Why Coco Is Hydro And Soil Isn't?

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bibiking

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Hi guys,
after years of hydro failures, I've decided to go back to growing in soil.
my question is - do I need to consider my soil as hydro?
what is the big difference between coco and soil, if this is how I grow my pot:

I use soil with no fertilezer
I use only GHE nutes (which are not organic, of course)
I use only rain water
I give my plant 6.0 PH, and 300-800 PPM (depending on its size)
I always give 25% run-off when watering, and if the run-off's PPM is to high, I flush the soil
I disinfect the roots by adding small dozes of H2O2 to the water (so I kill any organic matter)
I give it high quality light, and 26 degrees celzius at light time and 16 when dark

so, can I consider it Hydro in soil?
 
Enforcer

Enforcer

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From my understanding,

Soil= organic medium that is fortified with nutrients.

Hydro= soilless medium (coco, peat, rockwool, etc) that doesn’t contain any nutrients and it must be added to the water by the grower.

There isn’t nutrientless soil. What type of medium do you mean when you say you’re switching back to soil?
 
B

bibiking

65
18
From my understanding,

Soil= organic medium that is fortified with nutrients.

Hydro= soilless medium (coco, peat, rockwool, etc) that doesn’t contain any nutrients and it must be added to the water by the grower.

There isn’t nutrientless soil. What type of medium do you mean when you say you’re switching back to soil?


Thank you
I do have soil which is not fertilized. it is 33%coco, 33%perlite, 33%soil
I don't have more information, but it say soil
 
OldManRiver

OldManRiver

1,390
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If what you are doing isn't working in hydro, why wouldn't you try to fix that, as opposed to trying to use a non-working regime in a medium that it isn't designed for? That's going to be a challenge, and noone will be able to help, because none of us do it that way.

If you want to grow soil, you'll get best results if you follow tried and true approaches. Same with hydro. Get a technique working well before you try to invent.

Dunno how big you are trying to grow, but I get excellent results using the RDWC hydro approach found at www.growweedeasy.com. Simple, cheap, effective. They also have good entry level advice for soil.
 
JWM2

JWM2

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Supporter
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I’d pull up a chair and read, read, read and then read some more. Just when you think you know what to do, fight the urge and read some more.

This forum is a great place to gather all the info you need. There’s plenty of guides compete with pics and current info. Everything from cracking seeds to post processing is here in every consumable format imaginable.

First of all stop trying to grow at an expert level. Start simple and work your way up. Don’t get fancy thinking this or that will make things better, they rarely if ever do. They usually just mess things up and make you chase your tail.

I wonder how many hydro store workers snicker after selling someone a boat load of crap knowing that in a week they’ll be back to buy a boatload of more crap they don’t need trying to fix the problems from the first boatload of crap?
 
F

FutureGrower

606
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I wonder how many hydro store workers snicker after selling someone a boat load of crap knowing that in a week they’ll be back to buy a boatload of more crap they don’t need trying to fix the problems from the first boatload of crap?

When they sell you the problem they only have the solution for lol.
 
B

bibiking

65
18
Thank you all for your kindness and your helpful advice :)
I am just trying to have 1 pot to smoke, me and my wife. that's it.
I read a lot during the last 3 years, but I kept failing. (seriously, I am a good reader and I know how to follow procedures).
the problem is that most information is not aimed for growers like me.
I return to soil because I think that would be the best way for beginners. it was only in this forum that I read that it takes years of practice before you move on to Hydro. that advice changed everything for me.
so I thought to grow "hydro" in soil, because it is a good practice for me to continue to Hydro in the future. am I wrong?

anyway, what would be your advice?

for a smart reader, who have good hands to build anything he needs, but want just a simple way to grow 1 pot at a time. I only need 10 Grams a month, so what is the easiest way to achive this modest goal?

thank you all again for your good help
 
SoLowDolo

SoLowDolo

1,251
263
Thank you all for your kindness and your helpful advice :)
I am just trying to have 1 pot to smoke, me and my wife. that's it.
I read a lot during the last 3 years, but I kept failing. (seriously, I am a good reader and I know how to follow procedures).
the problem is that most information is not aimed for growers like me.
I return to soil because I think that would be the best way for beginners. it was only in this forum that I read that it takes years of practice before you move on to Hydro. that advice changed everything for me.
so I thought to grow "hydro" in soil, because it is a good practice for me to continue to Hydro in the future. am I wrong?

anyway, what would be your advice?

for a smart reader, who have good hands to build anything he needs, but want just a simple way to grow 1 pot at a time. I only need 10 Grams a month, so what is the easiest way to achive this modest goal?

thank you all again for your good help
There is a reason people "grow hydro" in hydro, and "grow soil" in soil. The plants need a different pH in soil than in hydro. I don't know the details, but there is science behind it, and you can't change that. So if you're in soil, follow the proper pH and watering procedures for soil, or you are bound to fail. And since you need such a small amount each month, I really see no need for you to even learn hydro. But if you really wanna do hydro that bad, just buy yourself a single dwc bucket.
 
F

FutureGrower

606
93
Thank you all for your kindness and your helpful advice :)
I am just trying to have 1 pot to smoke, me and my wife. that's it.
I read a lot during the last 3 years, but I kept failing. (seriously, I am a good reader and I know how to follow procedures).
the problem is that most information is not aimed for growers like me.
I return to soil because I think that would be the best way for beginners. it was only in this forum that I read that it takes years of practice before you move on to Hydro. that advice changed everything for me.
so I thought to grow "hydro" in soil, because it is a good practice for me to continue to Hydro in the future. am I wrong?

anyway, what would be your advice?

for a smart reader, who have good hands to build anything he needs, but want just a simple way to grow 1 pot at a time. I only need 10 Grams a month, so what is the easiest way to achive this modest goal?

thank you all again for your good help


So here, i'll give you the simplest way to grow on earth that i've ever heard of. I hope moderators don't get mad but google mofo's notil revisited. literally do that. if you have the coin especially since it's only one plant you're looking into i would definitely pickup a blumat watering system so you really don't have much to go.

when you start off seedlings start in 40% worm castings and 60% peat moss in a solo cup and water 2-3times daily. honestly you can probably stay pretty ignorant of the process with organics and still grow some decent bud. my first ever cycle turned out fantastic, i'm only on my 4th cycle my 2nd and 3rd were a little rocky, but i changed a bunch of stuff that i shouldn't have! this cycle seems to be going great.

10 grams a month isn't much, but weed isn't all the same so i'm sure they'll be moments where you want something completely different than what you're growing.

one last thing i would say, i would never ever push somebody away from growing, but if you know a dealer i would have to imagine it would be drastically cheaper to just purchase your cannabis. Over here we have dispensaries i'm assuming you aren't in a legal state though.

1/3 ounce a month seems so nice, i smoke more than that daily at times! kinda jealous kinda not lol

if you've struggled growing for a year and still cannot figure it out, stay away from any nutrient program. I know nothing but the absolute basics of NPK (nutrient gardening) trying to learn but no real reason for me to lol
 
Enforcer

Enforcer

2,008
263
Thank you all for your kindness and your helpful advice :)
I am just trying to have 1 pot to smoke, me and my wife. that's it.
I read a lot during the last 3 years, but I kept failing. (seriously, I am a good reader and I know how to follow procedures).
the problem is that most information is not aimed for growers like me.
I return to soil because I think that would be the best way for beginners. it was only in this forum that I read that it takes years of practice before you move on to Hydro. that advice changed everything for me.
so I thought to grow "hydro" in soil, because it is a good practice for me to continue to Hydro in the future. am I wrong?

anyway, what would be your advice?

for a smart reader, who have good hands to build anything he needs, but want just a simple way to grow 1 pot at a time. I only need 10 Grams a month, so what is the easiest way to achive this modest goal?

thank you all again for your good help
I respect your drive to succeed. Sometimes this growing business doesn’t work out so well. Forgive me if I sound crass but the “soil” you have is basically dirty coco. Trying to water it like coco should be watered will cause problems with the soil component, and watering it like soil should be will have problems with the coco component. Like @SoLowDolo said, soil and coco have different pH requirements. Mixing the mediums together would just be a mess IMO. I would suggest planting in soil like FoxFarms Ocean Forest or Happy Frog for the small amount you need. You would only need to water every few days when they get light and wouldn’t need added nutes until later in bloom.

I grow in coco and it’s a bit more technical and a little more money to set up. But very doable even for a novice. Basically what I’m saying is soil and coco are two completely different animals and require different approaches to the growing itself to be successful.
 
F

FutureGrower

606
93
oh. one last thing. i'm kinda like you when i came on here i was a lost damn sheep. @Ecompost @Organikz and some others that aren't even here anymore lead me towards growing organically.

i can honestly say i would've given up and stopped if it wasn't for them, now it's becoming a genuine hobby. it's the easiest way to grow by far, if you do it right it's probably the cheapest way to grow also, but people who mix their own salt based nutrients may disagree and they might be right!

best of luck
 
elcolombiano

elcolombiano

70
18
Thank you all for your kindness and your helpful advice :)
I am just trying to have 1 pot to smoke, me and my wife. that's it.
I read a lot during the last 3 years, but I kept failing. (seriously, I am a good reader and I know how to follow procedures).
the problem is that most information is not aimed for growers like me.
....

hmmmm.... did you also try hempy buckets???? try the perlite version first... or perlite/vermiculite version... both would work great with what you have as nutes and should work for what you need, just make sure to rinse out the perlite well before using it and Ph everything you put in.

I think hempy buckets method is one of the best ways to get into hydro...
 
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elcolombiano

elcolombiano

70
18
Hi guys,
after years of hydro failures, I've decided to go back to growing in soil.
my question is - do I need to consider my soil as hydro?
what is the big difference between coco and soil, if this is how I grow my pot:

I use soil with no fertilezer
I use only GHE nutes (which are not organic, of course)
I use only rain water
I give my plant 6.0 PH, and 300-800 PPM (depending on its size)
I always give 25% run-off when watering, and if the run-off's PPM is to high, I flush the soil
I disinfect the roots by adding small dozes of H2O2 to the water (so I kill any organic matter)
I give it high quality light, and 26 degrees celzius at light time and 16 when dark

so, can I consider it Hydro in soil?

ohh.. and if I understand you correctly... this is what you are doing right now, right?
Is this method you are mentioning here working well for you? You just want to know if you can call it hydro, right?
 
B

bibiking

65
18
Hi guys, thank you so much.
I will go organically next time, as it seems much easier for beginners. (I grow for 3 years now but I still feel like a beginner).

anyway, I would like to use your help with this time.
as I said, I use 50/50 soil/perlite (no coco at all)
I give it PH, and NUTES as for soil (an not hydro)
I grow in net pots (so I can see the roots)

for now my plant looks good, but I discover some mold (I think) on its roots.
to solve it, I watered my plant (and sprayed the leaves) with H202 (I bought a 3% bottle, and diluted it 1:100).

IS THIS REALLY ROOT MOLD?
DID I DO OK?
WHAT SHOULD I DO NEXT?

I thought maybe to rinse it with water, and continue this one with organic soil. anyway I will soon plant the net into bigger net (I don't take the plant out, I just put the net in bigger net), so maybe it's a good oportunity to move to organic? or maybe it is a bad idea?
I remind you that this is all soil/prelite, so I don't think it will be a problem (but maybe I'm wrong).

I attached photos, will be happy to hear your opinion

and last -
if you need any help from a mechanical engineer I will be happy to help. I can't help with the growing weed as you see, but there are other things in life which I do good :)

thank you so much for your amazing help
 
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Enforcer

Enforcer

2,008
263
Organic soil with some perlite would be great. Watered every few days when they get light. Now I don’t mean to bag on your grow, and I’m saying this to help you out. The net pot is a bad idea. Roots don’t like light and having them exposed like that will cause problems. I suspect the “mold” you saw on the roots was actually the fine root hairs. These are desirable and help the roots uptake nutrients. I suggest removing the plant from the net pot and up pot into a fabric pot. That way you’ll get air to the root zone without the light. Also, I don’t think 3% peroxide diluted 1:100 would be effective for anything. I use food grade 35% H2O2 diluted 1:11 with plain water. That’s 32oz of water to 60ml H2O2. This will sterilize everything and kill most pathogens.
 
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F

FutureGrower

606
93
Organic soil with some perlite would be great. Watered every few days when they get light. Now I don’t mean to bag on your grow, and I’m saying this to help you out. The net pot is a bad idea. Roots don’t like light and having them exposed like that will cause problems. I suspect the “mold” you saw on the roots was actually the fine root hairs. These are desirable and help the roots uptake nutrients. I suggest removing the plant from the net pot and up pot into a fabric pot. That way you’ll get air to the root zone without the light. Also, I don’t think 3% peroxide diluted 1:100 would be effective for anything. I use food grade 35% H2O2 diluted 1:11 with plain water. That’s 32oz of water to 60ml H2O2. This will sterilize everything and kill most pathogens.

All killer info I just want to point one thing out incase others who are interested in growing organically are reading,

Most organic people wont use perlite because it floats to the top and your soil becomes compact over time. Pumice or lava rock is the goto
 
Evil Monkey

Evil Monkey

Premium Member
Supporter
420
143
hmmmm.... did you also try hempy buckets???? try the perlite version first... or perlite/vermiculite version... both would work great with what you have as nutes and should work for what you need, just make sure to rinse out the perlite well before using it and Ph everything you put in.

I think hempy buckets method is one of the best ways to get into hydro...

That’s exactly what I run and why I run it. With hydro keep it simple, can’t stress that enough. Everything is faster including mistakes, u must pay close attention. I one day will move to organic nutes, however I feel that I’m still learning proper techniques. Find something that works and don’t fuck around, stay the course and learn she will tell u what she wants.
 
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