Ratios

Nutrient ratios are a proportional relationship between two or more nutrients. In Hydro-Calc, you can define these ratios and then see how your mixtures measure up.

The Importance of Nutrient Ratios

While the absolute concentration (ppm) of each nutrient is important, the relationship between nutrients is equally critical. The wrong ratio can lead to problems like:

• Nutrient Lockout: An excess of one nutrient can prevent the plant from absorbing another. For example, too much potassium (K) can interfere with the uptake of calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg).
• Poor Growth: Different ratios can encourage different types of growth (e.g., vegetative vs. flowering). Maintaining the correct ratios for your crop and its growth stage is key to success.

Creating a Ratio

1. Navigate to the Ratios page.
2. Click the "New Ratio" button.
3. Give your ratio a name (e.g., "N:K Ratio").
4. In the "Nutrients to Compare" section, add the nutrients you want to include in the ratio.
5. For each nutrient, specify the desired proportion. For a 1:2 N:K ratio, you would enter 1 for Nitrogen and 2 for Potassium.
6. Click "Save" to create the ratio.

Applying Ratios to a Mixture

Once you have created a ratio, you can see how your mixtures align with it.

1. Open a Mixture that you have created.
2. In the "Calculated Ratios" section, you will see a list of your saved ratios.
3. Hydro-Calc will automatically calculate the actual ratio for your mixture based on its nutrient solution.
4. A visual indicator will show you how close your mixture's ratio is to your defined target ratio.

By using the ratios feature in Hydro-Calc, you can gain a deeper understanding of your nutrient solutions and grow healthier, more productive plants.