All Resources

FloraPro® Usage Guide

Water-soluble fertilizers for commercial growers

FloraPro® Usage Guide
Usage guides Usage guides

The FloraPro system is easy-to-use and efficient for the commercial production of a wide range of indoor-and greenhouse-grown plants, including commercial cannabis production.

As a two-component system (also known as an A/B system), it is made up of two parts: a calcium-containing fertilizer containing micronutrients (we call it A, part A, tank A or Ca+Micros) and an NPK plus Magnesium component (we call it B, part B, tank B or NPK). This two-part system provides robust and effective nutrient delivery to plants.

Figure 1. Schematic of a Two-Part or “A/B” Fertilizer Injection System

How to use FloraPro®

Step 1

Start by choosing one of two Calcium + Micros or Part A formulations. To do this, you need to know the alkalinity (or hardness) of your water. Assume an alkalinity of between 0-10 if you are using RO water. Many well waters will have alkalinities above 120 ppm CaCO 3.

For alkalinity below 120 ppm CaCO 3 use FloraPro™ Calcium + Micros

For alkalinity above 120 ppm CaCO 3 use FloraPro™ Hardwater + Micros

Step 2

After choosing your Part A formulation, choose the Part B formulation based on the crop stage. For the vegetative stage, use our FloraPro Grow formulation. When in flowering, use FloraPro Bloom.

Use FloraPro™ Grow during the vegetative stage

Use FloraPro™ Bloom during the flowering stage

Quick Guide for Using FloraPro® Fertilizers

Based on Water Quality and Crop Stage

Table 1. * Total alkalinity is a measurement of a water’s ability to change pH, or change the pH of a substrate. In most instances, it is closely associated with the content of calcium and magnesium. As the alkalinity increases, adjustments to the amount of additional calcium and/or magnesium provided may be necessary.

How to dissolve FloraPro® fertilizers for commercial use

FloraPro®, by virtue of being a water soluble fertilizer, is concentrated and must be diluted in water. It can be diluted into the irrigation water manually, by employing a “day tank” system, or by using fertilizer injectors or chemical dosing systems.

Figure 2. Graphic representation showing the concentration of fertilizer when preparing FloraPro concentrated stock solutions. For further dilution to a Day Tank nutrient solution or directly into the irrigation system using fertilizer injectors.

For fertilizer injection systems

Fertilizer injection systems dilute concentrated stock solutions into irrigation water at a set rate (or dilution ratio) during the irrigation process for convenient fertilization of crops.

Use the information in Tables 3 and 4 to confirm how much FloraPro fertilizer to dissolve per liter of stock solution to achieve a desired final nutrient concentration.

A note on measuring concentration

You will note that concentration in our charts is expressed in ppm Nitrogen (N). This is because traditionally, most water soluble fertilizers are used in this way, given that nitrogen is the key nutrient driving plant growth. However, we also cross-reference the ppm N level to the theoretical conductivity level of that solution, expressed as mS/cm and PPM (using the 500 ppm NaCl standard). This is to help the grower easily verify the concentration of the solution made, regardless of the conductivity meter used.

Important storage information

Please be advised that each FloraPro fertilizer (i.e. Base and Grow or Bloom) MUST be diluted with water separately and kept in separate stock tanks for use with direct-injection systems. Refer to Figure 1 for a standard FloraPro injection configuration. Failure to store each fertilizer separately will result in nutrient precipitation, which may clog or damage irrigation equipment.

The great thing about a two-part (or two-tank) system is that either component can be adjusted to meet the needs of your crop.

How to prepare a stock solution

  1. In clean stock tank, use fresh water to fill roughly to 70% of desired volume. RO water is preferable but not required. Hot water will greatly speed up the dissolution process. Fertilizer salts will decrease solution temperature.
  2. We recommend using a paddle mixer or equivalent mixer to agitate stock tank while adding FloraPro fertilizer.
  3. Slowly add the specified amount (weight or number of bags) of FloraPro fertilizer for the targeted stock solution volume to achieve your desired diluted concentration.
  4. Once the desired mass of FloraPro fertilizer has been added, fill the stock tank with water to reach the final targeted stock solution volume.
  5. Stock solution will be ready to use once solution is clear and homogeneous in appearance.
  6. Time required to fully dissolve will vary depending on water quality, temperature and agitation.
  7. The stock solution does not need to be agitated once FloroPro is solubilized, although agitation during injection will provide the ultimate in uniformity. Agitation can be done by using a mechanical device or a submersible air or water pump (protect submersible pumps from corrosion).

Tips and tricks when preparing stock solutions

  • RO water is preferable but not required.
  • Hot water will greatly speed up the dissolution process.
  • We recommend using a paddle mixer or equivalent mixer to agitate stock tank while adding FloraPro fertilizer.
  • It is always a good idea to dilute a small, ready-to-use sample with the stock solution. This helps ensure the FloraPro stock solution has been correctly diluted.
  • Hint: Bags are 11.3 kg (25 lbs). For those without the means to weigh a large amount of fertilizer, use this measurement to make stock solution based on the number of bags needed.
  • Keep in mind the solubility limits of each FloraPro fertilizer. We recommend never exceeding 80% of the max solubility of each fertilizer. The more concentrated the fertilizer, the longer it takes to fully dissolve when preparing the stock solution.

For Day Tank Reservoir Dilution

Some operators prepare a diluted, ready-to-use nutrient solution, which is often contained in large tanks for direct application to the crop. We call a ready-to-use, diluted nutrient tank a “day tank.”

Growers can prepare day tank solutions using FloraPro in one of two ways:

  1. FloraPro fertilizers can be added right away to make the final solution volume for day tanks. When doing so, use the instructions found in Tables 3 and 4.
  2. Or, FloraPro can first be dissolved to make a concentrated fertilizer solution. We call this concentrated liquid fertilizer solution a stock solution. A stock solution can be prepared first, then manually diluted to achieve that nutrient solution concentration in a day tank. You must know the desired final concentration and the necessary dilution to meet that final concentration.
Figure 3. For day tank dilutions, simply divide lb values by 100

Solubility Limit of FloraPro Fertilizers

Table 2.

Usage Charts for Water Alkalinities

For water alkalinities at or below 120 PPM CaCO3

Table 3. For day tank dilutions, simply divide lb values by 100

For water alkalinities above 120 PPM CaCO3

Table 4.

Recommended Specialty Nutrients

General Hydroponics manufactures other nutritional products that may be used in combination with a FloraPro program.

Table 5 lists the various products available, along with their recommended rates of application. Refer to the products’ specific labelling directions for further information. For additional support or information, contact Hawthorne Technical Support or Professional Technical Services.

General Hydroponics Speciality Nutrient Products

Table 5.

FloraPro Storage Recommendations

FloraPro is a blend of high-quality mineral salts, and is made with internal good management practices to achieve excellent quality standards. To maintain excellent quality, store as follows:

  • Store fertilizer in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight
  • Avoid high temperatures or high humidity to prevent fertilizer from liquifying or clumping
  • Product is hygroscopic: substance tends to absorb moisture from the air. Opened bags should be closed tightly and stored in airtight containers to prevent hardening

Grow with us

View all products
View all products