To trust or not to trust thy compressed Coco Brick?

[okcomputer42]

So I have a compressed brick of coco by General Hydroponics and Botanicare.. Do I flush the hell out of it with hot tap water or just saturate it to full expansion with ph'd R/O water?

Thoughts, opinions, and suggestions fully welcomed.

Peace and love,
OK

 

[Seamaiden]

I've only used the Botanicare bales, and I just charge them up right out of the gate. I've never used hot water before, but had problems with this last bale and I believe it may have been because it was so COLD when I did it, so might try warm/hot water next time.

Also, I don't just pH the RO (or rain) water, I charge it with Ca/Mg & mild veg nutes. Lots of Ca/Mg, not lots of nutes, maybe 1300-1500uS.

 

[okcomputer42]

I've only used the Botanicare bales, and I just charge them up right out of the gate. I've never used hot water before, but had problems with this last bale and I believe it may have been because it was so COLD when I did it, so might try warm/hot water next time.

Also, I don't just pH the RO (or rain) water, I charge it with Ca/Mg & mild veg nutes. Lots of Ca/Mg, not lots of nutes, maybe 1300-1500uS.

Thanks so much, Seamaiden. The only reason I mentioned hot tap water is because I read somewhere that it helps to break up and release the salt build up if there is any contained within the brick. After flushing with hot water I would want to charge it with 5.8 ph, 1/4-1/2 strength veg nute and cal/mag charged r/o water to make it a "ready to use for planting" coco. You think that sounds about right? Keep in mind I have no experience w coco, only soil, but I've read a ton about coco and I feel I'm ready to take it on.

Since we're on the charging topic....
I've read somewhere about using 1-2 tbsp of pelletized dolomite lime to every one gallon of dried coco to combat the calcium def in coco, but have never tried this. I'm guessing you could add 1-2 tbsp of epsom salts to help balance out the mag too, but I haven't tried this either. Does anyone have any thoughts on this dry charging approach?

Peace and love,
OK

 

[Str8Dank]

i just started using coco for the first time and i'm using a sunleaves compressed brick. i put the brick that is to expand to 1/3 cu ft. into a 5 gal bucket with water and added way more water then needed. the next day i drained the water and filled a 2 gal bag with the coco and put it under the sink and let it run for like 10 minutes at a rate where it never overflowed the top but kept a nice constant stream out of the drain holes in the bottom.

idk if i did it right or not but i have a Chemdog D that was in a soiless dixie cup that i dunked in water and removed 90% of the soiless from in this coco pot now and 4 days later she still looks good and the Chemdog D is one picky bitch. i'm switching to canna loose coco for my full run of coco i cant find B'Cuzz locally but it's supposed to be the best.

i'll post back if this crap brand kills off or causes any issues. wish me luck sending the same vibes back to you!

 

[okcomputer42]

Anybody have any other opinions/suggestions on the brick expansion process?

Peace and love,
OK

 

[SmokinDogCujo]

I expand the bale of Botanicare with a 5 gallon bucket of water. If I'm planting seeds or clones I flush the pots under the faucet in the kitchen sink. If clones, once they've been transplanted I flush with nutes ph'd at 5.8. If seeds, I do one final flush of Florolicious Plus and RO water ph'd to 5.8 and then plant the seeds!

If I'm transplanting up to my 2 gallon perfect pots, I put my drippers in my pots and run about 30 gallons of ph'd RO through the drippers, transplant, and then run nutes ph'd to 5.8 until I get a fair amount of run off!

 

[okcomputer42]

I expand the bale of Botanicare with a 5 gallon bucket of water. If I'm planting seeds or clones I flush the pots under the faucet in the kitchen sink. If clones, once they've been transplanted I flush with nutes ph'd at 5.8. If seeds, I do one final flush of Florolicious Plus and RO water ph'd to 5.8 and then plant the seeds!

If I'm transplanting up to my 2 gallon perfect pots, I put my drippers in my pots and run about 30 gallons of ph'd RO through the drippers, transplant, and then run nutes ph'd to 5.8 until I get a fair amount of run off!

Thanks for the response. So what your saying is you expand the coco with 5 gals of water, then flush after you fill the pots with just coco, add clones then flush or give good run off with ph'd nutes. Nice! I like that. Thanks!

Peace and love,
OK

 

[joeca1i]

nutrifield, for the mega brick,canna for the loose.Espoma gots the best lime.

 

[Smitty Sam]

You can get a microscope (trich viewer) and check out the dried brick. If it sparkles at you, you need to flush the shit out of it. If no sparkle, your good to go.

 

[squarepusher]

Thanks so much, Seamaiden. The only reason I mentioned hot tap water is because I read somewhere that it helps to break up and release the salt build up if there is any contained within the brick. After flushing with hot water I would want to charge it with 5.8 ph, 1/4-1/2 strength veg nute and cal/mag charged r/o water to make it a "ready to use for planting" coco. You think that sounds about right? Keep in mind I have no experience w coco, only soil, but I've read a ton about coco and I feel I'm ready to take it on.

Since we're on the charging topic....
I've read somewhere about using 1-2 tbsp of pelletized dolomite lime to every one gallon of dried coco to combat the calcium def in coco, but have never tried this. I'm guessing you could add 1-2 tbsp of epsom salts to help balance out the mag too, but I haven't tried this either. Does anyone have any thoughts on this dry charging approach?

Peace and love,
OK

"commercial" Cal Mag, is essentially Magnesium Sulfate as Epsom Salts (for magnesium), Calcium Nitrate (for Calcium and nitrate nitrogen) in about 1:1 ratio. Additionally, many of them contain iron and trace nutrients.

So, yes is the answer imo to your question about Epsom. Haven't used dolomite before but may work also.

 

[th3b12ain]

I would just flush the crap out of it with tap water and then add your nutes.

 

[Seamaiden]

"commercial" Cal Mag, is essentially Magnesium Sulfate as Epsom Salts (for magnesium), Calcium Nitrate (for Calcium and nitrate nitrogen) in about 1:1 ratio. Additionally, many of them contain iron and trace nutrients.

So, yes is the answer imo to your question about Epsom. Haven't used dolomite before but may work also.

Aye, this is my assessment as well. I have used dolomitic lime, but it's not a quick delivery, requires a little break down time, couple weeks at least. Others say a month, but I've done my own experiments that show that it does go into solution (if using low hardness/TDS water, especially if it's a lower pH) in a few minutes of agitation. For coco it's just too difficult to gauge dosage, so I use other products to supply those minerals.

One thing also to watch out for with dolomite is that it can act like hard water in the coco, not a good thing, difficult to undo.

 

[Buddy Flowers]

wow, coco bricks sound like a huge pain in the ass.

 

[Seamaiden]

Not really, once you understand what you're doing with them. They need to be expanded, you can just add water or you can do the charge at the same time. You have to be sure to use plenty of additional Cal-Mag because of the way coco gloms onto those molecules, and you have to go low on the potassium because it already has so much in it.

But, compare it to preparing a well-amended organic soil, and I can guarantee you that it's neither more trouble nor more complex than doing that.

 

[okcomputer42]

Thanks for all your responses fellow farmers! You've really helped to shed light on the subject. With better safe than sorry in mind, I'm thinking I should just flush the hell out of it for peace of mind. I mean it can't hurt, right?


Peace and love,
OK

 

[Seamaiden]

Won't hurt, nope.

 

[Str8Dank]

You can get a microscope (trich viewer) and check out the dried brick. If it sparkles at you, you need to flush the shit out of it. If no sparkle, your good to go.

what causes the sparkles?

 

[Seamaiden]

I'm gonna guess salt crystals or other mineralization.

 

[altitudefarmer]

Stripper dust. :)

 

[crom]

Stripper dust. :)

LMFAO AF you silly *Itch lol!

Great thread Farmers! I used Roots Organic coco for awhile and got good results, no issues. I now use the Sunshine Advanced mix #4. I can't really give an assessment on this product just yet. Anyone use these brands? Thoughts?

I am curious what the side by side of the mixes would be like? I have tried the Bontanicare and didn't really dig it, straight at least. It was the type with the fine wet coffee grounds looking coco. I had to get it cause my shop was out of my regular stuff. Anyway does anyone prefer the "straight", amended w/ nutes, coco sans perlite or other aerating? What feed method are you using if so, drip? Sorry :joint:

Cheers,
Crom