Grow Mediums Need info on prepping Coco for Auto Pot Grow

[Buds Buddy]

OK you all,
I'm doing my 1st Auto Pot / Coco grow. Never grew in Coco or Auto Pots before. All soil grows prior to this. Anyway, I'll be growing in 2 - 6.6 gal. Auto Pots & 4 - Regular 3 Gal. Pots under 2 Advanced Platinum P 900's. I bought Botanicare 5 kg. bricks of Coco, Med. Coarse Perlite & Vermiculite.
So I'm in the process of trying to wash the Coco. Package says it's double washed already. Anyway, I've pH'd 35 gallons of water to 6.0 & ran it through the Coco & the pH comes back 5.5 every time & I tested it every 5 gallons. Can someone tell me what's up with that ? I keep trying to get the pH between 5.8 - 6.0 but it stays at 5.5. Not sure whether to keep flushing it ? Is it fine like this ? Trying to get this ready as I have a fresh batch of seeds to start.
Any info on getting the Coco right or Growing in Auto-Pots is much appreciated.

 

[Buds Buddy]

Hmmmm, guess nobody knows. Looks like I'm on my own. Been thru 100 YouTube videos & no solid info there either. Oh well after 75 gallons of water pH'd to 6.0 the Coco run off finally came back at 6.0 with a TDS of 239 ppm after adding 20 mg. of Cal Mag to 5 gallons of 6.0 water & running it through the Coco. I think I'm good but not totally sure because it's my 1st time using Coco. Waiting for it to dry out most the way before mixing in perlite.

 

[bushmasterar15]

This is what I do when setting up my autopots. I use the Canna Coco bricks and don't flush them. I also don't add perlite or clay pebbles at the bottom. Just straight coco in my pots.

Nutrient schedule that I use.
1) Preparing Coco - If using Coco bricks, I moisten coco with Greenleaf Megacrop 2g/gal, Sweet Candy 1g/gal, Greenlife 1ml/gal, Earth Juice OilyCann Calmag 8ml/gal, and fill pots that is normally a few days before I start to germ seeds while running lights in tent to get everything warmed up. Then I put seeds in for a 24hr soak most crack and start showing tails in that time. I then use the same mix nute solution to give each pot 1.5L each, after that I make a hole to put in 1tsp Mykos, fill back in and make a 3/8-1/2" hole with chop stick for seed to go in. Place seed in and lightly water around seed with maybe 30ml. Now the wait begins for sprout.

2) Sprout to Day 15 Once it's up at Day 5 I'll give each pot 500mls of Greenleaf Megacrop 2g/gal, Sweet Candy 1g/gal, Greenlife 1ml/gal, Earth Juice OilyCann Calmag 8ml/gal, then at Day 10 they receive 750mls-1L, since I use the airdomes they get turned on at day 15 and each pot gets 1 - 1.5L

3) Day 20 I mix up 5-6 gallons for the reservoir Greenleaf Megacrop 3g/gal, Sweet Candy 1g/gal, Greenlife 1ml/gal, Earth Juice OilyCann Calmag 8ml/gal and turn on to fill Autopot trays. From the reservoir I'll take maybe 1L for each pot for final top watering just to make sure the coco is saturated and will start bottom feeding from the trays. This res fill normally lasts 7-10 days before I mix up a new batch.

4) Day 27-30 - I mix up 10 gallons for the reservoir Greenleaf Megacrop 4g/gal, Sweet Candy 1g/gal, Greenlife 1ml/gal, Earth Juice OilyCann Calmag 8ml/gal. This is my normal for the remainder of the grow besides adding in Greenlife Bloom 17/17 at 1ml/gal once some flowering has begun.

Hope this helps as I try to keep a simple nute schedule

 

[Waira]

:smoking: Hey Buds, I'll chip in if I can,... I'm not a coco-nut myself, but having seen so much trouble with it's improper use in Sick Bay, I'm something of an arm-chair expert-
First, since this is an Autopot grow, the usual routine of feeding/watering to15-25% run-off is out,... but the same CEC issues with coco applies, and that it's a huge Ca hog, which it binds up big time until it's sated (Mg too, to a lesser extent; I think it's the double ++ charge they carry, and the the way it displaces other single + cations).. So Ca-Mg is a must in prep and final pot /res'... Never water alone which may screw up that CEC balance...
Some coco comes RTU, others especially bricks may need that rinse/prep step, to dial in that damn CEC Ca/Mg crap and make it behave properly; usually I hear that you need to make a specific solution up to do this, just like you do for a pot flush: RO/Di water, 150ppm Ca-Mg, plus another 150ppm nutes, pH 6.0, pour through until run off is at or near input values,...
Coco has a lot of native K and Na in it, which should be taken care of by the aging and rinsing process the makes use, but it's always wise to check... loose bag type coco seems to need less fussing, if any, from what I hear,... does the brand.maker offer any info about prep? It can have a lot of fine/dust, which can screw with the ppm reading, but the pH drop is sort of off, not sure of the chemistry going on behind that,... Sounds like you beat it into shape though now! Did you use any Ca-mg during the rinse? Maye cover you ass and try that flush solution mentioned, just to be sure the CEC is better set, and it's going to do the right Ca/Mg give-and-take thing,...

 

[Waira]

:smoking: Hey Buds, I'll chip in if I can,... I'm not a coco-nut myself, but having seen so much trouble with it's improper use in Sick Bay, I'm something of an arm-chair expert-
First, since this is an Autopot grow, the usual routine of feeding/watering to15-25% run-off is out,... but the same CEC issues with coco applies, and that it's a huge Ca hog, which it binds up big time until it's sated (Mg too, to a lesser extent; I think it's the double ++ charge they carry, and the the way it displaces other single + cations).. So Ca-Mg is a must in prep and final pot /res'... Never water alone which may screw up that CEC balance...
Some coco comes RTU, others especially bricks may need that rinse/prep step, to dial in that damn CEC Ca/Mg crap and make it behave properly; usually I hear that you need to make a specific solution up to do this, just like you do for a pot flush: RO/Di water, 150ppm Ca-Mg, plus another 150ppm nutes, pH 6.0, pour through until run off is at or near input values,...
Coco has a lot of native K and Na in it, which should be taken care of by the aging and rinsing process the makes use, but it's always wise to check... loose bag type coco seems to need less fussing, if any, from what I hear,... does the brand.maker offer any info about prep? It can have a lot of fine/dust, which can screw with the ppm reading, but the pH drop is sort of off, not sure of the chemistry going on behind that,... Sounds like you beat it into shape though now! Did you use any Ca-mg during the rinse? Maye cover you ass and try that flush solution mentioned, just to be sure the CEC is better set, and it's going to do the right Ca/Mg give-and-take thing,...

Bushy for the win!

 

[Buds Buddy]

Did you use any Ca-mg during the rinse?
Yes, the final 5 gallon bucket I added 20 mg. of Sensi CalMag & pH'd to 6.0. Once I have the Coco, Perlite & Vermiculite mixed & in the pots I was planning to run 5 gallons of the same water with CalMag through again to check pH & ppm again & then in a day or 2 add nutes & additives. Not sure if I'm doing this right but it sounds good ... LOL.
Yes, I have the Air Domes also. I hope a 45 liter per minute pump is adequate to supply 2 air domes as I had no idea which pump to get. I also bought a 120 gal. p.h. water pump to recirculate things in the Reservoir. This is my last grow before I get my new 5' x 10' x 7' 1680 D Tent. Wanted a Bigger, Thicker Tent with less zipper openings & windows because I'll be adding a 3rd P 900 & Co2. Also a couple more Auto Pots. Just 2 plants per light.
Out of curiosity .... what's the biggest yield you ever got from an Auto-Flower ?

 

[Waira]

...wrong guy to ask mate, I have a small tent so I have to keep their shoes tight to limit their size,... I'm a soil and mostly organic grower too, yields are of no interest to me, it's variety that I'm a slut for, so more smaller pots does me how I like- ...If I get about an oz/gal pot size of high quality bud, I'm satisfied! .... however, Autopots can produce ridiculous yields, seen it time and again here,... he's long gone now, but Hansbrick grew near 1lb plants, and several oz's is a common result from even decent growers,.. this system, once dialed in, can make you look like a pro' when you aren't! Have you got with some of the Autopot experienced folks here yet? If I even try coco, it'll be with an Autopot system....

 

[bushmasterar15]

Did you use any Ca-mg during the rinse?
Yes, the final 5 gallon bucket I added 20 mg. of Sensi CalMag & pH'd to 6.0. Once I have the Coco, Perlite & Vermiculite mixed & in the pots I was planning to run 5 gallons of the same water with CalMag through again to check pH & ppm again & then in a day or 2 add nutes & additives. Not sure if I'm doing this right but it sounds good ... LOL.
Yes, I have the Air Domes also. I hope a 45 liter per minute pump is adequate to supply 2 air domes as I had no idea which pump to get. I also bought a 120 gal. p.h. water pump to recirculate things in the Reservoir. This is my last grow before I get my new 5' x 10' x 7' 1680 D Tent. Wanted a Bigger, Thicker Tent with less zipper openings & windows because I'll be adding a 3rd P 900 & Co2. Also a couple more Auto Pots. Just 2 plants per light.
Out of curiosity .... what's the biggest yield you ever got from an Auto-Flower ?

I've not rinsed my canna coco bricks ever since I've first started almost 2 years. I've gone from using RO water to well water and I don't own any PH/PPM pens. Pretty much I'm a KISS grower. I also don't use anything in the reservoir to stir up as it's been known to cause the PH to rise. Maybe every few days I might stir the res in the beginning but once they are fully going they'll suck down 10-12 gallons of nutes each week. Depending on strains 5-10oz has been the normal per plant. Here's a few pics from the last couple runs.

 

[Buds Buddy]

I've been trying to grow for quality & yield. The quality is usually pretty good. Better than the shit on the streets so I can't really complain. Still haven't found that super potent strain though that I'm after. I'm in search of the strain that you feel after 1 or 2 hits & if you smoke a whole joint it makes you want to go to sleep. I like my stuff super strong due to insomnia issues. I don't think I've ever slept more than 4 hours a day without some medicated help & that just wears me down. I easily smoke an oz. a week so I have a very high tolerance. Others tell me they're all stoned off the joint we smoked & I'm sitting there waiting to feel it still. 3 or 4 joints later we're closer to the same level. So if everyone else is stoned but me .... it must be good. Wish I could find a strain that was so strong it made you feel like you were on heroin. But for now I'm trying different strains & keeping track of each to see what I like best from each grow. So far I like Incredible Bulk, Fire OG & BCN Critical XXL. I just bought Haze XL, Northern lights, Six Shooter, Critical 2.0 & AK-47 so we'll see which is the best from that grow. Once I find the best one from 6 grows I want to learn how to cross breed them.
But even though quality is a priority I must get enough yield to cover all my cost x 2 for this to be worth it. I've almost got $5000 invested into this 4' x 8' x 7' tent so this has to be a grow that puts out more than 2 - 2.5 oz. per plant. I get a lot of those & have only pulled 4.5 oz. one time. That was off a Re-Veg. Hopefully, this whole new system & much better lights will do the trick. If I could get 4 oz. per plant I wouldn't complain. But I'm really trying to learn to grow 8 oz. per plant. If others can do it .... so can I. Just got to figure out how the hell they're doing it.
No, I don't think I've talked to anyone on this site about it. I was on a different site & learned a lot from some of the members. But I cancelled my membership there because they wouldn't allow me to say what kind of lights I used when describing my grow set up when people ask. Guess they had some kind of problem with Advanced Platinum so you can't mention those lights at all on that site. Funny thing is....If you click on their Sponsor Tab .... 1st one that pops up is Advanced Platinum. What a joke !
Ain't like I'm pushing these lights or anything. Just describing my set up.
Anyway, I'll look for some Auto Pot growers on this site.

 

[Buds Buddy]

Hey Bush, you think you could squeeze one more in there ? Boy, is that tent full .... nice going ! Are you just using 2 Auto Cobs on a light rail ? That's kind of what it looks like in the pic.... but not sure.