Why do all 3 bases run together instead of "one per stage"?
The "base A in veg, base B in bloom" dogma came from 1990s marketing, not plant physiology. Cannabis needs nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and micronutrients at every stage of its life — what changes are the ratios, not the presence. ALPHA delivers an N-dominant profile for growth, BETA reinforces P and K for the reproductive phase, and GAMMA supplies calcium, magnesium, and micronutrients for root support. None of the three is optional in any week of the cycle.
How is the Helix reference cycle structured?
The photoperiod reference cycle has 4 weeks of veg and 8 of bloom; the calculator takes 3 to 8 weeks of veg and 8 to 12 of bloom. Every week carries its own dose from the v13.5 formulation master, no interpolation: if your veg runs longer than 4 weeks, week 4 repeats. Plain-water weeks are counted back from harvest day. Exact mL/L values by substrate are available at /calculadoras/dosis.
| Week | Stage | What the formula does |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | Rooting | Optional step for cuttings or seedlings without roots: minimal doses, low EC. |
| Veg 1-4 | Veg | ALPHA and BETA climb week by week, N-forward. If veg runs longer, week 4 repeats. |
| Bloom 1 | Transition / stretch | Switch to 12/12: GAMMA starts to climb. |
| Bloom 2-4 | Early bloom | Phosphorus and potassium peak: GAMMA at its highest. |
| Bloom 5-7 | Late bloom and ripening | Doses taper; the last one is the nutrient pre-flush. |
| Last 1-2 | Plain water | No nutrients: 1 week in hydro and coco, 2 in soil, counted back from harvest. |
What does the science actually say about N, P, and K shifts by stage?
The common narrative of "low N in bloom" is more myth than data. Saloner & Bernstein (2020) and Bevan, Jones & Zheng (2021) show that optimal N for yield during flowering sits around 160–194 ppm; it only makes sense to pull it back during the bulk and ripening phase to favor cannabinoid concentration (Saloner & Bernstein 2021, Dilena et al. 2023). Phosphorus is the other big myth: Westmoreland & Bugbee (2022) and Hershkowitz, Westmoreland & Bugbee (2025) demonstrate that 15–60 ppm of P is sufficient across the full cycle — pushing it higher doesn't improve yield or quality. The commercial PK booster approach (150–200 ppm of P in bloom) has no support in the peer-reviewed literature.
When does CALMAG come in, and when does CANDY start?
CALMAG isn't an emergency product — in coco it's part of the base program, because the fiber locks up calcium and magnesium; in hydro and soil it stays at 0 unless your water is RO or very soft. Calcium deficiency can cost up to 44% of floral biomass (Llewellyn et al. 2023). CANDY (carbohydrates) feeds the substrate microbiome and is incorporated from the last veg week, in alternating waterings, not every feed.
- CALMAG in coco: starts in veg week 3 and rises in a bell curve up to 1.0 mL/L in bloom week 4; it tapers and stops in the plain-water weeks. Coco has high cation exchange capacity and pulls Ca/Mg out of solution.
- CALMAG in hydro and soil: the program doesn't use it (it stays at 0); the base dose already supplies Ca/Mg. With RO or very soft water, the calculator has an optional 0.5 mL/L checkbox — a guideline, not a figure from the master — and never in plain-water weeks.
- CANDY veg weeks 1–3: not used — roots don't have an established microbiome yet.
- CANDY veg week 4 and bloom week 1: 1 mL/L, once per week, alternating waterings.
- CANDY bloom week 2 onward: 2 to 2.5 mL/L, up to twice per week, alternating waterings.
- CANDY in pre-flush and plain-water weeks: discontinued.
What's the target pH range by substrate?
Feed pH directly affects nutrient availability; being one point outside the range can cause deficiencies even when the nutrient is present in the solution. Always adjust pH after mixing all products.
| Medium | Target pH |
|---|---|
| Hydroponics | 5.6–5.8 |
| Coco | 5.8–6.2 |
| Soil | 6.0–6.5 |
What is the flush and why do the last weeks matter?
The plain-water weeks close the cycle: you water with pH-adjusted plain water and no nutrients, letting the plant mobilize residual salts built up in the substrate and plant tissue. The goal is a harvest that doesn't taste like fertilizer, and final ripening days without external N input — which can favor cannabinoid and terpene expression. In the calculator, the week before the plain-water weeks is a low-dose pre-flush; the final ones carry no nutrients.
What's the correct mixing order?
The order in which you add concentrates to the tank matters to prevent precipitates and clogged drippers. Correct order: water → ALPHA → BETA → GAMMA → CALMAG (only if needed) → CANDY. Add each product separately, stirring between additions. GAMMA is acidic — always add to water, never the other way around. Adjust pH only after everything is mixed.
Do autoflowers follow the same schedule?
Autoflowers compress the cycle: they typically run from week 1 to weeks 8–10 with no distinct transition week. The nutritional pattern is the same (seedling → veg → bloom → bulk → flush), but each stage is shorter. Use the calculator by selecting the real week based on your plant's visual behavior, not the photoperiod. The logic stays the same: ALPHA, BETA, and GAMMA always together, CALMAG and CANDY according to substrate and week.
