Live Stoner Chat Live Stoner Chat - Jan-Mar '26

[Orion]

Anyone still awake?

 

[Mossy]

Anyone still awake?

Depends who's asking..........?....

What can I help you with..?...

 

[Orion]

Mornin'.

I'm having trouble finding info about buffering Coco. Do you need to do it with the calmag product or could I get away with soaking in megacrop solution?

 

[Tom Bombadil]

Buffering coco coir is the critical process of soaking expanded, washed coconut fiber in a calcium-magnesium (Cal-Mag) solution to replace trapped sodium and potassium, preventing nutrient lockout. This step ensures proper cation exchange, allowing plants to absorb nutrients effectively instead of having them bound to the media.


Why Buffer Coco Coir?
Raw coco coir is naturally high in sodium and potassium, which can lead to deficiencies in calcium and magnesium.

• Prevent Nutrient Lockout: Without buffering, coco coir binds with calcium and magnesium from your nutrients, causing deficiencies.
• Remove Excess Salts: It cleans out residual sodium, which is toxic to plants.
• Stable pH: It helps stabilize the pH of the growing medium, allowing better nutrient uptake.

Step-by-Step Buffering Process

1. Hydrate and Wash: Expand the compressed coco brick using water (preferably Reverse Osmosis). Rinse it thoroughly to remove excess fine particles and dust.
2. Soak in Cal-Mag Solution: Soak the rinsed coco in a solution containing a high-dose Cal-Mag supplement (roughly 7.5ml/gallon or 2 EC) for 8-12 hours.
3. Drain and Repeat: Drain the solution and, for optimal results, repeat the soak with a fresh batch of Cal-Mag solution for another 8-12 hours.
4. Final Rinse: Optionally, perform a light rinse to manage the final EC before planting, ensuring the substrate is ready for immediate use.

Tips for Success

• Use Cal-Mag: A 150% strength Cal-Mag mix is generally recommended for the soak.
• Check EC/pH: If using an EC meter, your coco is fully buffered when the runoff EC equals the input EC.
• Pre-Buffered Options: Many commercial coco coir brands come pre-buffered, saving you this step, though it is always wise to confirm.
  
  --------------------------------------------
  looks like cal mag is required

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[WildBill]

Buffering coco coir is the critical process of soaking expanded, washed coconut fiber in a calcium-magnesium (Cal-Mag) solution to replace trapped sodium and potassium, preventing nutrient lockout. This step ensures proper cation exchange, allowing plants to absorb nutrients effectively instead of having them bound to the media.


Why Buffer Coco Coir?
Raw coco coir is naturally high in sodium and potassium, which can lead to deficiencies in calcium and magnesium.

• Prevent Nutrient Lockout: Without buffering, coco coir binds with calcium and magnesium from your nutrients, causing deficiencies.
• Remove Excess Salts: It cleans out residual sodium, which is toxic to plants.
• Stable pH: It helps stabilize the pH of the growing medium, allowing better nutrient uptake.

Step-by-Step Buffering Process

1. Hydrate and Wash: Expand the compressed coco brick using water (preferably Reverse Osmosis). Rinse it thoroughly to remove excess fine particles and dust.
2. Soak in Cal-Mag Solution: Soak the rinsed coco in a solution containing a high-dose Cal-Mag supplement (roughly 7.5ml/gallon or 2 EC) for 8-12 hours.
3. Drain and Repeat: Drain the solution and, for optimal results, repeat the soak with a fresh batch of Cal-Mag solution for another 8-12 hours.
4. Final Rinse: Optionally, perform a light rinse to manage the final EC before planting, ensuring the substrate is ready for immediate use.

Tips for Success

• Use Cal-Mag: A 150% strength Cal-Mag mix is generally recommended for the soak.
• Check EC/pH: If using an EC meter, your coco is fully buffered when the runoff EC equals the input EC.
• Pre-Buffered Options: Many commercial coco coir brands come pre-buffered, saving you this step, though it is always wise to confirm.
  
  --------------------------------------------
  looks like cal mag is required

--------------------------------------------

Isn't isn't there some on the market that's already had this done to it?

 

[WildBill]

So any post or reply on the discord needs staff approval? I would assume this is temporary...................... Or are you gonna have to hire more staff!

 

[PinkyNotTheBrain]

So any post or reply on the discord needs staff approval? I would assume this is temporary...................... Or are you gonna have to hire more staff!

Good morning bud

 

[PinkyNotTheBrain]

Good afternoon @Mossy

 

[Mossy]

So any post or reply on the discord needs staff approval? I would assume this is temporary...................... Or are you gonna have to hire more staff!

Ah.. that'll be an oversight @WildBill ....

...the only ones that need staff approval are the trouble makers from here....

and that couldn't be you........ could it........?....



sorry... couldn't resist....just temporary @WildBill ......I thought Hobbsey switched it off....

Ask on the other site and they should know...I'm sure I've seen it brought up....