my coco is too dusty it seems like

[bornakang]

In hydrating and rinsing my coco bricks in prep, while trying to get rid of the small particles, I noticed, probably around 40% of it had gone through the strainer already and still more was on its way. It's Vivlly brand. Granted, I am using a strainer with somewhat big holes i guess, but even though getting double of what I thought I needed, I'm afraid if I let it all run through the strainer freely, I'll not even have enough left.

I had to order coco coir online and don't have any stores nearby that sell it. I want to make this work unless its guaranteed to lead me to ruin. If over half of the coco coir used (in a 65% coco 25% perlite 10% worm castings base) is just small particles instead of the bigger fibers resembling mulch is it likely this could still work with good care?

 

[jdog22]

i think your looking to hard into it, taking the smaller piece's out does it actrully do anything ?

i usually buy the bricks, soak them add a tiny bit of blood and bone, add 30% perlite small bit of root roids and its like god took a shit in a bucket.
i have heard alot about buffering the coco but you probably wont notice anything, ive never buffered coco and had amazing results still.

if your only using the small bits of coco add more perlite for air


those worm casting will work ablize though <3

 

[bornakang]

i think your looking to hard into it, taking the smaller piece's out does it actrully do anything ?

i usually buy the bricks, soak them add a tiny bit of blood and bone, add 30% perlite small bit of root roids and its like god took a shit in a bucket.
i have heard alot about buffering the coco but you probably wont notice anything, ive never buffered coco and had amazing results still.

if your only using the small bits of coco add more perlite for air


those worm casting will work ablize though <3

thanks. I want to do everything right my first time and saw online that optimally coco coir should have more big pieces than small particles, so honestly didn't know if it was super important or not. After I wrote this, re-reading it, I thought "damn, maybe I should add an edit asking if i'm worrying about basically a nonissue" lol because i thought it was pretty likely it doesn't matter a ton. thanks for the answer though, I'll get back to prepping it

 

[bornakang]

i have heard alot about buffering the coco but you probably wont notice anything, ive never buffered coco and had amazing results still.

damn. I got calmag specifically for this. I guess I'll still do it anyways since I bought it but I did wonder if it was really as important as ppl make it out to be or not

 

[jdog22]

its always good to have cal/mag though apprently coco drains your nutes of the small traces of cal/mag and a sup is needed, im not too experienced only have about 10 grows under my belt, people here who can give way better advice have 100grows under their belt. good luck my friend happy growing

 

[hoobastank_enthusiast]

Buffering is super important, especially using compressed bricks like you're using, but that process shouldn't be losing you any substantial amount of media, certainly not a double-digit percentage like you're talking. I'm looking at pictures of that brand now and it does seem a little bit finer than some others so if you're running it through something like a pasta strainer and right down the drain, I'd stop doing that. Soak it in calmag solution and then drain off the water without trying to get rid of the media. I like using a fabric planer pot, which works much like a coffee filter. The thing about bigger chunks of coco is that bigger chunks can leave more space for air within the media, so when you have a finer grind like this you just need to supplement it appropriately with something else that improves aeration, like perlite.

 

[bornakang]

Buffering is super important, especially using compressed bricks like you're using, but that process shouldn't be losing you any substantial amount of media, certainly not a double-digit percentage like you're talking. I'm looking at pictures of that brand now and it does seem a little bit finer than some others so if you're running it through something like a pasta strainer and right down the drain, I'd stop doing that. Soak it in calmag solution and then drain off the water without trying to get rid of the media. I like using a fabric planer pot, which works much like a coffee filter. The thing about bigger chunks of coco is that bigger chunks can leave more space for air within the media, so when you have a finer grind like this you just need to supplement it appropriately with something else that improves aeration, like perlite.

i buffered anyways like I said, but since a few people i talked to now said its not that necessary, I wasn't so eager about doing the 8+ hour double-buffering. I let 3/4 of the coco used soak in calmag for around 3 hours. then I let the rest soak in calmag for about an hour and mixed it all together.

I'd started to think buffering was like "letting the soil dry up so the roots move out" or adding vitamin b supplements, or any of those things growers recommend on the internet that actually end up being worthless and will probably get you laughed at by legit growers who aren't mindbroken by the internet. But i wasnt sure about it, so I still half assed a buffering.

 

[Tattooedchase]

i think your looking to hard into it, taking the smaller piece's out does it actrully do anything ?

i usually buy the bricks, soak them add a tiny bit of blood and bone, add 30% perlite small bit of root roids and its like god took a shit in a bucket.
i have heard alot about buffering the coco but you probably wont notice anything, ive never buffered coco and had amazing results still.

if your only using the small bits of coco add more perlite for air


those worm casting will work ablize though <3

I buy growers coco it's ready to go out the bag already buffered..and its 70/30 perlite hope this helps...

all you have to do is fertigate with nutrients and calmag...I use Megacrop and I get monster autos....it's the best and easiest coco I've gotten...no washing.

 

[hoobastank_enthusiast]

i buffered anyways like I said, but since a few people i talked to now said its not that necessary, I wasn't so eager about doing the 8+ hour double-buffering. I let 3/4 of the coco used soak in calmag for around 3 hours. then I let the rest soak in calmag for about an hour and mixed it all together.

I'd started to think buffering was like "letting the soil dry up so the roots move out" or adding vitamin b supplements, or any of those things growers recommend on the internet that actually end up being worthless and will probably get you laughed at by legit growers who aren't mindbroken by the internet. But i wasnt sure about it, so I still half assed a buffering.

It absolutely is not anything half-assed or worthless. If you're using a high-quality prebagged mix, then yes it is typically already buffered for you (the smart coco grower always checks with a slurry test regardless). You are not using a high-quality mix. Your grow will likely suffer if you skip buffering. Unfortunately, like listening to the masses, this is one of those things people usually have to learn by trial and subsequent error.