Thank you @DCLXVI . It says that it is buffered. Botanicare cocogro. It's been on the high end the whole grow in pH 5.8 out6.2. But the last couple weeks it has been in pH 5.8 out 6.5. I'm gonna go with canna bricks next run as they seem to have the best reviews.
It's so easy to buffer it yourself. Just use a normal dose of MC (that was what you are using no?) and let the coco sit in it for at least 24 hours. While you're at it add myco and bacillus so it can distribute itself perfectly through the medium. A top tip for draining the solution. Let it sit over night and the coco will rise to the top. The carefully poke a piece of airtubing through the "crust" until it hits the bottom. Then slightly blow on the tube to dislodge any pieces of coco that got stuck in the tubing and suck on it until it starts to drain. Stick the piece of tubing to the bucket with a piece of sticky tape and let it syphon into another bucket. It can take over an hour to get it all out
Thank you sir. Now I thought when you buffer coco it was just calmag only? Now I planned on expanding bricks with my week 1 solution. Which is 3g Mc 1part .5g epsom salt 150ppm calmag diluted to 150ppm for first week. Now do I expand with the diluted solution or full strength 650ppm? That is a very interesting way to drain coco. I just used 5 gallon bucket with holes drilled in it first time. Thanks to everyone for the help.It's so easy to buffer it yourself. Just use a normal dose of MC (that was what you are using no?) and let the coco sit in it for at least 24 hours. While you're at it add myco and bacillus so it can distribute itself perfectly through the medium. A top tip for draining the solution. Let it sit over night and the coco will rise to the top. The carefully poke a piece of airtubing through the "crust" until it hits the bottom. Then slightly blow on the tube to dislodge any pieces of coco that got stuck in the tubing and suck on it until it starts to drain. Stick the piece of tubing to the bucket with a piece of sticky tape and let it syphon into another bucket. It can take over an hour to get it all out
I'm no sir by any means. Just call me Bob or buddy or pall
I did to and almost got the bath drain clogged up. Let's say the wife wasn't happy
I'm no sir by any means. Just call me Bob or buddy or pall
I would go full strength on the MC. Just don't forget the bacteria and myco. They will do there thing the next days when the coco is drained. It will make the coco smell sweet and sweaty. Just make sure the coco doesn't dry out from then on as your little hitch hikers need the humidity to live
Thanks bob. I do have some recharge you think that will work as good?
I don't use it myself, but it's got myco and Bacillus so why not.
I use cheap locally available brick coco. I rinse it aggressively after it is hydrated by putting it in a 5 gallon bucket and adding water until it is a thin soup that can be stirred to mix it thoroughly and suspend all the fine junk. When that is done, I pour it into a plastic storage container with holes drilled in the bottom, and fiberglass screen over the holes. Once it is drained, I give it another rinse by pouring tap water through it and letting it drain. Then back into the 5gallon container for a soak in CalMag at double dose, drain, and add perlite before a final rinse in dilute nute mix. The final rinse can be a flush when the coco/perlite is put in the final pot.I'm no sir by any means. Just call me Bob or buddy or pall
I would go full strength on the MC. Just don't forget the bacteria and myco. They will do there thing the next days when the coco is drained. It will make the coco smell sweet and sweaty. Just make sure the coco doesn't dry out from then on as your little hitch hikers need the humidity to live
I did to and almost got the bath drain clogged up. Let's say the wife wasn't happy
I use cheap locally available brick coco. I rinse it aggressively after it is hydrated by putting it in a 5 gallon bucket and adding water until it is a thin soup that can be stirred to mix it thoroughly and suspend all the fine junk. When that is done, I pour it into a plastic storage container with holes drilled in the bottom, and fiberglass screen over the holes. Once it is drained, I give it another rinse by pouring tap water through it and letting it drain. Then back into the 5gallon container for a soak in CalMag at double dose, drain, and add perlite before a final rinse in dilute nute mix. The final rinse can be a flush when the coco/perlite is put in the final pot.
This sounds like a hassle, but it is really not that bad, and it means not depending on shipping the stuff to me which is stupid expensive. The so called free shipping on Amazon isn't for this stuff, the vendors just roll the shipping costs into the price.
Yup that’s what I did this round everything going good. Except a calmag issue at the beginning. But man o greens got me straightened out there. I’m just trying prepare for a better coco run this time. Canna bricks are 30$ for 40l to me on Amazon. I didn’t find any coco local this time of year. So I am kinda stuck ordering. Trying it with autopots this timeI use cheap locally available brick coco. I rinse it aggressively after it is hydrated by putting it in a 5 gallon bucket and adding water until it is a thin soup that can be stirred to mix it thoroughly and suspend all the fine junk. When that is done, I pour it into a plastic storage container with holes drilled in the bottom, and fiberglass screen over the holes. Once it is drained, I give it another rinse by pouring tap water through it and letting it drain. Then back into the 5gallon container for a soak in CalMag at double dose, drain, and add perlite before a final rinse in dilute nute mix. The final rinse can be a flush when the coco/perlite is put in the final pot.
This sounds like a hassle, but it is really not that bad, and it means not depending on shipping the stuff to me which is stupid expensive. The so called free shipping on Amazon isn't for this stuff, the vendors just roll the shipping costs into the price.
Autopots and coco can kick butt. My first indoor grow in my 2x4 was this combo in the xl fabric pots rolled down to ~3 gallons, and I got over 300 grams from three plants, two of which were small genetics (Mephisto 24C). Had I managed to dial the nutes better, I likely would have done even better. If I go back to salt nutes, coco/perlite will be my plan unless I decide not to go to soilless peat based on Bugbee's mix.
Yup already been in contact with MOG and he told me same thing just fergitate to runoff once a week and I should be good. What did you switch to after the coco & auto pots with Salts?Autopots and coco can kick butt. My first indoor grow in my 2x4 was this combo in the xl fabric pots rolled down to ~3 gallons, and I got over 300 grams from three plants, two of which were small genetics (Mephisto 24C). Had I managed to dial the nutes better, I likely would have done even better. If I go back to salt nutes, coco/perlite will be my plan unless I decide not to go to soilless peat based on Bugbee's mix.
If you go with salt nutes and coco in your next grow, you might want to consider a regular top water/mini flush once a week or so once the plants are on the reservoir. In theory, this should avoid mischief with salt buildup and consequent nute imbalance or lockout. Salt buildup has come up regularly for me, and even the gurus run into it once in a while. I haven't regular top watering to deal with this yet, but may if I go back to salts.
Good luck with the rest of your grow, and all the future ones.
