Hy-pro - Hydro A&B

A two-part mineral base nutrient for hydro growing, covering the whole cycle from growth to bloom. Always 5 ml A and 5 ml B per litre of water, in equal parts, and never together undiluted.

A and B may only meet in water

Hy-pro are outspoken about this and it is the instruction a two-part feed goes wrong on: never mix components A and B together in concentrated form.

The order they prescribe is: first 5 ml of Hydro A into a litre of water, stir well, and only then 5 ml of Hydro B, stirring well again. Always use the two in the same quantity.

The reason lies in the chemistry of the bottles. A carries calcium among other things, B carries phosphate and sulphate. Undiluted, those react into compounds that do not dissolve, and they settle at the bottom of your tank instead of reaching your plant. Plenty of water between the two doses prevents it, because the concentration never gets high enough anywhere.

Note that this differs by brand. There are two-part feeds where the manufacturer prescribes the opposite, that A and B go into the water at the same time. Anyone switching brands and working from habit will be following the wrong instruction for at least one of them. Read the bottle in front of you.

The windows you want to stay inside

In hydro growing the nutrient solution is everything the plant gets, so the two numbers you measure matter more than they do in soil.

Hy-pro hold an EC between 1.4 and 2.2 for hydro. Go above it and you dilute with extra tap water rather than taking something back out. That is the easy side of EC: it can always be brought down.

You want the pH between 5.5 and 6.0. Measure it last, after the nutrient is in, because adding nutrient shifts the value. If you are too high, bring it down with a pH-down.

One pleasant property of this feed: once mixed, the solution does not settle out. So you do not need a circulation pump to keep your tank mixed, which can matter in a set-up without permanent circulation.

Also usable in soil

Hy-pro themselves state that Hydro A&B can also be used in soil. That is unusual for a hydro nutrient, since most are calculated for a medium that buffers nothing and come out too heavy in soil.

If you grow in soil and want to use this bottle, keep your EC at the low end of the range: soil holds on to what you give it, so a generous dose accumulates there rather than flushing through.

Dosing

Give Hydro A&B at every watering, from the start of growth to the end of flowering. 5 ml A and 5 ml B per litre, always in equal parts.

Available sizes

Technical Specifications:

• Type: two-part mineral base nutrient for hydro growing
• Manufacturer: Hy-pro
• Dosage: 5 ml A and 5 ml B per litre of water, in equal parts
• Mixing: A first, stir, then B, never together undiluted
• EC: 1.4 to 2.2 for hydro
• pH: 5.5 to 6.0, measured last
• Period: from the start of growth to the end of flowering
• Frequency: at every watering
• Substrate: hydroculture, rockwool and mapito, and per Hy-pro also soil
• Property: does not settle after mixing, no circulation pump needed to keep it mixed

Frequently asked questions

Can I premix A and B together in one bottle?
No. Undiluted the two react and material precipitates that your plant will never reach. A into the water first, stir, then B.

My EC is too high.
Add extra tap water. EC can always be brought down, and that is simpler than taking nutrient back out afterwards.

When do I measure my pH?
Last, once the nutrient is in. Adding nutrient shifts the value, so measuring beforehand tells you little.

Can I use it in soil?
Hy-pro say you can. Keep your EC at the low end of the range if you do, because soil holds on to what you give it.

Do I need a circulation pump in my tank?
Not to keep the nutrient mixed: this solution does not settle out once mixed.