GH CocoTek bricks + Canna nutes... suitable?

[Boylobster]

Hey all! It's all-aboard for the Canna train, but unfortunately, my next batch is ready to go go go, and I can't get expanded coco bags locally.

The best coco I can obtain immediately (clones won't wait for shipping) is GH CocoTek pressed coir bricks. I've tested the EC on one of them previously, and it was ~.3, or 250ppm.

Do the experienced coco growers think this'll do for now, or am I endangering my next run by using this product? This'll be my first all-coco grow, and I wanna' do it right! :yes

Thankyouthankyou. :)

 

[ConceptOfSleep]

I use the CocoTek Bricks for my current run and they worked out fine... Mine came out a lil lower on the ppm scale, around 150ppm if I remember correctly. After a thorough flushing before using them, they worked out great.

There was only one gripe I had with them however... They advertize the bricks as expanding to about 2.5 gallons, but they really dont. They expand to about 2 gallons at the most and that ended up screwing me a bit when I started to transplant. Oh well, live and learn.

Oh also, are you using the Fine Coir Bricks or the Mixed brick which has chunks of coconut husk in it as well?? The fine coco has been better for starting seedling in my experience, and then after the first transplant the Mixed brick is the way to go. If you can only get the Mixed, try picking out some of the larger chunks so that the small roots dont have to do as mch work finding their way around them. I can also recommend mixing the Coco with perlite, maybe about 30% perlite. Just mix it in first, and then flush the Coco/Perlite mixture so that the perlite doesnt throw your pH off and you should be good to go.

Oh one more thing, don't wait too long to give the babies their first light feeding... I made this mistake being used to soil runs and not really feeding at all for the first 1-2 weeks and the seedlings suffered. Once they are up and running, I give em a full Lucas formula dose of nutes, and they LOVE it.

Good luck with your Coco adventures man, I am fairly positive you will love it

:cool

 

[Boylobster]

Thanks for the info, Concept. How much of a flushing do you think they need? You're looking to get the runoff ppm to... 0? I'll take your perlite recommendation as well.

Gha... I'm already spending far too much energy flushing my current harvest; I wish I could get some quality expanded coco.

Oh, I'll be starting from rooted clones, btw, not from seed. Perhaps that makes the early fertilization more important?

Anyone else have any wisdom to impart upon the eve of my maiden coco voyage? :) Oo! Hey, maybe I'll make a photolog! That'll be fun...

 

[ProGroWannabe]

Coco is wonderful. You should love it. And Concept has you headed in the right direction with his advice.

I'm growing in Botanicare's Ready-Gro Moisture Formula coco. It's good stuff too, but I would prefer it to have a little more coco and less perlite, personally. I think volume for volume there is way more perlite in this mix than there is coco. The 30% that was stated would be a great mix IMO.

 

[ConceptOfSleep]

Thanks for the info, Concept. How much of a flushing do you think they need? You're looking to get the runoff ppm to... 0? I'll take your perlite recommendation as well.

Gha... I'm already spending far too much energy flushing my current harvest; I wish I could get some quality expanded coco.

I would give them a normal flush... I usually give them 2x the volume of water as the volume of Coco (2 gallons of Coco needs 4 gallons of water)... I dont think you will ever get the ppm to 0, but the idea is just to flush out any of the salts out. It doesnt need to be an excessive flush, and the Coco will probably flush easier at the end of your grows than it is with soil since there wont be any nutrients in the medium to be leeched back into the plant as you flush them.

The CocoTek bricks are still great as far as I am concerened... There isn't an excessive amount of salt in it, but it is a bit of a pain to have to reconstitute the bricks. Speaking of which, when you do add the water to expand the bricks, be sure to use properly pHed water (I go with about 5.8), and that will start you on the right track when you go to flush them before planting your clones.

Oh, I'll be starting from rooted clones, btw, not from seed. Perhaps that makes the early fertilization more important?

Anyone else have any wisdom to impart upon the eve of my maiden coco voyage? :) Oo! Hey, maybe I'll make a photolog! That'll be fun...

Yes, if you are going to be running from clone, you should definitely begin feeding right away since there isn't anything for them to feed on in the coco if you give them plain water.

You should definitely start a grow log... Then it will be even easier to give you help should you run into any problems with your first Coco run... Its always easier to diagnose problems when there are pics.:yes

BTW, what strains will you be running?

Good luck man!

:cool

 

[Boylobster]

Good, good - I like to see agreement amongst those who know. My local vendor sells a few different pre-treated, expanded coco 50L bags (special order, that's why I need the bricks for now... :P), but they may not be able or willing to get Canna products. If the bricks are "good enough", I assume that Canna brand coco can't be *that* much more special than other pre-treated brands, right? Obviously, I'll have to work with whatever I can get, but...

Hey, here's a question: after expanding the brick coco, I was planning to flush with pH balanced hot water, but should I also use Clearex salt leaching formula?

As I said, I'd like to get this next run started properly, and since this is an new medium and new nute system to me, I'm feelin' particularly cautious...

 

[Boylobster]

Oop, sorry Concept; you posted whilst I was typing. I'll expand 'em with pH 5.8 agua, flush 'em with more pH balanced agua (Hot? Clearex?), and then give them a gentle watering with a *light* Canna Coco A + B solution (maybe, what... 300ppm?) just before I insert the clones. Sound like a plan?

And I'll be working with two strains - one called "God Bud", and another that's "SageSourDiesel" crossed with a local variety. The latter seems particularly hardy; its clones always root first (7 days! :surprised), and its flowering growth is compact and nuggy.

 

[Boylobster]

So... I've mentioned before that I have to haul my water, even for drinking... this makes heavy (or any) flushing a distinct pain in the ass. On Zoolander's coco thread, I saw that he gives his plants plain, balanced H20 with every third watering. Do you guys think that'll be sufficient to help minimize the need for flushing, assuming that I flush them well from the start? I'm really looking to reduce that necessity as much as possible, so any advice you have in that regard would be invaluable to me.

Thankyouthankyou! You guys are allowing me to proceed with much more confidence, and I really appreciate that! :handshake

 

[SmokinDogCujo]

Boylobster,

IMO, your need to flush will be dependent on your watering style. I water every day, with a 10-20% runoff and don't flush until the end. With this frequency of watering, the salts don't have a chance to build up because the medium is being flushed every day with fresh nutrients (in flower I water twice a day). If you allow the medium to become dryer between watering and and don't achieve a good flush with the watering you will need to flush to ensure you remove the excess salts. You'll probably use less water, and will definitely use less nutes with the less frequent watering and weekly flushing.

Grow Safe

SDC

 

[Dagga]

Its fine.....just flush first before use, and use warm water if possible.

 

[Dagga]

are you hand watering or on a table?

 

[Boylobster]

Hand watering, fo' sho'. However, since even the first flushing is undesirable 'cause I have to haul my water, I've been looking for a better local source of coco. A local vendor carries B'Cuzz brand 50L bags at a reasonable price, so I won't be needing the bricks... *whew*. :)

I plan to follow Zoolander's coco feeding schedule, giving them straight h20 every third watering in the hope that that practice will help me avoid the need to flush. Anybody grow in coco without ever flushing? I'd love to hear about it! :nod

 

[ProGroWannabe]

Yeah I toyed with that idea for a while lobster. You can definitely do it as long as you "fertigate" until the point of 10% run-off each and every time. I cannot advise against what Zoo does because he grows perfect plants. But if you are really considering no flush because of the watering situation you are in, the answer is yes you CAN do it.

 

[Boylobster]

You're a good man to set such a positive example, Pro! :) :yes I figured that it would work; my plan has been to fertilize a bit more lightly than is necessary, be attentive with the watering schedule so that most of the coco never dries completely, and make sure to give 'em plain water every third time.

It sounds good in theory; now it's all in the doing. Speaking of which, gotta' run and pick up my shiny new Canna nutes from the mail right now! :party I shall return. :)

 

[ProGroWannabe]

Thanks for the kind words man. I'm just trying to help out like folks have helped me.

Nothin like pickin up new grow supplies! We all hate to pay for em, but I'm always like a kid at Christmas time when I get em home. hehe

And yeah, as far as your plan goes, just let the tops stay light green so you know they're still a little bit hungry. But I really think you'll be just fine. Make it a point to inspect them closely as often as possible and before long you'll learn to understand what they're telling ya.

 

[Boylobster]

Yah, I'm hoping that's how it'll play out. :itwasntme And no worries 'bout the rest daaaawg... you've been a big help lately, among some notable others, and I really appreciate it. I only hope that I can have the same opportunity to contribute to someone else's success as well. Well, the grow log's comin' soon, so maybe that'll be a good start. :)

 

[pigfarmer]

I use the B'cuzz 50l straight outta the bag or with 30-40% perlite, love it long time. I do feedings every watering & never flush unless I have overfed & see burn. I do flush heavily for the last 15-20 days of flower.

The B'cuzz has a slight amount of establishing nutes added after it has been prerinsed & steamed.

I usually start clones out at 300-400PPM & build as I go.

 

[Boylobster]

Makin' me so holny, Mr. Pig! :D Never flush, huh? That's f'n :cash! Your pigtent thread is damn impressive, too - so I'll be particularly depressed if I manage to fuck up with B'Cuzz coco. :itwasntme

It appears as though the Magnesium supplement is going to be essential, huh? I just got my Canna Coco, Aqua Flores, and PK 13/14 in, and none of them are labeled as supplying *any* Mg. Their rep is such that I have no doubts, o'course...

Now I just need to sit on my green, itchy thumbs 'till the shop gets my coco in.

 

[Boylobster]

Just to note - obviously I'm not planning on using the Aqua Flores in the coco grow. That's for a hydro project. ...I know some of you were thinkin' it... :drunk

 

[pigfarmer]

I find Cal-mag to be a must when growing in coco with just about any nutrient line...

I use 5-10ml depending on strain every feeding until the last 15 days.

Good luck on your grow!