Grow Mediums Rockwool/hydroton 60/40

[uberpooner]

Hey Guys,

Im going to try out an autopot system for my next grow. I love how close to the ground it is and that its automotive.

EVERYONE I see uses coco/perlite. I read that rockwool will work very well with the system however, have never seen anyone running that.

Is there a reason people are using coco over rockwool? Im pretty set on rockwool/hydroton though can have my mind changed.

What do you think?

 

[lunarman]

Don't forget about a peat based potting medium like Promix HP. If you are a newer grower that is the way to go over coco. The president of Autopots told me that on the phone once. He said coco is just too unreliable these days. You don't know what kind of product you're getting. Might have too much salt. Might not be cured long enough. it's so popular now they just crank it out and quality isn't reliable for the most part. Although I'm sure you can get good stuff if you know what to look for and know the providence of the product. If your coco is less than perfect, and you're a newer grower, you could get in to trouble.

Don't know of anyone using rockwool in autopots. I'd email autopots if I was you. They will know more than anyone on an internet forum.

 

[uberpooner]

Don't forget about a peat based potting medium like Promix HP. If you are a newer grower that is the way to go over coco. The president of Autopots told me that on the phone once. He said coco is just too unreliable these days. You don't know what kind of product you're getting. Might have too much salt. Might not be cured long enough. it's so popular now they just crank it out and quality isn't reliable for the most part. Although I'm sure you can get good stuff if you know what to look for and know the providence of the product. If your coco is less than perfect, and you're a newer grower, you could get in to trouble.

Don't know of anyone using rockwool in autopots. I'd email autopots if I was you. They will know more than anyone on an internet forum.

Thanks for info. Is the issue with coco just for the initial starting of the grow? Which could be solved with proper flushing until runoff is at desired ec. Or is it later in the grow with the accumulation of salts?

 

[HemiSync]

I use straight coco, mainly because it is reusable and substainable. I purchase unenriched coco coir and flush the crap out of it to remove any salts and enrich it myself with some goodies and lots of cal/mag. When the grow is done I throw the entire pots of coco, roots and all, into a 45 gallon trash can. Then I cover it with water, add some Pondzyme, an airstone, and let it bubble for about 4 weeks. The Pondzyme will eat up the smaller roots and poop out nutrients during the process and then you drain the coco and you are ready to go again.

I can use the same coco for about 4 grows. Although, it’s hard to really measure because once you have the cycle going you are always combining previous batches together.

 

[puggle6]

Rockwool is a bit old skool and I have experienced rising pH which autos hate

@HemiSync nice work on the Coco there, want to make a brewer soon to brew nutes, Coco will be part of the process as structure for benificial poopers!

I use strait hydrotron in cloth bags with Coco in the bottom

 

[HemiSync]

@HemiSync nice work on the Coco there, want to make a brewer soon to brew nutes, Coco will be part of the process as structure for benificial poopers!

I use strait hydrotron in cloth bags with Coco in the bottom

Nice thing with recycling the coco, besides saving money and the environment, you have less issues than if you were getting fresh every time,

 

[uberpooner]

The rising ph from rockwool would probably be from an unconditioned rockwool. Rockwool has lime dust on it from the start that makes it alkaline. if you do a soak in a 4.5-5.0 ph water for 48 hrs you will get rid of anything that would raise ph and the rockwool would be completely neutral.

 

[puggle6]

No doubt things have likely changed since I've used it @uberpooner

Not dissing the wool! Only time I see it these days is if I come across a cutting and the regular turkey with a cutting has no idea about conditioning media!