New to COCO, wanna help?

[diggs99]

Hey guys,

about to rinse/buffer this coco and begin the next grow. Had a couple more questions before i begin.

Im using tap water, normally when feeding my plants i let it sit out for 24 hours to allow chlorine to be removed, should i do the same with the rinsing? or is it not such a concern during the rinse/buffering?

Gonna use Calimagic along with GH micro and bloom as nutes

 

[JohnDee]

Mornin' Diggs,
Chlorine isn't as much of an issue as chloramine...a more complex molecule that won't evaporate out. I use tap water (86 ppm)...but run it through an activated charcoal filter to remove chlorine and chloramine. Many guys just ignore it. It won't kill your plants or anything.
JD

PS When I buffer coco before use I just use calmag. But low dose nutes wouldn't hurt anything.

 

[diggs99]

Mornin' Diggs,
Chlorine isn't as much of an issue as chloramine...a more complex molecule that won't evaporate out. I use tap water (86 ppm)...but run it through an activated charcoal filter to remove chlorine and chloramine. Many guys just ignore it. It won't kill your plants or anything.
JD

PS When I buffer coco before use I just use calmag. But low dose nutes wouldn't hurt anything.

Thanks very much John, and good morning to you as well.

Have a good day bud

 

[TintEastwood]

What Jd said. I use tap water. Its about 140ppm before the calmag.

I like to flush out some of the fine coco particles with a strainer. Squeeze out most of the water before mixing with perlite.

Just buffered a sack of canna coco. Only a 4 hour soaking. I dont do bricks because my grow is small.

 

[gr865]

Hey Digg's,

I use RO that has Cal and Mag added back in so my ppm is around 50, so I bring it up to 200 ppm with CaliMagic 1.5 ml/gal, and Epsom 1 gram/gal and then pH it. I also use Canna Coco bagged.
I use Smart pots so I use three gallons of wash solution per one gallon of smart pots. I also weigh the coco prior to adding it to the smart pots, that way I don't over compact and this allows for a more even watering with each pot. Anal? Yes, I know but too many things can go wrong without repetitiveness.

One more thing is that with the last gallon of wash I add GH SubCulture II and Great White to the mix.

 

[diggs99]

Hey Digg's,

I use RO that has Cal and Mag added back in so my ppm is around 50, so I bring it up to 200 ppm with CaliMagic 1.5 ml/gal, and Epsom 1 gram/gal and then pH it. I also use Canna Coco bagged.
I use Smart pots so I use three gallons of wash solution per one gallon of smart pots. I also weigh the coco prior to adding it to the smart pots, that way I don't over compact and this allows for a more even watering with each pot. Anal? Yes, I know but too many things can go wrong without repetitiveness.

One more thing is that with the last gallon of wash I add GH SubCulture II and Great White to the mix.

Thanks bud, appreciate it

I dont have any GH subculture or Great white to add to the last gallon, i can get some but it wont be until monday or tuesday when the hydro store opens again.

Will this matter? seeds are almost done the paper towel portion of germination, tap roots are beginning to show, was hoping to put them in cups later tonight or tomorrow

 

[diggs99]

What Jd said. I use tap water. Its about 140ppm before the calmag.

I like to flush out some of the fine coco particles with a strainer. Squeeze out most of the water before mixing with perlite.

Just buffered a sack of canna coco. Only a 4 hour soaking. I dont do bricks because my grow is small.

When you say 4 hour soak, you mean you are just letting the coco sit in the ph calmag water for 4 hours?

Gr mentioned he used fabric pots, so can I assume he's not soaking but just constantly pouring more water through it?

 

[xtsho]

Hey guys,

about to rinse/buffer this coco and begin the next grow. Had a couple more questions before i begin.

Im using tap water, normally when feeding my plants i let it sit out for 24 hours to allow chlorine to be removed, should i do the same with the rinsing? or is it not such a concern during the rinse/buffering?

Gonna use Calimagic along with GH micro and bloom as nutes

The amount of chlorine in water isn't a big deal. In fact here in Portland we have chloramine in the water. Like @JohnDee said many just ignore it. I do. I mix and water. I've never let water sit out to let the chlorine evaporate out but many do. My houseplants, vegetables, etc... all get tap water and all are thriving. Cannabis is no different.

 

[diggs99]

The amount of chlorine in water isn't a big deal. In fact here in Portland we have chloramine in the water. Like @JohnDee said many just ignore it. I do. I mix and water. I've never let water sit out to let the chlorine evaporate out but many do. My houseplants, vegetables, etc... all get tap water and all are thriving. Cannabis is no different.

well thats good to know, nothing worse than forgetting to fill the buckets the day before watering, i was under the impression it w as essential, makes my life so much easier if it isnt. I will start watering from the tap and see how it goes.

My water comes out the tap 045 - 055 ppm

Thanks bud

 

[diggs99]

The amount of chlorine in water isn't a big deal. In fact here in Portland we have chloramine in the water. Like @JohnDee said many just ignore it. I do. I mix and water. I've never let water sit out to let the chlorine evaporate out but many do. My houseplants, vegetables, etc... all get tap water and all are thriving. Cannabis is no different.

Do you soak your coco as Tinteastwood said? or do you flush it heavily as gr865 mentioned?

Im gonna place newly germinated seeds in cups tomorrow hopefully, so gonna get the coco prepped tonight

 

[xtsho]

Do you soak your coco as Tinteastwood said? or do you flush it heavily as gr865 mentioned?

Im gonna place newly germinated seeds in cups tomorrow hopefully, so gonna get the coco prepped tonight

I just rehydrate it with a nutrient solution and use it. But not all coco is the same. Many people soak and rinse others just rehydrate and use it like I do. The Botanicare 5kg blocks that I use say on the bag that it's rinsed and buffered. Just rehydrate and use.

Q: Do I need to buffer or rinse Cocogro before planting?

A: All Botanicare coco is pre-buffered and rinsed before packaging to eliminate any salts. If you do wish to rinse Cocogro, use R.O. water and a 2:1 ratio of water to coco by volume to flush the soil before planting.


Q: How is Cocogro processed? Why don’t I need to add calcium?

A: Cocogro is naturally aged, buffered with calcium nitrate, and hydrated with our proprietary fulvic acid, humic acid, and trace mineral treatment.

https://www.botanicare.com/hydro_101/grow-media-faqs/

 

[TintEastwood]

When you say 4 hour soak, you mean you are just letting the coco sit in the ph calmag water for 4 hours?

Gr mentioned he used fabric pots, so can I assume he's not soaking but just constantly pouring more water through it?

This is my go to site for the buffering. They say 8 hour soak.....but they are talking brick coco. I figured 4 was enuff for bagged canna. 1.6ec.

https://cocoforcannabis.com/how-to-prepare-and-buffer-coco-coir/

 

[JohnDee]

The Botanicare 5kg blocks that I use say on the bag that it's rinsed and buffered. Just rehydrate and use.

I just may switch to Botanicare...

To re-use coco it needs to be rinsed soaked and biffered same as you would with off-brand coco bricks...
JD

 

[diggs99]

I just rehydrate it with a nutrient solution and use it. But not all coco is the same. Many people soak and rinse others just rehydrate and use it like I do. The Botanicare 5kg blocks that I use say on the bag that it's rinsed and buffered. Just rehydrate and use.

Q: Do I need to buffer or rinse Cocogro before planting?

A: All Botanicare coco is pre-buffered and rinsed before packaging to eliminate any salts. If you do wish to rinse Cocogro, use R.O. water and a 2:1 ratio of water to coco by volume to flush the soil before planting.


Q: How is Cocogro processed? Why don’t I need to add calcium?

A: Cocogro is naturally aged, buffered with calcium nitrate, and hydrated with our proprietary fulvic acid, humic acid, and trace mineral treatment.

https://www.botanicare.com/hydro_101/grow-media-faqs/

im using H&G bagged cocos

 

[JohnDee]

im using H&G bagged cocos

Ya know Diggs...I totally lost track of what's happening. Maybe if I smoke another joint...it will become clear.

Seriously though...are your questions answered? H&G sounds like excellent coco that can be used right out of the bag. Any questions yet or did it all get covered?
Cheers,
JD

 

[diggs99]

Ya know Diggs...I totally lost track of what's happening. Maybe if I smoke another joint...it will become clear.

Seriously though...are your questions answered? H&G sounds like excellent coco that can be used right out of the bag. Any questions yet or did it all get covered?
Cheers,
JD

you and i both brother lol

i think everything has been answered.

Gonna use tap water, no waiting period for chlorine, will flush the coco heavily with calmag/light nute solution with multiple gallons per gallon of coco

will grow dank
will be baked during entire process

if theres anything im missing, yell at me lol

 

[xtsho]

I just may switch to Botanicare...

To re-use coco it needs to be rinsed soaked and biffered same as you would with off-brand coco bricks...
JD

I do rinse when reusing coco. I fill large nursery pots and use a hose in the backyard. Then I put it in a tote and pour nutrient solution into it. I'll reuse coco one time and then it goes into the garden.

 

[Renfro]

The chlorine/chloramine is only hard on the microbes, it won't hurt your plants.

 

[JohnDee]

I'll reuse coco one time and then it goes into the garden.

I read that the initial rinse to leach out leftover nutrients is very important... also washes out the powdery stuff that's left behind after cellular degradion. Wash that old stuff out and you eliminate excess K+ that can be an issue reusing coco. Then of course do the usual calmag soak...

I'm using second use coco right now and I can notice no variation in plant response. They love it...
JD

 

[xtsho]

I read that the initial rinse to leach out leftover nutrients is very important... also washes out the powdery stuff that's left behind after cellular degradion. Wash that old stuff out and you eliminate excess K+ that can be an issue reusing coco. Then of course do the usual calmag soak...

I'm using second use coco right now and I can notice no variation in plant response. They love it...
JD

Yeah I used to toss it after one use. Then I started reusing it and plants grew just fine. One of the reasons I use straight coco and no perlite is because I don't want the perlite in my garden bed gashing my root vegetables. I've spent years building the soil in my garden plots and picking out all the rocks.