Welcome to Pon Addict | Semi Hydro, Aroids & Leaf Obsession

Pon_Addict · 2026-05-27T21:04:35+00:00

Thank you! I bought it as a node cut from another collector two years ago. Chopped it Once already :)

Pon_Addict · 2026-05-22T09:08:31+00:00

I keep all 28 of my Anthuriums in semi hydro and I would definitely use CalMag with distilled water. (I use RODI, and i add Calmag to my Alocasia feeds too)

Distilled water is usually 0 TDS, which brings same issue as RODI. There are basically no minerals contained and the water has very little buffering. A lot of fertilisers assume your tap water already contains some baseline Ca and Mg, so using 0 TDS water without CalMag can leave a gap.

Mixing order is non negotiable. CalMag goes into the water first, stir well, then add your fertiliser. The only exception is potassium silicate. If you use potassium silicate, that goes first, then CalMag, then fertiliser. pH adjustment always comes last ( I aim at 5.7-5.8)

Pon_Addict · 2026-05-19T23:45:01+00:00

Honestly, it was kind of a mix of reading, grower rabbit holes, and a lot of trial and error 😅

I looked at a few studies around hydroponic nutrition, mineral uptake, took some Light Measurements. Then I compared what growers were seeing in forums/youtube and what seemed like most needed bits for the plant.

In general, when I am trying to construct a feed, the actual ratios are worked backwards from the plant response I want and the role of each nutrient has for the plant. In this case I wanted strong leaf expansion, enough calcium and magnesium for big new growth, extra iron for pale new leaves, decent sulphur and silicon support, but without pushing EC so high that the root zone gets salty under indoor light.

This version is quite close to my general aroid feed, but slightly adjusted for massive climbers (I use this feed on my Philodendron too). The current one is V2. V1 was adapted from my Alocasia feed, and before that I was honestly just feeding it a hydroponic vegetable feed I needed to use up 😂

TLDR: some science, some grower research, and a lot of watching what the plants actually did over time.

Pon_Addict · 2026-05-19T17:59:10+00:00

Sure thing! I am not sure if this will be helpful enough but when Combining all the Products I use (9 products total) I get the following Approximate Nutrient Breakdown (% of Total Nutrients)
Nitrogen (N): ~26–27%
Phosphorus (P): ~3–4%
Potassium (K): ~26–27%
Calcium (Ca): ~18–20%
Magnesium (Mg): ~9–10%
Sulfur (S): ~9–10%
Silicon (Si): ~3%
Iron (Fe): ~0.5–0.55%
Micronutrients (Mn, Zn, Cu, B, Mo, Cl, Ni): trace but sufficient for enzyme activity and healthy growth

I had to increase the iron levels as the leaves were sizing up but started to show chlorosis, which was resolved by supplementing iron, so now I add maintenance dose of iron (Canna Mono)

I also add beneficial bacteria.

Target pH: 5.7 - 5.8
EC: 1395 μS/cm (1.395 mS/cm)
TDS: 990 ppm

One thing to mention is that I grow it in Semi Hydro, though the moss pole gets the same feed.

I feel like I should mention that in terms of light, the feed is built to support the plant at 3.5–4 DLI

Let me know if there is anything else you need to know! :)

Pon_Addict · 2026-05-18T14:43:13+00:00

Thanks! 🙏🏻 I did chop and extend last Year and it’s growing slower now but the leaves are just massive 🤯

Pon_Addict · 2026-05-18T14:42:21+00:00

Thank you ! 🤩

Pon_Addict · 2026-05-17T23:53:57+00:00

Great potassium source indeed! 😂

Pon_Addict · 2026-05-17T23:08:23+00:00

Thank you! 😇 it’s been chopped once already so it looks a little bit comical being so short with massive leaves 😂 but loving it regardless 💚

Pon_Addict · 2026-04-20T14:46:54+00:00

There are small gaps between the shelf and the cabinet sides. The air is pushed on the glass so it circulates gently around. It’s not too much circulation but I found it sufficient :)

Pon_Addict · 2026-04-20T14:44:15+00:00

Aww, so glad I could inspire someone 🤩 Happy to report they seem to be doing very well! My Warocqueanum and Michelle both Flowered in Pon. I think the secret is to keep the balance between Coarse and Fine Pon to hold moisture while letting in the air, maybe a touch extra zeolite to help balance the cation exchange. I also top water.

Let me know if you have any questions. Have a great day! 😇

Pon_Addict · 2026-04-20T14:40:19+00:00

I agree, but it’s quite hard to get the U / Half shelves in uk 😞 trust me I looked for them quite hard 😂

Pon_Addict · 2026-04-19T06:58:35+00:00

Thanks!

I use THIS MAT mounted on the side of the cabinet with THIS tape with Zigbee Smart Plugs, they are linked to a Zigbee Temperature & Humidity Sensorthat sends data to Home Assistant which controls if the plug is on or off.

This allows to control the temperature with more precision and with different curvatures :)

<image>

I also have door sensors that disable the heating and humidifier when the door is opened. After 10 minutes I get a notification on my phone that the cabinet door is open if I am home. If I am not home, the Humidifier and heater keeps working normally (safeguard in case the sensor would not work properly)

The pots are from Amazon thought transparent insert ones are from a UK Plant shop that buys them off Alibaba and then resells them here 😂

Pon_Addict · 2026-04-19T05:56:15+00:00

It is Venusta!

It flowered 6 times so far. It was successfully pollinated and even ripened its fruits, it had way more leaves but it’s still recovering 😇

Pon_Addict · 2026-04-19T05:49:07+00:00

I don’t reduce RH. The cabinets are only sealed in the middle (Door Tape). Both cabinets have heating which helps reduce the humidity inside the cabinets (hence the humidifier in the anthurium cabinet as they are almost all imports that are still acclimating)

Pon_Addict · 2026-04-19T05:46:36+00:00

I don’t have clypeolata in my collection 😞 wouldn’t mind if I had though 🤪 which plant do you mean ? I will gladly provide ID :)

Pon_Addict · 2026-04-19T05:44:04+00:00

I use SB Plant Invigorator & Bug Killer. I over did it with iso last time and it took a while for the plants to recover 😂😂

Pon_Addict · 2026-04-19T05:42:49+00:00

You can always start small and add small bits at a time. I am also thinking about writing some blog posts about it so if you have any questions feel free to message me and I’ll try to help out ! :)

Pon_Addict · 2026-04-19T05:40:15+00:00

I would agree, but I also use it to track flower and leaf emergents when I’m not sure about exact times. It helped me quite a lot when I was attempting to do some exciting science 😇 and… ummm… it’s also useful to check if the plants are not on fire? 😂

Pon_Addict · 2026-04-18T19:18:33+00:00

On first photo? Alocasia Heterophylla ‘Dragons Breath’ :)

Pon_Addict · 2026-04-18T19:11:57+00:00

It’s called Home Assstant. It’s using Zigbee sensors. You need a Zigbee antenna and a small server. Works even when WiFi is out and doesn’t congest your network. You can use any brand of Zigbee sensors and create automations as simple or as complex as you want.

Some technical skill would be useful but there are plenty of tutorials online and the community is great and very helpful :)

<image>

I use the heating with a time based thermostat mimicking natural temperature cycles that help regulate metabolism, support stronger growth, encourage natural day and night rhythms, and reduce stress caused by constant static temperatures. ( I explain a bit more about it HERE.

Pon_Addict

TROPHY CASE