Hi everyone ,
When growing in coir would you measure the Ec before watering the babies or is there a way to measure EC in the pot as I have read that both PH and EC can go sky high in coir. Is it OK to just measure your nute solution only before watering?.
just about to do my first coir grow.
Another question: in hidro you just adjust your water in the tank to the right ph and ec level and then keep an eye but in coir would you add nutes to EC 1.5 every time you water the pots or only periodically(once or twice a week) ,as I'm scared to overcook them.
I would appreciate help from you experienced coco conoisseurs.

Any advice will be welcome.
TA'

I let my water stand for 24 hours then add my nutrients to required ec then ph it.

I use 2x 10 litre builders buckets and just chuck away anything thats left after a water/feed (very little)

Fresh nutes always and I water/feed every 2 days in 6.5 litre pots (in flower)

p&q

that is what I needed to know .

ta'

No need to throw hydro nutes away though

I mix mine in a 25 ltr bucket and if left with an air stone in it it will last ages

Always ec and ph check before watering and feed every time you water

Owd

I thought you ran a water pump

Aye Dont go throwing away nutes especially at some of the prices on them.

When I said I chuck mine its basically just dribble...the irony eh!

Bubblings good aswell..

p&q

You should take an EC reading of your plain tap water to understand what your base EC will be (e.g. 0.6 if you're in a hard water area). Generally people use 1.5 for veg and 1.8 for flower, but it is very strain dependent. Some need less, some need more. If you have hard water and you're in flower, 0.6 of the 1.8 will be crap in the water, so your plant will only really be getting 1.8 - 0.6 = 1.2. You can try and push the nutes up, and some strains will really respond well, but you do run the risk of burning. The answer is to use RO water, but that comes with all new issues (Ca and Mg deficiencies). RO water is pure and has an EC about 0, so when you feed it EC1.8 nutes they'll get full 1.8, which could also burn. It all needs a little dialling in, but nothing heavy. Just do it slowly and keep an eye on your plants - they'll tell you when they're not happy or running too hot (EC wise).

Definitely measure your EC every time you water, and add some pH down accordingly (it'll rise overnight just standing, moreso with a bubbler in it with certain root stims). Unlike Owd I don't bubble my nutes, and I can leave a 20l tub with spare nutes in for a day before using them. My view is that the solution gets oxygenated as it runs through the coir. Never had a probs with my plants as a result of it. I do bubble my water for at least 24 hours before making a nute mix though, to get rid of excess chlorine.

Hope this helps

GN

p.s. I keep 2 x 5l jerry cans of pH down, one for grow and one for bloom (nitric and phosphoric acids accordingly). I use 150ml of acid per 3.5l (I don't fill the can completely to make a smoother pour) and use that as pH down rather than neat pH down. I'm told it's better for the nute solution, to not add high pH acid and to use a diluted acid. It's also much safer/user friendly....no burns

I do, I never said I didnt

Well if you want to be picky

And if left with an air stone or WATER PUMP in it it will last ages

Owd

But if you leave nutes unmoved then all the sediment sinks to the bottom and the nutrient is not properly mixed

Plus pathogens grow very quickly in standing water

Thats why I always advise to move your water at all times

Owd

You have all answered my doubts, luckily I live in an extra soft water area(0.125 base water EC) although with a highish PH .
I normally add canadian xpress regen-a-root and wilt guard and those two alone rectify my PH with the nutes added to spot on condition.
I mainly wanted to know if salts would acumulate dangerously in the root ball if I feeded nutes everytime I watered, as I read somewere that specially in coir ph and ec went very very high. The last thing we all want to do is to scorch the babies for a stupid mistake like that . It is so hard to rectify if you overdo it with the nutes and in my opinion even if you flush etc... you never get what you would have otherwise.
By the way when I read comments in the forums I never seem to find other people using canadian xpress products . I wander if that is just out of sheer number of choice of products or just because their shite and I'm the only one that doesn't know.
peace

http://www.uk420.com/boards/index.php?show...anadian+express

Owd

I used it recently - found it to be better then Canna by far - I had near on the full range - I think it is good. I have some canna to finish off, then will try Growers Ark - but i do rate C-xpress highly to be honest.

Glad to hear, I use their base nutes, the root the guard and the microbial but I use the blood,bigbud and the overdrive with good results ,the thing is that when using so much shite I some times don't know what bit is really doin the trick or is it really the adding of al the parts?
Peace

Bloody hell OWD,that looks impressive, I decided to buy some of the canadian xpress for my coco experience and seeing what you have done I am chuffed that i did so. now I really am looking forwards to the end result .I have GH Lemon and Flying dutchman dutch delight. can't wait
peace