Coco grow media

[NrthrnMichigan]

I used this on my first coco run with great results

so I bought another bag!

 

[tyke1973]

Yea it is xtsho,60/40.The thing with using Coco is you need to make sure that the roots can get a bit of air ,I use two methods of doing this ,buy coco with clay balls in it,also air ring in the bottom of each pot .

 

[Smok3yMcChok3y]

Aight so really you drain to 20% runoff like 5 times a day? Even with only.2 5 gallon pots that's 10 gallons waste water a day? I mean shit my wife was griping about the ro unit no way she let's me throw out 70 gallons a week. Not to mention that doubles the cost in nutes of my 4 site rdwc. Where is the benefit outside of drip rings are kinda easy?

 

[MickFoster]

Aight so really you drain to 20% runoff like 5 times a day? Even with only.2 5 gallon pots that's 10 gallons waste water a day? I mean shit my wife was griping about the ro unit no way she let's me throw out 70 gallons a week. Not to mention that doubles the cost in nutes of my 4 site rdwc. Where is the benefit outside of drip rings are kinda easy?

If you feed 5 times a day, it would require a lot less each feed to achieve the 20% run off target. You're not going to feed a gallon each feeding.

 

[Smok3yMcChok3y]

If you feed 5 times a day, it would require a lot less each feed to achieve the 20% run off target. You're not going to feed a gallon each feeding.

So you're not saying to runoff to 20% of container volume?

 

[Smok3yMcChok3y]

I'm not terribly concerned with having a 75.gallon res for a week. I am however not too pleased if 70 of those gallons are to be runoff

 

[Smok3yMcChok3y]

If you feed 5 times a day, it would require a lot less each feed to achieve the 20% run off target. You're not going to feed a gallon each feeding.

Or do you mean to fed until 20% of your feed volume is runoff. For instance if I mix a gallon to feed about a quart should come out?

 

[smokebros]

Or in my case let you air out your water pruned toes. With a 70/30 mix of coco perlite about how often would you all recommend watering? Or.better yet are there any threads you all learned from that I should look into?

I have a grow journal in my signature that I think may be helpful. I'm running a drain to waste style coco grow using 10 gallon smart pots. I've dialed it in to watering 2 gallons of water per plant every other day. Obviously my environment conditions likely differ from yours, but it should give you a general idea. I water to run off everytime.

After my current grow is complete I'll be switching to a Flood & Drain style using Canna Coco A&B nutrients and plain coco in 3 gallon pots., layering 2-3'' of hydroton on the bottom so coco doesn't flood everywhere.

The drain to waste style I currently do of every other day waterings is kind of a hassle. There's definitely other options out there like Blumats which have shown great results. They are ceramic carrot shaped inserts that keep the coco constantly moist... and once dialed in it's basically on autopilot as long as the res is filled.

Coco is extremely versatile and fairly simple. The biggest challenge I had (when switching from soil to coco) was getting used to the fact that I couldn't go as long between watering. I was used to watering every 3-4 days with soil, with coco that's a big no no. After a couple weeks of learning first hand, eventually I got it down and it's been really simple ever since... just a bit laborious.

 

[smokebros]

Or do you mean to fed until 20% of your feed volume is runoff. For instance if I mix a gallon to feed about a quart should come out?

Correct.

When you're watering (drain to waste style) in coco, the reason you want runoff is because it helps prevent salt buildups. If you water the plant and don't achieve runoff, then all those salts from the nutrients aren't going to escape the container and just sit there. Eventually the excess salt buildups are going to "fuck up" the rhizosphere and you wont be a happy camper.

 

[Smok3yMcChok3y]

Right got ya. I had just assumed when people said to 20 percent they leant container volume