Grow Mediums What size air pots for a true Coco hydro experience?

[superphish]

Thank you all so much. This forum rocks! Looks like I'll be watering once every 36-48 hrs trying to hit the dry out cycle for 3 gallon pots. Would adding a higher % of perlite help shorten the dry out cycle or would that not be advised? My coco is made by fiberdust, is 70/30 coco/perlite an ideal mix?

 

[GCase]

Personally, would use just the coco. I use Canna Coco which is buffered for PH right out of the bag.

However--this grown have a Blue Kush in a two gallon fabric bag. Sprouted one too many seeds and low on coco. So--used combination of clay pebbles, about two qt. of coco and the rest Light Warrior. Maybe got a total of 1.5 gallon of substrate in the fabric bag. It is short but thrived better than big ones. Also, early ripening. Risky but it worked this time.

Yes--many do add perlite but would go with what you have to test environment and how much feeding is required.

Cheers

 

[Hal 8999]

Do not add perlite. Use just coco. Fibredust is the hands down best. It needs nothing added to it. Start to think of watering by weight. It is not based on time. You need to let the pot dry out and lighten before adding more water.

 

[GCase]

Excellent--Hal.

 

[Fantasy Island]

I used 1 gallon smart pots straight Coco. I Lightly hand water for the first 2 weeks with a couple of dry out days. Then I drip feed, working my way up to 6 drips per day With no more dry days. As she starts getting into heavy flower I run 3 drips worth of phd water with drip clean for a minor flush. I have grown beasts This way. My first one done this way netted me 11 oz. My 3rd one netted me almost 17 ozs.

This same system I used in a 32oz solo cup competition. one netted 60g and the other 40g. This is after I almost killed them due to a pump malfunction they dried out for 2-3 days.

I am now setup in 64oz diy airpots. I am trying to grow more variety So I am figuring that if I go with a pot size in between the 32oz and the 1 gallon I should be able to get a manageable size out of them.

So there's my experience. Learnt from @JAYAR and @Truu and the other fine folks here on AFN. By the way I Use Botanicare Cocogro and THe full AN coco Lineup.

 

[JAYAR]

Thank you all so much. This forum rocks! Looks like I'll be watering once every 36-48 hrs trying to hit the dry out cycle for 3 gallon pots. Would adding a higher % of perlite help shorten the dry out cycle or would that not be advised? My coco is made by fiberdust, is 70/30 coco/perlite an ideal mix?

Just wanted to pitch my two cents. If you want the hydro experience I would follow Truu's guide to the T, I did and like Fantasy Island mentioned it works really well. Have u considered recycling runoff instead of wasting it? Makes everything so much easier since that method feeds multiple times per day.

 

[superphish]

JAYAR, good timing. Last night I had time to make this. This way I'll have the option to recycle the run off.

 

[Truu]

Hey dudes, this was a great discussion. I think the main point should be the greatness of CoCo and how versatile it can be to suit many needs of growing.

However, if you want to get the full benefits of CoCo "hydro", I do not recommend anything bigger than 2 gallons. I personally used 1 gal pots, and the size of the plants was really determined by genetics and not pot size. The point to having such a small pot is to decrease the time it takes for the pot to dry out. So ideally you want to be feeding more than 2-3 times a day to really get the hydro benefits. I usually max'd out my timers schedule at 8 feedings a day but my plants could take more.

I do not recommend using perlite using my method as the roots will fill up the pot, and there is no need for perlite.

If you are going to use 2gal or more I would use something like rice hulls or red lava rock.

 

[JAYAR]

Nice setup dude looks pro. Waay better than my diy skills lol good luck with ur grow make sure to post up a link to it so I can sub up. @Truu good point bro I stayed with 1 gal thing will grow monsters I'd like to try it with 2 gal once my new setup is built and im running 1200 watts.. get some TREES

 

[pop22]

Coco and auto pots is the way to go! Its the only, non DIY system I have ever, or ever would, spend my money on!
it takes all the drudgery out of coco grows and give top results!

Here's my Sweet Trainwreck in coco, in autopots:

JAYAR, good timing. Last night I had time to make this. This way I'll have the option to recycle the run off.
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