Grow Mediums RE - USE COCO COIR

[GeorgeCloney]

@Groff
I've grown plenty in peat. Both regulars and autos.
The info about AACT is very interesting about its reaction with previous roots in the pot.
Please explain more.. More people than you expect will appreciate these explanations.
You're on a role about a little talked about subject we discuss. When reusing coco.
SO, my question now is... Can I use my 2 cans of Great white to do what you're proposing?.

I do coco and not DWC...
So the DWC folks have no need for this approach.
So an auto feeder ( pump with a 50ppm bleach probably isn't a good idea huh..

 

[Groff]

@GeorgeCloney

Well, like I mentioned, it is a mid to high level experience. Either you make it work, or create complete havoc of the situation. Coco can work kind of like a halfway house between hydro and organic growing. Doing hydro all general rules apply, doing organics it just means you cannot be lazy - so treat it like a "hydro" grow - in the sense that you have to be on top of things all the time - pH, temperature, humidity, proper feed, etc

Growing in soil and (true) organics is quite permissive. pH can swing, nutrients don't have an EC, any problems takes several days to diagnose correct.
Hydro, deficiencies/overfeeding is quite apparent to show, and so are the fixes.

If you master how to brew AACT it is quite beneficial to both coco-hydro (NEVER DWC!!!) as it is with organics. The only difference is that in soil the microbial life lingers on for much much longer, while in coco it you need to keep replenishing the flora.

If you are able to brew proper AACT's, then the bacteria will decompose the dead roots and convert to readily available nutrients, exactly as the plants needs. You need to remember that in nature, Cannabis plants selectively exudates through the roots what it needs to feed bacteria, and they in turn give back what was asked. So to pull this off in coco to reuse coco pots filled with dead roots, means to consistently feed it really high quality teas - and the plant will take care of asking the bacteria the exact ratio of nutrients it needs.

Now, come flowering, things change. Requirements are much higher and you will need to supplement. Either chemical or organic - your choice.

The trick is come near harvest, to flush (without RO or distilled water!!!) really well to clean off any salt build-up. Personally, I am not a believer of flushing in the traditional form - I don't believe in it as a way to make bud taste better, burn better etc - to me that is pure nonsense from folk who dont understand basic plant biology. You just flush to clean out excess salts while the girls consume the leaves, start turning yellow - boom - harvest.

Next seedling in, you let grow a little, then jut feed it AACT's to reset microbial life, and make an effort to maintain it. Bacterial will colonize, decompose dead roots feed your girls A++ nutrients

This, of course, is a nutshell explanation.

Great White is great, although silly expensive - works in DWC no doubt - until anaerobic conditions take over. So it's not the Great White that will make your harvest, it is your ability to properly maintain aerobic conditions that will make Great White work in your favour.

Bleach? Are you nuts?? Only between crops to kill all the nasties! Never use bleach on live crops!
_

 

[GeorgeCloney]

@GeorgeCloney

Well, like I mentioned, it is a mid to high level experience. Either you make it work, or create complete havoc of the situation. Coco can work kind of like a halfway house between hydro and organic growing. Doing hydro all general rules apply, doing organics it just means you cannot be lazy - so treat it like a "hydro" grow - in the sense that you have to be on top of things all the time - pH, temperature, humidity, proper feed, etc

Growing in soil and (true) organics is quite permissive. pH can swing, nutrients don't have an EC, any problems takes several days to diagnose correct.
Hydro, deficiencies/overfeeding is quite apparent to show, and so are the fixes.

If you master how to brew AACT it is quite beneficial to both coco-hydro (NEVER DWC!!!) as it is with organics. The only difference is that in soil the microbial life lingers on for much much longer, while in coco it you need to keep replenishing the flora.

If you are able to brew proper AACT's, then the bacteria will decompose the dead roots and convert to readily available nutrients, exactly as the plants needs. You need to remember that in nature, Cannabis plants selectively exudates through the roots what it needs to feed bacteria, and they in turn give back what was asked. So to pull this off in coco to reuse coco pots filled with dead roots, means to consistently feed it really high quality teas - and the plant will take care of asking the bacteria the exact ratio of nutrients it needs.

Now, come flowering, things change. Requirements are much higher and you will need to supplement. Either chemical or organic - your choice.

The trick is come near harvest, to flush (without RO or distilled water!!!) really well to clean off any salt build-up. Personally, I am not a believer of flushing in the traditional form - I don't believe in it as a way to make bud taste better, burn better etc - to me that is pure nonsense from folk who dont understand basic plant biology. You just flush to clean out excess salts while the girls consume the leaves, start turning yellow - boom - harvest.

Next seedling in, you let grow a little, then jut feed it AACT's to reset microbial life, and make an effort to maintain it. Bacterial will colonize, decompose dead roots feed your girls A++ nutrients

This, of course, is a nutshell explanation.

Great White is great, although silly expensive - works in DWC no doubt - until anaerobic conditions take over. So it's not the Great White that will make your harvest, it is your ability to properly maintain aerobic conditions that will make Great White work in your favour.

Bleach? Are you nuts?? Only between crops to kill all the nasties! Never use bleach on live crops!
_

I'm wearing a stupid smile reading your explanation of whats happening both at the root level and time ( the decomposition process) ..
Groff, we have a tips and tricks section in the Infirmary subsection here on the site.
This is excellent information for all to know about.
As a professional instructor.
I am very very much impressed with your explanations on how this all comes together.
Kudos grobro...and I'm not blowing smoke up your ass...
This needs to be published for more to know...and you deserve full credit for it

 

[andreas]

oh dear lol :smoking: I have been using cocoa that is 4 years old ,I decided to use it as i didn't want to be seen carrying bags around , I have my routine to reuse it and haven't had any issues , do occasionally think where did that sand come from? after a pre wash soak ,, only added perlite to it ,and the small stuff goes gets washed out during buffering for re use leaving the big fibers

wasnt washing out through a colander built up way too much cocoa peat , lost some nice seedlings to mold , highly doubt any of the 4 year old coco is left , so dont be like me

 

[andreas]

oh dear lol :smoking: I have been using cocoa that is 4 years old ,I decided to use it as i didn't want to be seen carrying bags around , I have my routine to reuse it and haven't had any issues , do occasionally think where did that sand come from? after a pre wash soak ,, only added perlite to it ,and the small stuff goes gets washed out during buffering for re use leaving the big fibers

And then this happened ! most of my coco turned into peat ,learned a lesson cant grow much in coco peat !