Thinking about switching

[JohnBudman]

Afternoon all,

 

Seriously thinking about giving coco a go after struggling to get soil right. But trying to get my head around a few things first.. The more I think about it the more complicated it seems compared to measuring out a few ml of organic nutes!

 

When mixing up a nutrient solution, first add nutes to achieve the correct ec, then adjust ph accordingly? What ph do I want for coco?

 

With the GA custom nutes, do they come so you can just add them to your water and it sets the correct ph for you? And do they have to correct levels of cal mag added as well? If that is the case I will probably go that route to save a bit of faffing around.

 

How often should I be checking my run off?

 

And finally, will I be ok to start my little ones (in 1litre pots) in compost so I don’t have to worry about watering those every day and just have the main tent to deal with then?

 

If anyone could help with those questions it would be much appreciated! 

[Slippy One]

46 minutes ago, JohnBudman said:

 

When mixing up a nutrient solution, first add nutes to achieve the correct ec, then adjust ph accordingly? What ph do I want for coco?

Don't bother with EC. Just start with 3ml/L and keep an eye out. With GA hardwater edition, my £80 ph pen is only used as a thermometer.

 

46 minutes ago, JohnBudman said:

With the GA custom nutes, do they come so you can just add them to your water and it sets the correct ph for you? 

Pretty much, I'm Thames Water, yours might not be quite the same. I do use ph down on day 3 when my 14L bucket of mixed nutes rises to 7.2ph;. Not an issue if you mix fresh each day, ph rise is normal. 

 

46 minutes ago, JohnBudman said:

do they have to correct levels of cal mag added as well?

You know that's subjective to your water analysis, if it's out of whack, adding anything could make it worse. I'm having success adding mg, the rule of 3:1 Cal:mag is most relevant here.

 

46 minutes ago, JohnBudman said:

How often should I be checking my run off?

Please dont. Ever. Enjoy growing in coco and just make sure you have plenty of runoff. 

 

46 minutes ago, JohnBudman said:

And finally, will I be ok to start my little ones (in 1litre pots) in compost so I don’t have to worry about watering those every day and just have the main tent to deal with then?

You trying to complicate things? Just use coco, it will work if soil is transplanted into coco but most of us like to keep things simple. Are you 100% certain that soil has no thrips or root aphids? Maybe a few sacks of spider mite eggs?

 

Edited March 12, 2022 by Slippy One

[sweettooth]

100% agree with all of the above. 

 

you won't need to water seedlings in 1L pots everyday. I've got rooted cuttings in 1L airpots and only watering every 3 days or so, you want to leave the root system to search out moisture and grow, keeping it saturated everyday won't help that. 

 

 

[Penguinfarmer]

Go for coco, I never did soil but it sounds so much more complicated and expensive to get a proper soil going on with dry nutes.

Like others said above, you can go 3-4 days without watering small plants. And you should let the pots dry to let roots expand. 

If you are pushing with nutes I'd check runoff every now and then. Runoff ec will change alot before you see actual problems, so you are ahead of them. If nutrient toxicity is the case.
Good ph to start would be 5.8-6.2, and more on the 6.2 range for flowering.

Calmag + basic nutes and your good to go.

[Darknight420710]

I'd recommend coco all day long but I wouldn't let the pots dry out as that can cause a build up which in turn can increase increase EC run off. 

 

I say keep it wet and check EC regular with a good reader. I bought so many cheap shitty EC pens and PH pens and they were causing problems with false reading. I use bluelab both ph and ec and don't think I'd choose any other way now I see how easy it is to use coco

[JohnBudman]

Appreciate all the top advice fellas. 
 

I didn’t realise you tease the little ones in  the same as you would in soil, and good point about the soil carrying pests.

 

I’ll see how my current run smokes when it comes down and if I’m not happy I’ll have be having a go with coco 

[monkeypig]

On 12/03/2022 at 10:17 PM, Penguinfarmer said:

And you should let the pots dry to let roots expand. 

 

Totally disagree. Fine to dry out in soil but keep coco wet at all times, just not too wet.

[Penguinfarmer]

9 hours ago, monkeypig said:

 

Totally disagree. Fine to dry out in soil but keep coco wet at all times, just not too wet.

Well not dry dry, but you should water less in early stages. I keep them very wet when flowering and that is too much for small plants with small roots.

[Green_bhoy]

Not looked back from switching from soil to coco.

 

I have only used the canna range of nutes. I use Rhizotonic, calmag, coco a, coco b.

 

When I mix up a batch I use the calmag first then Rhizotonic then A then B.

 

My water from tap measures 0.1 ec so I use calmag to bring it upto 0.4 ec. I then add the rest to make up what ever strength I need at that time. Then I'll ph.

 

Once they get going in coco I find they explode in growth compared to soil.  I water everyday mostly.

 

I'd recommend the switch over.

[Smokey90]

It does help to know what the run of EC is at? I didn't bother 1 time to busy  and ended up with a 2.0 EC run off and the bud was a bit bland and not what I'd call nice all got made in to bubble hash... Not checking is just lazy if you ask me 

[Guest]

This is my first run with coco and growers ark. Healthiest plants I’ve ever grown. Won’t be going back to soil or organic nutrients.