Grow Mediums 100% Coco?

[Schlick]

I've read a few very interesting grow journals and saw that 100% coco has been brought up, but wondering if anyone has experience doing just that? Are clay pebbles or perlite still used as the bottom layer? Would I put the copper paper down, then airdome, then just cover with coco. Do you recommend precharging your coco? Planning in using general hydroponics 3 pack of liquid nutes - can I use this to precharge? Also wondering if adding dolmolitic lime to my coco as a dry ammendment would work in place if adding cal mag. Sorry for so many questions, coming over from soil and don't want to totally mess it up.

 

[Smoking Frog]

I'm using Canna coco coir with about 30% perlite mix.Canna coco is pre buffered so no need to do it.I use GH trio also with good results.I don't precharge my coco.I transplant from a solo cup at about 10-12 days into 3 gals and start watering twice a day like usual.
No experience with copper paper,airdome or lime.

 

[Schlick]

I'm using Canna coco coir with about 30% perlite mix.Canna coco is pre buffered so no need to do it.I use GH trio also with good results.I don't precharge my coco.I transplant from a solo cup at about 10-12 days into 3 gals and start watering twice a day like usual.
No experience with copper paper,airdome or lime.

Do you use the clay at the bottom of the autopot?

 

[Sabelter O Adoob]

Hi @Schlick these are all 100% coco

 

[Sabelter O Adoob]

A good coco brick will have different sizes of coco in it already for drainage and aeration, I switched from hydro to coco and its just the same but without the air pump and tubs of water. Good luck

 

[GeorgeCloney]

I just switched over from ProMIX HP, to coco.
I'm using Canna Coco from brick.
There is a dedicated web site called coco for cannabis that is quite complete. > https://www.cocoforcannabis.com/
I like the authors explanations on using coco for newbs like me
Some folks on this site question the authors knowledge. To each his own.
Like all things, some is to take and some to leave, right?

It will make for good reading, and we can never learn too much huh...

 

[Olderfart]

Different stokes, as some say. See my grow if you want to see what 60/40 coco perlite does even with some noob screwups. I would definitely use perlite in autopots, the extra drainage and aeration will, in my opinion, keep the flooded zone more oxygenated than otherwise. With the perlite, I had healthy roots throughout the pot including the flooded zone some worry about being too wet. See my autopot review for more detail.

And no, you do not need or want clay pebbles or air domes in the bottom of the pot, 60/40 all the way down works perfectly.

Good luck with the grow, autopots kick butt.

 

[GeorgeCloney]

@Olderfart you're brining up a VERY good point about getting oxygen to the roots.

I'm running a test with some seeds right now in mini solo cups (shot glass size).

In coco mixed with 25% perlite, the average weight of each mini solo,....waterlogged is about 33grams.
Waterlogged meaning, until run off through some holes in the bottom of the mini solo cups.

Once my germ'd seeds are put into the mini solos.
The mini solos lose about 1/2 their weight in water a day!!!!!

So there is a fine balance between over watering and actually letting the roots get some oxygen..

The same test was run in the last couple of days in a regular solo cup (same coco mix).
The seedling started showing all kinds of signs of being over watered (naturally the cup is 8Oz. vs 2Oz.)

So this brings up the question : can you over water in Coco,...YES,...but that is relative to the seedlings size.
Which is why jiffy's and root riots exist. (to defeat this over watering situation.).

40% perlite huh Otto?...
Wow,..no doubt the ratio is good,...but can we do it for less than the price of Perlite...there's a thought?

I did notice in my last grow of dwarf auto's,....
The plants grew to about 15 inches high, yet the roots were only about 4 inches below surface (grown in smartpots).

This may have been because of under watering in soil (Promix HP).

 

[GeorgeCloney]

So I did a little more research on soil oxygen sensors just for shitz and giggles...
And I found this...> http://www.ictinternational.com/products/icto2/icto2-soil-oxygen-sensor/

I wonder if anybody has ever done some research on feeding plants a mix of water with hydrogen peroxide (for growth).
We know the h2o2 is good against bacterial growth, but what about feeding the plants on a regular basis for more oxygen??

Lets take that one step further, a water bubbler with ozone driven through it?
Both anti bacterial, and double the oxygen...hmmm there's O3 for thought.
After all, Ozone is O3,... oxygen with more molicules attached.

The secret to the success of the aero cloners is getting O2 into the water and splashing the roots with air filled water (simple).
@Waira , this is a nutty idea,...but has it been tested to anybodys knowledge??

 

[GeorgeCloney]

Another interesting find on the subject...

Understanding Dissolved Oxygen in Cannabis Cultivation - Cannabis Industry Journal

Utilizing dissolved oxygen properly can help promote healthier root systems, improving overall plant growth and production.

cannabisindustryjournal.com