Coco: Minimum Set Up?

  • Thread starter Ulysses
  • Start date
  • Tagged users None
U

Ulysses

50
0
I'd like to do a coco run with some Blueberry and Flo.

I need to keep the entire grow low tech, low cost, and easy enough so a noob could care for it if I am away...

Basically, I want to fill a large rubbermaid with 24oz. cups with a coco, EWC, and lime mix and plop an 8 bulb fluorescent on top...

I'll be selecting the best of the lot and moving them to another location for flowering...

How critical is the brand of coco? Do I really need nutes for veg? Can I pull it off without a pH pen? Any wisdom appreciated...
 
Z

Zoolander

Premium Member
Supporter
1,686
63
I think the brand matters but all the top names are fine and yes you need nutes fo sho in veg . If you know your water and it's ph you may not need a pen .
 
T

tngreen

283
43
ive used Botanicare coco for awhile with great results and is very easily reused. i haven't ever had a ph pen, only used the drops and haven't had any problems. i am on a budget as well and an $80 ph pen just didn't fit and the $15 dropper with ph up and down was a better buy for me. i also use PBP nutes which has ph buffer so that helps. Can't go wrong with coco, so easy to use with fantastic results.
 
S

Steve Zissou

Guest
id go with botanicare brand coco. i bought a 15 gallon smart pot (heavy duty material woven into a planting container) and put a 5kg brick inside it and put it in the shower to wash the possible salt buildup out. make sure u keep it watered, u cant treat it like soil and let it dry out, if you do youll be getting some nutrient lockout and other problems. i wouldnt add any lime to my mixture, i have never had to do it. coco is kinda picky, and i go by the less is more theory. i use house and garden aquaflakes nutes, but ive seen and tasted great results from just using the GH micro and bloom formula by Gr3atfulh3ad.

id use the earthworm castings for veg only and run straight coco in flower....ditch the rubbermaids and get 2 7 gallon or 10 gallon smart pots.
 
P

pawpaw

Premium Member
Supporter
9
1
remember the coco medium doesn't contain any nutrients at all, so you would need to add some for yourself. And when growing hydro pH is important, as the pH determines the uptakes of the nutrients.

that being said you can still grow lowtech coco, it just call for the demand that you know your nutrients and additives well. For example I use AN, and GHE pH down. of the pH down I use about 1 mL per. litre of tap water. This takes me to pH 6.0, but it will vary with your water quality.

in my experience brand coco doesn't really matter, its all coco coir or flakes. its a matter of preference.

I have seen several lowtech coco grows with a passive wig to let them suck on water themselves.

simplicity is king.
 
U

Ulysses

50
0
Thanks for the input...

I've decided on the 5kg Botanicare blocks and CNS Bloom thus far...

Just to make things clear, I will use the 24oz party cups filled with coco with drains cut in with a soldering iron. I want to contain the cups in the Rubbermaid for stealth and ease of transport if necessary...

I want to be able to pour water and nutes in the Rubbermaid and the cups will naturally wick up the liquid- the excess will be drained... The plants stay in the cups until selections and sexing is complete.

Will Liquid Karma get me through a month of veg??? Anyone use Bloom nutes for veg? Can I test my water with a paper pH strip or am I looking for other dissolved solids when you say 'testing water'?

Any additional wisdom would be appreciated...
 
Greyskull

Greyskull

484
43
ALoha Ulysses!
Coco is the poop and I am sure you will like it.
You will be surprised at how big the plants will get in those little cups.
Coco is very absorbant - your wick idea should work wonderfully.
IMO LK ins't a complete enough nutient(its an additive) to soley feed your girls in veg, but I am sure mixed with tap water will be just fine. I still suggest springing the extra $20 for the L of veg food... it'll last you a year the way you are talking about growing. AND YOUR RESULTING FLOWERS WILL BE MUCH MORE THAN $20 BETTER

PH strips/limus strips are the best! Cheap and reliable ph testing. You want those, for sure.
 
Top Bottom