Aptus - Breakout Powder

A PK bloom enhancer in powder form, NPK 0-35-23 with magnesium and sulphur. Aptus use it in the last three weeks of the flowering stage, on a base feed brought down to EC 1.2, and with no other bloom stimulators alongside.

You count back from harvest

Most bloom products count forward: from the first week of flower, or from week three. Breakout Powder counts back. Aptus prescribe it for the last three weeks of the flowering stage, so to know when to start, you first have to know when you will finish.

That sounds obvious, but it is where things most often go wrong. Flowering time can vary by weeks between strains, and a grower who does not know the harvest date starts too early or too late. Take the flowering time given for your strain, count back three weeks, and watch your plants closely during that stretch: not every plant sticks to the book.

In the Aptus schedule a separate flush stage follows flowering. The three weeks of Breakout fall within the flowering stage itself, so before the flush.

Half in week 1, the full dose in weeks 2 and 3

The dose rises in two steps. In the first of the three weeks you give 100 grams per 100 litres of water, or 1 gram per litre. In the last two weeks you double it to 200 grams per 100 litres, or 2 grams per litre.

Because it is a powder, you weigh rather than measure. For a 20 litre tank that is 20 grams in the first week and 40 grams in weeks two and three. A kitchen scale that reads to the gram is enough. Aptus state that the powder dissolves fully, even in cold water, so there is no need to warm your tank for it.

A 100 gram sachet makes 100 litres of feed in the first week, or 50 litres in weeks two and three. A kilo goes ten times as far.

Your base feed goes down, not up

Aptus give a clear starting point: bring your base feed to EC 1.2, then add Breakout Powder. In their own range you do that by mixing All-in-One Liquid to EC 1.2. If you have no EC meter, they suggest about 1 ml of All-in-One Liquid per litre of water.

That is low for late bloom, and that is the intention. The powder brings a substantial amount of nutrient salts of its own, especially at 2 grams per litre. So measure your EC again once the powder has dissolved. That final reading is what your plant gets, not the 1.2 you started from.

No other bloom stimulators at the same time

Aptus are firm about this: when you use Breakout Powder, do not add any other bloom stimulators. Their American site puts it even more plainly: an extra P, K or PK product on top of Breakout is simply too much. That includes their own Super-PK, P-Boost and K-Boost. During these three weeks the powder supplies the phosphorus and potassium; a second source adds no extra bloom, only a heavier salt load in your tank.

What is in it

The guaranteed analysis is NPK 0-35-23, with 2 percent magnesium and 3 percent sulphur. There is no nitrogen in it, so all the nitrogen in these weeks comes from your base feed. Aptus' American site describes the composition as mono-potassium phosphate, supplemented with potassium and magnesium sulphate. That accounts for the magnesium and sulphur in the analysis.

Aptus' Dutch and English product pages also mention extra calcium. The guaranteed analysis on those same pages gives no calcium content, however, and the stated composition contains no source of calcium. Two statements from the manufacturer contradict each other here, so we do not list calcium for this product.

Available sizes

Technical Specifications:

• Type: PK bloom enhancer in powder form
• Manufacturer: Aptus
• NPK: 0-35-23
• Magnesium: 2%
• Sulphur: 3%
• Period: the last three weeks of the flowering stage, before the flush
• Dose week 1: 100 grams per 100 litres (1 gram per litre)
• Dose weeks 2 and 3: 200 grams per 100 litres (2 grams per litre)
• Base feed: EC 1.2 before adding
• Solubility: fully soluble, even in cold water
• Combining: no other bloom stimulators at the same time

Frequently asked questions

Can I keep giving Super-PK alongside it?
No. Aptus say: no other bloom stimulators next to Breakout Powder. A second PK source is too much during these weeks.

Why does my base EC need to be so low?
Because the powder adds a lot of nutrient salts itself. Start at EC 1.2 and measure again afterwards: the final reading is what your plant gets.

When exactly do I start?
Three weeks before the end of flowering. Count back from your strain's expected harvest, not forward from the start of bloom.

Does it contain calcium?
Aptus mention it on their product page, but not in the analysis, and the composition contains no calcium source. So we do not list it.

How far does 100 grams go?
It makes 100 litres of feed in the first week, or 50 litres in weeks two and three.