The Athena Pro Line Core is the foundation of Athena's Pro Line: calcium nitrate with a full package of chelated micronutrients, used every week alongside Pro Line Grow in veg or Pro Line Bloom in flower. It supplies the nitrogen, calcium and trace elements the other two parts deliberately leave out, so the Pro Line only ever needs two powders in the tank at once.
The part that runs all cycle
Core provides strong baseline nutrition across every stage. Nitrogen for chlorophyll and amino acids, calcium to build cell structure, and chelated iron, manganese, copper, zinc, boron and molybdenum to keep photosynthesis and enzyme activity running. Calcium nitrate can't share a concentrate with the phosphates and sulfates in Grow and Bloom without reacting, which is why Core is its own part.
Simple ratio, measured by weight
Use Core at 60% of the weight of your Grow or Bloom: 0.6 g of Core for every 1 g of Pro Line Grow or Pro Line Bloom. Dissolve each into its own stock concentrate — Athena recommends 2 lb per US gallon (about 240 g per litre), never more than 2.5 lb per gallon — and dose both to your target EC. Measure by weight, never by volume, and never combine powders or concentrates before they reach the water.
For the final 3 weeks of flower, Athena's procedure swaps Core for Pro Line Fade, removing nitrogen while keeping calcium and micros in the feed.
Full specifications
| Manufacturer | Athena (Los Angeles, USA) |
| Line | Pro Line — constant EC |
| Type | Dry, fully soluble fertiliser |
| N-P-K | 14-0-0, with calcium |
| Ingredients | Calcium nitrate, iron EDTA, manganese EDTA, copper EDTA, zinc EDTA, boric acid, sodium molybdate |
| Stage | Veg and flower — replaced by Pro Line Fade for the final 3 weeks |
| Mix ratio | 0.6 g Pro Line Core : 1 g Pro Line Grow or Bloom (by weight) |
| Stock concentrate | 2 lb per US gal (≈240 g/L) recommended; 2.5 lb per US gal (≈300 g/L) maximum |
| Dosing guides | Pro Line dosage guidelines (PDF) · Pro Line liquid mix chart (PDF) |
| Sizes | 4.53 kg (10 lb) box with 5 inner pouches · 11.34 kg (25 lb) box with 5 inner pouches |
| Compatibility | Stock tanks and all dosing systems, including Dosatron and Netafim |
FAQ
Do I need Core if I already have Grow and Bloom?
Yes. Grow and Bloom contain almost no nitrogen and no calcium — Core supplies both, plus the trace elements. Without it the recipe is incomplete.
Why do I use less Core than Grow or Bloom?
The ratio is set by Athena to balance the full recipe. At 0.6 : 1 by weight, Core supplies the nitrogen and calcium the plant needs against the phosphorus and potassium from Grow or Bloom.
How much Core will I use compared with Grow and Bloom?
Core runs all cycle at 60% of whatever it is paired with, so over a full run you use roughly 0.6 kg of Core for every 1 kg of Grow and Bloom combined.
Can I use it in DWC?
Athena publishes no DWC procedure for the Pro Line. For deep water culture, use the Blended Line instead.
Can I mix Core with the Blended Line?
No. Core is designed for the Pro Line recipe only. Blended and Pro are separate systems.
