Coco Ph

[artcore]

I have read that growing in coco is almost the same as hydro and I will try it next run

My tap water has ph 8.2 and 240ppm, in my early grows (soil) ph'ed water to 6.5 and had several problems all related with ph lockout, if the ideal ph for coco is 5.5/6.2... will not have ph lockouts by having to ph'ed my tap water to 5.8?

 

[jimmy the hat]

I run my coco at 5.8-6.0....no lockout issues..watering to runoff.

 

[artcore]

which is the initial ph of your water?... I use phosphoric acid for ph down

 

[tobh]

I ph to anywhere between 5.5 and 6.0. Noticed in early veg 5.5 seems to instigate more rapid growth, taper up to 5.9-6.0 once flower hits though.

After my nutes are added the pH is around 5.2-5.3, use baking soda to bring it up to my desired range. Starting ppm is around 35 but I use the condensate from the refrigerated air unit. With tap I used citric acid for pH down, normally starting around 7.8. Initial ppm on tap is 250+ depending if it rained.

If you can get access to RO, then do it. Tap will just make it more difficult imo. Though it does save on the cal-mag supplement issue.

 

[artcore]

RO system is in my must have list and have been to buy one on ebay but is better to invest in a system with more quality but they are expensive.

I will test 2 plants in coco with bottled water, is cheap and I can buy it with the ideal ph, I use biobizz nuts so I'm used to give cal/mag supplements.

Can I use biobizz nuts growing in coco? (fishmix+biobloom)

 

[tobh]

Definitely. Coco is very versatile and will perform well with any nutrient regimen. Just make sure you never feed straight water. Always give at least 1/4 strength nutrient solutions or you'll shock the rhizosphere, potentially killing your plants.

 

[Rootbound]

Coco loves calmag.

 

[artcore]

Just make sure you never feed straight water. Always give at least 1/4 strength nutrient solutions or you'll shock the rhizosphere, potentially killing your plants.

Good to know ;)... and about pot size?... same thing as soil?

I have read some guides and all say it is necessary to flush coco coir every 4 weeks or so... I do scrog and do not need to flush... flush every 4 weeks in a scrog is complicated...

Do I really need to flush coco coir every 4 weeks?

 

[tobh]

With soil you don't flush. No point if you've done things the way you're supposed to with soil and kept it organic.

With coco, some flush every four weeks. I don't personally as I keep track of my run off EC and make sure I don't develop any salt build up. The guys that are doing flushes like that are the guys that are feeding heavily and not watering to runoff every time. To combat salt build up, I make sure to get 15-20% runoff and check it every time. This gives you a constant idea of what's going on in your medium so you can feed accordingly.

If runoff is coming out higher than you would like, feed light with some extra runoff. Lower than you'd like, feed heavy with normal runoff. You can also float back and forth between 5.5 and 6.0 pH, just do it gradually. This will optimize maximum nutrient uptake and provide your plants a means of grabbing everything they want. In flower I stay at the higher range as closer to 5.5 you make N more available. 5.8 to 6.0 is optimum during flower.

 

[artcore]

With soil I always get 30% runoff and I leave the pot for half an hour in the runoff water so the center of the root mass will be as saturated as the remaining soil.

I already have a good pH and a PPM meter that to use with soil are not necessary (hydro stores just want to sell, bastards), at least, growing in coco will be able to give them a good use :)

I have seen that there is no consensus on the water cycles, there are those who keep the coco coir always moist and those who leave the coco dry... what is the best option?

 

[Rootbound]

As tobh said, flushing is for those that overfeed. I am like tobh, i monitor my runoff and adjust up or down according to the runoff readings.

 

[tobh]

Coco should never be left to dry. That increases the salt content in the medium and you want to avoid that. For best results in coco, multiple feedings throughout the day is best. This ensures fresh oxygen is constantly available to the roots, salt build up is kept at a minimum and things don't get out of hand. Hand watering multiple times a day is a pita if you have more than a few plants but the results show worth it in the end.

 

[artcore]

I'm fascinated with the hydro buds but hydro with organic nuts is complicated so never tried. The idea that growing in coco is the same as hydro pleases me and I can do it with organic nuts, just hope to get big fat colas with coco ;)

What is the best option to clone in coco?

I use jiffy-7 (peat) to clone and I'm thinking of buying coco jiffys, read somewhere that is faster to clone in coco, my idea was to use coco to clone even for soil.

Makes sense, salts only crystallize when begin to dry, multiple feedings throughout the day wash the salts before crystallizing.

 

[tobh]

Straight coco, only method for cloning I'll use anymore. 100% success rates, every time. No dome, no trying to keep humidity or temp right. Just cut, dip in some rooting powder and put in the coco. 7-10 days later you have roots.

Coco is capable of producing close to the results of hydro without all the complicated variables one needs to maintain. And it works for organics just as well as soil does, just has to be treated as such. I've never ran organics in coco simply because ime organics = bugs. I don't like bugs lol

 

[artcore]

Two weeks ago I spend money in a heated dome, I live in a low humidity area 40/60% RH (winter), also did my first clones, 13 day to root with zip lock bags but it was not easy to keep humidity so I bought the dome.

ok, so no dome, no trying to keep humidity or temp right but if I use a dome and keep good humidity will not have faster results?

The first time I used soil 100% organic caught my first plague, fungus gnat, already was on the soil when I bought it... in 18 months using organic nuts only I had one bug problem and paid for it lol, 50 liters organic soil 18€ when normally I use cheap soil, 3€ 50 liters.

 

[tobh]

I clone with no dome in an environment that averages <30% RH in coco. No issues what so ever. Imo a dome just adds to the potential of damping off. If a clone is gonna die on me, I rather it die from getting too dry than it dying from being too humid. Also helps to not deal with the transition of environment from being in 90% humidity to ~50% humidity. No hardening off period. Imo they throw roots faster without a dome because they realize they're losing water, quickly. So if they want to survive they better get some roots down, or die. Survival of the fittest is my logic here.

 

[artcore]

Probably will try both ways to see how I have better results, my next run is the first from clones and I'll do some tests... coco coir, no veg time, 1 week veg, 2 weeks veg, different amounts of soil... I want to find out what is the best option for a prepetual sog under my conditions.

Do u mix any perlite with the coco coir?

 

[tobh]

Nope, no perlite in my coco. I feel it drains well enough though not all coco is created equal. I've read of some packing down pretty hard in which case you'll want something like perlite in it. Others go with chips because they don't compact at all and provide more air space for the roots. It's all personal preference, definitely experiment and find out what works best for you.

 

[cocoJoe]

Nope, no perlite in my coco. I feel it drains well enough though not all coco is created equal.

Hi fellow fellows,,
No perlite here either.. I have used it in 50/50 ,, 75/25 ratios,, now 100% coco.. As said all coco is not created equal.. I am using three grades in 3 layers.. Rough and chunky on the bottom and the lightest on top.. PH is between 5.7 and 6.3.. I let it vary..
This is working well for me.. My coco is well rinsed and I do finish them with a commercial organic tea.. FF Big Bloom for one week,, then water for a week..

Peace,,
cocoJoe

 

[artcore]

and transplants? ... is required as in soil?... transplants with 3 layers should not be easy... with soil the more transplants I do before flowering more I harvest