# coco coir sticky??



## Cannabiscotti (Apr 12, 2009)

is there a sticky or any links ya'll know about to learn me more about this stuff? i'm browsn the forum but haven't found anything


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## scatking (Apr 12, 2009)

If you just google it you will find tons of materials.  I use it for my hydro set up and have had great success with both mj and vegetables.  It is fairly ph neutral once you prep it, and it stays that way.


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## leafminer (May 30, 2009)

I use it as a passive soil replacement. I find I need to use a handful of slaked lime for a 5 gallon bucket to get the pH about right. The one I use comes ready prepped with Pearlite, roasted clay fragments, and slow-release fert beads. I can produce 10 foot sativas out of 5 gallon buckets of this stuff, no problem. Try it, you'll like it. Can also be used as a partial medium, mixed.


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## CoolAsAFan (May 31, 2009)

the main thing with coco coir you need to worry about is the cation exchange rate. any specific questions?


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## massproducer (May 31, 2009)

read the first few pages of my signature link on my coco buckets...  I provided a lot of information on coco and it properties.  If you have any questions after that PM me and I will surely try to offer any help I can


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## leafminer (May 31, 2009)

How nice to see a post from you, MP. I am using your hempy buckets on my indicas but unfortunately have them in reveg at the moment so will have to wait and see.


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## massproducer (May 31, 2009)

Yeah I was going through a few personal problems, but it is about time i revive my thread, lol...  Good luck bro


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## Cannabiscotti (May 31, 2009)

CoolAsAFan said:
			
		

> the main thing with coco coir you need to worry about is the cation exchange rate. any specific questions?


 
yea-whats the "cation exchange"?


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## CoolAsAFan (May 31, 2009)

hxxp://www.usu.edu/cpl/PDF/CoconutCoirPaper.pdf


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## CoolAsAFan (May 31, 2009)

i think MP explains cation exchange in his coco thread...but basically the coir itself is loaded with potassium and other things. So when your first use it, it takes sometime (like a week or 2 i think), for other nutes to absorb properly and evenly within the coir. i beieve it is common for N-deficieny's and such during those first few weeks. someone correct me if im wrong as pretty high right now. 

that other post was an interesting study i found a minute ago.


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## massproducer (May 31, 2009)

I find that "study" rather funny as they are treating two totally different mediums the exact same which just happens to suit the peat moss...  It is almost like they have some sort of vested interest in the results.  I would have to wonder if this study was funded by the peat moss industry in some way.  

I myself have grown with both and in my situation Coco is the only thing that will let me do what I do.  I could not do it with peat, because it holds way to much water.  Peat is more like traditional soil, as most soil growers are probably using peat and not top soil.  But Coco is a whole different animal, you can not let coco dry out because it is more like hydroponics, so just like you wouldn't turn off your pump on your drip system, you do not let coco dry out, you basically have to feed it every day.  You have to deal with the C.E, by either amendeding it with organic sources of N, Ca, and Mg or adding a coco based nute when you are reconsituting the dry bricks.  Cation exchange is a good thing when it comes to coco if you understand it and use it to your advantage.  

Basically in coco coir the medium itself will hold everything that the plant needs within the medium itself and pass the elements to the plant as it needs each one.  Yes coco itself is high in K, but once again if handled correctly initially then it is IMO, the easiest medium to go totally organic with because once you deal with the C.E then you are basically replace the elements in the medium and not in the plants.  I know, it is somewhat hard to wrap your mind around at first, but if you do research on true organics, that is basically the premise, you are feeding the medium, which in turn feeds the plants.  But using coco you have the added benefit of all of these organic elements being chelated and held for the plants and beneficals to eat what they want, when they want.  It is truely wonderful.

I will make a bold statement and say that with everything I have done, organics, and I mean true organics is by far the best.  The method I am using now has me producing the largest and most healthy plants I have ever produced.  Most plants are healthy until chopping day.  I am no expert and I am really still learning myself with only starting into organic a year and a half ago, but I am starting to understand and realize some of the potential.  So I am a fan of coco of course but I am a bigger fan of organics, and right now coco is all that is available that will allow me to do what I do.


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## Cannabiscotti (Jun 1, 2009)

MassPro - so how big do you think one could grow in 1-2 gal hempy buckets before getting rootbound? i got about 4' total height with my cooltube-should i be ok? thanks for all the input--your coco thread has got to be in the running for longest MjPass thread...!


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## CoolAsAFan (Jun 1, 2009)

ya i agree with you about it being kind of biased. i was baked when i stumbled on it lol. i agree with you about organics MP, loving EM as well. sorry about this hijack but while i got ya MP, can i pick your brain for a minute? im stuck trying to figure out a good formula for my next medium, i mean i got my ingredient list, just not sure what ratio's to mix...coir, clay rocks, castings, guano, d.lime,  blood/bone meal, and your opinion on alfalfa meal? (listing ingedients in sort of a "most" to "least" used.) also this is a mix for flowering.

i'll be feeding with kelp/guano/castings/blackstrap tea maybe only once a week? could i even shoot that to 2 weeks but still use the blackstrap wkly?
thanks


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