First Time in Coco-Coir - Questions

[mkultra999]

So sup growers, I got few questions to ask about coco, I am switching from organics to coco coir (not my thing now that I know)
Basically I did a few runs about 4 in total and the last 3 where bad buds like full of nutes.

And I said I am gonna give coco a chance
So right away am going to ask some questions,
if any help or tips can come my way and hope that helps me and each other thanks in advanced.

Q:
1: feeding
If I want to grow more weeks in veg do I feed 100ppm more every week,
example 6 week veg is 650ppm and next week it is 750ppm and so up?

2: watering in a big pot (5 galon)
First I will spray R.O 5.8ph for germination in coco directly and after it sprouts I wil be feed spraying about 20ml (150ppm) (lights on) then I second spray 20ml 0-10ppm just R.O (10h after lights on)
till I can get a run-off? Is it a good thing or is there any better watering practices remeber that this is in a 5 galon pot.

3: run-off / watering
When can I get a run-off in a bigger pot (5 galon)?
/
Do I keep the coco wet, damp, or can is there a sweet spot?

 

[Sativa1970]

If your feed chart only goes to 6 weeks and you want to veg longer you stay at week 6 ratio. If veg week 6 is 650PPM then veg week 10 is 650PPM.

Don't start in a 5 gallon pot. You will fight with watering and cause mineral buildup. Start small and up pot. Quart to 1-2 gallon then 5 gallon pot. Gallon per foot is the goal.

Don't keep the media wet. Water until you have good run off, 25% of what you pour in runs out the bottom, then let it dry out before watering again. You need to flush minerals out of the media with PH water so they don't build up. Strain, age and PPM fed will determine how often. Could be every 2 weeks or every other watering. Underfeeding will loose potential growth but over feeding kills plants. These plants can live for weeks on just water but can die in days with too much food.

Starting a journal is the best way to get helpful feedback as you go. Good luck.

 

[SamSmith]

My take on coco is a bit different. As far as ppm on the feed you need to watch the plants. Give them enough to where you see the vary tips and I mean the last 1/16-1/8" yellow and then back it off from there. I run seedlings and veg up to the topping of plant at the 5th node around 300-400. After they are going I take it up around 800-1000 ppm. The exact numbers will vary based on your plant along with other enviormental factors. I measure the tap water and subtract that from the numbers on the meter.

You can't overwater coco but you can dump a ton of nutrients into the medium that will buildup and burn/lock out the plant. The mistake I see a lot of people do with coco is they don't put enough solution through them when they water. It isn't soil. It is a drain to waste hydroponic medium. You should have a fair amount of runoff. I water once a day in 5gal fabric containers in veg. Flower 2-3 times per day. The goal is to keep everything wet so the nutrients do not turn back into solids/salts that are difficult to flush out.

To get rid of the buildup of nutrients you need to flush the coco regularly. I do it every other week with 15gal of water per plant. I just use regular ph-ed tap for this followed by a full feeding.

ETA: count on adding cal mag to whatever nutrients you choose and watch your PH.

 

[Sativa1970]

That's a good point, that PPMs of nutrient is on top of water is like a tear weight and agree PH is the one absolute rule you must fallow. Another thing to be aware of is that there are 3 scales for PPM so it is not a universal measurement. An EC of 2.0 = 1000PPM or 1280PPM or 1400PPM depending on the scale it uses.

Reading the plant is key. My Christmas tree strain loves 1300PPM but my Jamaican Lambs Bread starts to burn if over 600PPM. Feed schedules do not account for strain.

 

[bluter]

To get rid of the buildup of nutrients you need to flush the coco regularly. I do it every other week with 15gal of water per plant. I just use regular ph-ed tap for this followed by a full feeding.

run a f/f/w schedule to smooth that out.

if you are needing to flush that often you could also be feeding too infrequently at too high a ppm. coco likes fed daily at minimum and gets up to multiple feeds per day from mid veg forward.