A higher ppm indicates more nutrients available for the plants.

What is the purpose of the fish tank water's pH and ppm test?

The pH and ppm tests help determine if the water is suitable for plant use, ensuring the plants receive water with the right acidity and nutrient concentration for healthy growth.

How does the creator adjust the water for plant feeding?

The creator adds different plant supplements to the fish tank water, increasing the nutrient levels. The goal is to achieve a nutrient solution with a higher ppm, typically around 1000 to 1500 for optimal plant health.

What are the key ingredients in the nutrient solution?

The key ingredients include Maxi acid plant food, Super Thrive (vitamin solution), Liquid Dirt (all-purpose plant food), Calmac (calcium-magnesium supplement), and pH Down (phosphoric acid solution).

What role does Maxi plant food play in the nutrient mix?

Maxi plant food provides the bulk of nutrients, including high nitrogen, phosphate, and sulfur, which help make the solution acidic and support essential plant functions like growth and iron absorption.

Why is Super Thrive added to the nutrient solution?

Super Thrive is a vitamin solution for plants that boosts their health. It's used in small amounts to improve plant vitality and growth, though it has a strong smell.

What is the purpose of using Calmac in the solution?

Calmac provides essential calcium and magnesium to plants, preventing yellowing of leaves and supporting overall plant health. It complements the Maxi plant food, which lacks these minerals.

Why is pH Down necessary for the nutrient solution?

pH Down is used to lower the pH of the nutrient solution to ensure it's within the ideal range (5.5-6.5) for tropical plants, as a higher pH would hinder nutrient absorption.

How does the creator ensure the correct pH and ppm for their plants?

The creator regularly tests the pH and ppm of the nutrient solution, adjusting the ingredients as needed to maintain the ideal range for plant absorption. They also use pH Down to lower the pH when necessary.