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I like to use Masterblend because it works well, is cheap and I have lots of it. If you have a wholesaler nearby it’s good to buy in bulk. Do a search in your area for fertilizer or pesticide dealers. There are some who sell to the public, and it’ll save you a lot of money. It doesn’t have to be called ‘Masterblend‘, just look for 4-18-38 hydroponic fertilizer. You can buy smaller 5 lb bags on Amazon or eBay, and they will last a long time, probably several hundred gallons worth. There are three components that are needed to provide balanced nutrition for your peppers.
- Masterblend (4-18-38) It doesn’t have to be brand name Masterblend, as long as it’s 4-18-38 tomato/hydroponic fertilizer.
- Magnesium Sulfate (Epsom Salt) You can just buy plain Epsom Salt from the the drug or grocery store. It’ll work fine as long as there is nothing else added to it.
- Calcium Nitrate
For proper measuring, you need accurate scales that measure to at least 1/10 of a gram (.1). The one I use is American Weigh Scales brand, and weighs up to 600 grams, which is plenty. It’s very inexpensive, and has a 10 year warranty. If you get this model, also purchase a 500 gram calibration weight. Other models might require a different size calibration weight.
AWS-600-BLK Precision scales
500 Gram Calibration Weight Calibration weight
Sponges and baskets are helpful for starting seeds and growing small plants hydroponically. Many of my recent how-to videos show this.
For a tutorial on how to properly mix nutrients, check out this video.
You’ll need pH and conductivity meters too.