NPK for growing Hydroponic Tomatoes: What is 4-18-38 and how to mix One Gallon recipe of Masterblend

In this video I explain what the Masterblend formula is and how I mix it up for a one gallon recipe. I also cover the basics of NPK and what the numbers 4-18-38 stand for. I find this hydroponic nutrient solution works very well for my fruiting plants such as tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers. It is also very economical since you use so little at a time.
Amazon links to items mentioned in this video:
Masterblend 2.5 pound combo kit: amzn.to/2PfKpji
Grow Big hydroponic fertilizer: amzn.to/3r7JAX4
Scale with decimals for grams: amzn.to/3f92F8C

[@Sandyman406]

Very concise and clear video. For European viewers (especially UK based) you must remember that the US Gallon is *NOT* the same as a UK Gallon. A US Gallon is 3.785 Litres whereas a UK Gallon is 4.546 Litres. So 5 US Gallons is 19.925 Litres and 5 UK Gallons is 22.73 Litres. So you need to take this difference into account when weighing out the dry powders. So in the UK, the dried amounts need to be increased by a factor of 1.20.

[@teac117]

I've started to mix a 4X strength in a single milk jug. It seems to be stable still at that concentration. Diluting for use is still relatively simple and cuts down on the jugs used.

[@fredc8618]

How exactly do you use it just pour in to around a certain ppm maybe?

[@miama6926]

An excellent teacher! Neat and organized!

[@naodiva7]

Thanks for another excellent tutorial, Tikki! I've been looking for a more economical solution for nutrient solutions and I really appreciate what you've shared here!

[@patrickmills5851]

I really enjoy your straight forward video style. This video helped a lot when deciding to get master blend. Thanks so much!!!

[@eskoven]

Thank you for a very informative video on the Masterblend formula !

[@Joy-yj7gn]

I recently discovered your channel and I have to say you're one of my favorites when it comes to hydroponics. I appreciate the in depth instructions when mixing nutrients and the various experiments you've conducted using cotton balls in the place of rock wool, etc. Overall, I appreciate the channel and your thoroughness. Thanks

[@irinigeorgas313]

You are the most helpful person I have found on KZbin. I am very grateful for your videos and advice. 😊😊😊

[@Magnus_E]

Amazing quality of content. Thanks.

[@zenter35]

another great in depth video. No beating around the bush. Thank you your channel is very refreshing.

[@TikkiOOO]

I appreciate that, thank you zenter35!

[@nardamock]

Thanks for the information. I was thinking of switching from Masterblend to liquid nutrients because I could never get it all to dissolve. Your channel has inspired me to go from just growing leaf lettuce in mason jars to trying to grow spinach and Red Robin mini dwarf tomatoes, too.

[@hartfordboothe7466]

Well done. This was helpful. Thank you.

[@yrn5638]

Thanks tikkie you.. Please you are so easy to understand and you are real!!.. Everyday life. 👍

[@kapushthethird]

Great explanation. Thanks a lot.

[@bobbib5779]

i know its plants so daily updates are not very entertaining but... any updates :) i like watching your content cause of the way you explain things

[@fg146]

I enjoy your videos. Last year I finally gave up on trying to grow in the soil in Florida after three years of trying so I may setup a small greenhouse with hydroponics so I can grow my own vegetables. The molds, gigantic grasshoppers, inch worms and countless other things including poor soil and nearby massive oak trees sucking up all the nutrients I put in the ground defeated my garden attempts lol.

[@TikkiOOO]

Sorry to hear about your frustrating growing experience. This year the cicadas are coming after sleeping for 17 years!!! Going to be an interesting summer! My advice is to start slow and start small with hydroponics, start with lettuce or herbs. Success breeds success, so once you are successful with lettuce and herbs, then try tomatoes. Good luck F G!

[@ghassemyousefi5685]

thank you for sharing your hydroponic knowledge and science base experiments. I have had following your channel and almost watched all of your videos. Because I am living in a rural area and in my country hydroponic solution is not available, I had to commute to the nearest city, buy hydroponic elements from chemical stores, and mix them. with this background, all of my hydroponic knowledge is KZbin and the internet base. Hopefully, at this time which this comment is written tomato, cucumber, onion, potato, chili pepper, and garlic planted and harvested on an experimental scale. I would like to share my experience with you. about mixing nutrient elements, in my view, two measurement tools are important which are PH and TDS meter. PH meter is important because roots can absorb dissolved nutrients best in a PH between 6.0 to 6.5. About cheap pen PH meter, it is very important that the tool has a calibrate function because these PH meters measure PH by using a tiny ultraviolet lamp which its ultraviolet radiant strength changes over time and result in the wrong measurement. This issue is very important because PH numbers calculate in a logarithmic system which means +/-1 unit mistake in measurement causes +/-10 units mistake in reality or +/-10 times acidic solution which may cause roots to burn or roots nutrient absorption failure. So, it is necessary to check and calibrate the PH meter at least every weak. TDS measurement tools are necessary because it shows the amount of nutrients dissolved in hydroponic solution. Monitoring the TDS of a hydroponic solution is important because total dissolved salts less than 700 ppm cause slow or stop growing in plants and more than 1500ppm causes roots nutrient absorption disability. According to my experience, for a leafy and growing stage of plants TDS around 700 ppm, for flowering stage 1200ppm and fruity stage 1500ppm is ideal. By using these tools, growing plants such as cucumber in a small pot are possible. By checking the PH and TDS of a solution every 7 to 10 days gardeners can judges about nutrients available in the solution and the plant's health. For making nutrient solution I used this method. First, the TDS of water is measured. If the measurement number is above 250ppm the water will be soldered. For example, 200ppm water is not bad and 100ppm to 130pmm is ideal because more nutrients can be added to the water. Second, PH is measured and regulated around 6.2 or 6.3. I use phosphoric acid as a PH down solution. Third, the TDS of the solution measured again because PH regulation increases the TDS number, therefore for the calculation of the next step, it should be measured again. For example TDS of the water after PH regulation changes to 250ppm. Fourth, the difference between TDS of regulated water and ideal TDS divided by 5 because elements ratio, in general, is 2 unit N.P.K, 2 unit Calcium Nitrate, and 1 unit magnesium sulfate. For example TDS of regulated water is 250ppm and the ideal ppm is 700 therefore 700-250= 450ppm. (450ppm/5) = 90 ppm And N.P.K, MgSO4, Ca(NO3)2 ratio is 2,1,2. N.P.K = (90*2) =180ppm MgSo4 = (90*1) = 90ppm Ca(NO3)2 = (90*2) = 180ppm For mixing nutrients it is better to dissolve each element in a separate and small bottle (250cc) until making each solution saturated. Then, 180ppm N.P.K added to the water Solution = 250ppm(water)+ 180ppm(N.P.K) = 430ppm After that, as you mentioned, because Ca and Mg in a concentrated container make sediment it is better to add Epson salt before Ca to the solution. Solution = 430ppm(solution) + 90ppm(Epson salt) = 520ppm Finally, dissolved Ca added until TDS meter shows 700ppm Solution = 520ppm(solution) + 180ppm(Ca(NO3)2) = 700ppm Checking solution every 5-10 day is recommended. If solution level decreased and TDS increased, add regulated water. After adding water if TDS decreased lower than 700ppm, add dissolved nutrients with 2,1,2 ratio. Good luck

[@TikkiOOO]

Thanks Ghassaem for your very helpful advice!

[@johnman559]

@@TikkiOOO I was rude to you once, God knows why, I must have been out of my mind, please forgive me you're an excellent scientist and a lovely shining person❤️

[@chopsddy3]

I had the same experience mixing the components at the same time. Undissolved material at the bottom of the container. I’ve had good luck mixing a liquid concentrate. I slightly reduce the ratio to two grams MB ,two grams calcium nitrate and one gram epsom salt per gallon. To make a concentration, I dissolve two ounces MB, two ounces calcium nitrate, and one ounce epsom salts separately and combine them as you described. This gallon of concentrate will produce 32 gallons of feeding solution. To make a gallon of feeding solution, pour four liquid ounces of concentrate into a gallon jug and fill with water. Test the ph ,then adjust the ph once mixed according to your requirements.

[@Axelonmorales]

Thanks! Just bought masterblend online to try it out and didn't knew how to use it. I hope it works for lettuce as well.

[@TikkiOOO]

Yes, it will work for lettuce, good luck!

[@DLong-wp8su]

Thanks for sharing.

[@simonac688.]

Your the best Tikki 👍☘️

[@CitizenCS]

Great information on your solution. How about your starting pH and any adjustments needed on that?

[@porter20g1]

thank you for info

[@genevieve8873]

Thank you!

[@TikkiOOO]

Thank YOU Genevieve!

[@cruikshank]

Thank you 🙏 I just got my Masterblend kit today. Not premixed but 3 separate bags from the distributor in Utah. When you mix in gallon jugs, will it keep for awhile to top of the nutrient containers, or is it best to use it right away. I’m glad I have a very accurate scale that goes to 2 decimal places. They’re available very reasonably online. Thanks again. Dave in Eastern PA, USA.

[@elizabethbooth5446]

Thank you

[@jaypeeestigoy4380]

Great tutorial! With that 1 gallon recipe, what are the values of pH, EC, TDS etc? Thank you!

[@yes350yes]

I for one will be trying the master blend for the first time this year and I have read that not mixing in the correct order could be problematic , thanks for the one gal mixing. I have a digital scale that reads in lbs and grams and has 3 decimal places so I should be ok for mixing.. Im still waiting on the calcium nitrate which I should receive any day now looking forward to trying a first 1 gal. test mix.

[@yes350yes]

Mainly Im trying this mix for tomato plants , but an early test will be tried on some flower plants.

[@trevorstephens1582]

Hello, and thank you for the very informative videos! When refilling your water/plant solution, do you dilute the solution with water or just simply refill with the solution itself? Thanks in advance!

[@chriscaufield4634]

Have you ever tried fruit? Strawberries or blueberries? Excellent info, thank you

[@pumasoledad2001]

Great video... I have seen videos where masterblend is mixed and they test the water ph and tds. And adjust the water ph on the spot. Do you usually not need this?

[@rustee80]

I started growing tomatoes hydroponically last fall, using your guidance. I have both Tiny Tim cherry tomatoes, and Oregon Springs variety. I also use the Masterblend formula, just as you do. What I am having issues with is the size of the fruit. Both are much smaller that what they should be. I keep the foliage trimmed, and keep the buckets from half to 3/4 full by alternating between a gallon of de-chlorinated tap water and a gallon of Masterblend nutrient water. Do you have suggestions on how to increase the size of the tomatoes? Thanks!

[@bhabino55]

Great Video. I also use same masterblend formula with Epsom salt and Ca Nitrate in same proportion and same sequence. I try to shake/mix each component separately before mixing to water. But after mixing all three ingredients, at the end of day I discover lot of crystals at the bottom of container. What should be the reason and what I am doing wrong?

[@johnmirbach2338]

you should let us know when you are planning to bake a cake so we can bring the coffee !!!! ✌🖖🤣😜🤔

[@karronlaneNOLA]

LOL

[@TikkiOOO]

The best thing about waking up....Folgers in your cup! Thanks john!

[@ClearWater7.62]

Hi, you always want to add calcium into the resevoir first, mix well, dissolve then add the part B which is the master blend. Calcium and magnesium are part A. Anything in conctrated form should never be mixed at the same time. So calcium, magnesium then master blend last.

[@riazhussain8963]

Thank you. nutrient problem resolved. this blending is only for tomatoes ? if not please name the vegetables and green leafy .

[@sycksyn]

Hey Tikki - love your videos. Can you explain to me why you mixed 5 separate gallons? Is it because you won't use them all and store them? When I am mixing for 15 gallons, I just put 15 gallons worth of product into a one gallon container and mix it in there then pour it into the 15 gallons. Do you not recommend that?

[@kenbrown5217]

I wasted a bunch of time and money when I mixed the Epson salt in the calcium nitrate, then without noticing the compound settling down added in the master blend. Question: is the master blend separated from the crystals in the bottom of the jug still usable for most vegetables? Thanks for making this video! Ken Brown

[@goto8438]

Thanks for the info. Tikki.

[@TikkiOOO]

Thank you sandy shore!

[@Exfog]

Hi Tikki! I was womdering...Have you ever grown Green Beans (bush or pole)? I am curious if so, did you use the same mix for those, or did you go for a higher EC? Also curious, if so, what PH you aimed for, as these have been a trick for me...Any help would be much appreciated, and thanks for all your info!

[@latestprovenpracticalsolut693]

Interesting

[@michaelstarks7029]

I'm curious why you prefer Grow Big for greens. Have you simply seen better results? I'll be growing some microgreens and lettuce and am looking for the correct fertilizer to use.

[@chrisl8950]

on the masterblend instructions at 5:24 it has by volume of approx 2 tsp of all 3. Is the Epsom Salt lighter crystals or was that a typo on their packaging?

[@antigoneheart6895]

So, I am wondering if you should use 3 gallons of water and half the nutrients because the kratky method requires room for air circulation. For example, for a 5 gallon bucket or tote I would add 3 gallons of water and then divide the nutrients proportionately.

[@leannasplinter3236]

I use a gun powder scale and it works perfect.

[@rongshen2935]

Do you know what organic liquid fertilizer is good for water microgreens?

[@apple-on5pq]

actually those are not undissolved calcium nitrate, calcium can react with "sulfate" and "phosphate" in your solution. And that formed calcium sulfate and calcium phosphate which is insoluble in water.

[@micheleshaffer9017]

How long can you keep it pre mixed?

[@9776100]

Using a premixed one gallon how much and how often do you water plants .

[@michousamuelson4094]

I don't have a decimal scale, so may I take 3 jars ( masterblend, epson salt and calcium) and add 5 oz of water in each and add 12g ,6g 12g of nutrients in each? So when I need just 1 gallon of nutrient I would add 1 oz of each jar? Will this concentration be good for 2 months?

[@Impulse_Photography]

Can this same masterblend mix be used on both herbs & fruiting plants (Tomatoes, jalapenos, etc) ??

[@bobf3598]

I use magnetic stirrers to let them dissolve overnight.

[@TikkiOOO]

Great idea, thanks bobf!

[@hikiula]

Master Blend recipe for one gallon 600 PPM? Thank you.

[@hikiula]

Excellent tutorial video. What is half strength nutrients?

[@TikkiOOO]

Thanks road! I'm not sure what you are referring to, but half strength to me would mean half the amount of nutrients for the same amount of water. If someone else understands it differently please let me know. Thanks for the question!

[@hikiula]

@@TikkiOOO Thank for attempting to answer my question. Watched videos talking about strength of nutrients for seedlings, etc. They mention the use of half strength nutrients with no mention how to make it. Do you mix half amount of nutrients with water or make a full batch and add more water?

[@dhnt266]

P should for root and K should for fruit, why you switche it?

[@ghanasoukous348]

Hello Madam, I find your setups very simple and practical. I'm in Ghana in West Africa. I really want to try this out here. Can you please if feasible send me a few grams of masterblend, calcium nitrate and Epsom salt. It would go along way. Thanks. Mahama Abdul -Basit

[@timpage5021]

Is the ratio the same for cannabis?

[@chrisyema1576]

👍👍

[@odman13]

If you're going to mix all the milk jugs just put Epsom salt in 1, calcium nitrate in another, and the master blend in another. They'll dissolve just fine

[@TheHappyCoder]

Isn't phosphorus for root growth and potassium for flower growth? I think there is a mistake at the 2nd minute.

[@thomasswainston2821]

You're basically correct although potasium is also necessary for root growth as well as optimum yield in root vegetables.

[@melodylyons4631]

Try flushing with plain water a couple days before harvest.

[@TikkiOOO]

Thanks Melody, I should have done that with the peppers. The tomatoes and cucumbers came out fine without flushing. Great tip, thank you!

[@karronlaneNOLA]

excellent info, thanks. choco cake?

[@TikkiOOO]

Coffee cake! Thanks karron lane!

[@karronlaneNOLA]

@@TikkiOOO LOL

[@guyh.4121]

What if you put it in a food mixer then thin out with water.

[@TikkiOOO]

for cake?

[@khalafdana2571]

Hi, is NPK 20-20-20 good enough alone? Thanks

[@blessisrael6455]

I was just wondering that, I bought some and am wondering how they’re able to mix the Epsom and calcitrate …

[@obinnaineama9343]

From the video I think the mixture will give 3gallons but the measurements are for 1gallon recipe.

[@saltytree729]

I'm front the uk and you guys have different gallon measurements to us. Is 1 gallon in the US 3.7 litres?

[@bforman1300]

1 gallon US = 3.785 liters 1 gallon UK = 4.546 liters The imperial system is SO messed up!

[@Sandyman406]

For European viewers (especially UK based) you must remember that the US Gallon is NOT the same as a UK Gallon. A US Gallon is 3.785 Litres whereas a UK Gallon is 4.546 Litres. So 5 US Gallons is 19.925 Litres and 5 UK Gallons is 22.73 Litres. So you need to take this difference into account when weighing out the dry powders. So in the UK, the dried amounts need to be increased by a factor of 1.20.

[@theoneandonly1158]

Can masterblend be used by itself?

[@TikkiOOO]

I only use masterblend for my hydroponic fruiting plants, but I've seen in the comments of my other videos suggestions to use additional nutrients, so other growers do. The only poor results I've had are with the taste of the hydroponic peppers, everything else tastes good. Hope that helps!

[@apple-on5pq]

yes, but not suggested. it is because the masterblend formula lacks of calcium and insufficient of magnesium.

[@ShazKaleem]

How much litters in one gallon?

[@apple-on5pq]

3.785

[@ShazKaleem]

@@apple-on5pq thanks

[@abhakhetwal]

I mean curious whether these masterblend are organic nutrients or synthetic?? Does these work in soil . Also can these tomato masterblend will work for radish and other fruits plants ??

[@johnmirbach2338]

😎👍👌✌🖖😁

[@TikkiOOO]

Thank you john!

[@llo3722]

Thank you

[@darrengopaul1648]

Thank you