All you need to know about how to feed in Coco

[Edwina420]

Hi 420 !

So,
As much as possible, I like to spend my time on here helping out new coco/hydro growers.

I started out like those guys and someone spoon fed me untill I was a big boy and could handle reading a number on a stick.

I'm finding myself spending my limited time here on the wrong things though and I've finally worked out how to work my "Sig"

So here is the first of a few threads that I'll add to my Sig In order to allow me to spend my time here more productively.....

I'm still here, see you responded to others and not me maybe this will clarify things about my grow. Same strain White Widow-2, OG Kush-3, 1 Darth Vader Kush found seed. The leaf is off one in the grow at bottom of the plant /I don't recommend this co. As I list 50% in germination replaced and growing again plus seedlings from critical mass, power plant, and Trainwreck just popping. So what can you tell me? Any would be appreciated ❣

 

[BTzGrow]

Keep Shit Simple Too!
None of this 14 different bottles for the grow. It's a load of useless, confusing, snake oil.
Lots of things are obviously beneficial if they're used correctly but worry about fine tuning once you can grow a basic run.

Subbed In, if for no other reason because you are speaking my language. I've been growing Hempy Bucket style for my last six grows, and have had great success and easy grows with nice yields. My first grow was in soil and did extremely well also, but was a constant hassle so to speak.

Hempy Bucket for me is super easy but I still can't leave it alone for more than a couple of days. I have been considering adding some CoCo into my perlite mix to about a 50/50 ration. Not exactly sure of what the benefit would be. The perlite wicks moisture up to at least 8inches. I've been using 100% perlite with Pour to Waste method.

I'm currently getting an Ebb & Flow system put together for my next Hempy Grow. It will flush the bottom half of my perlite grow medium about 4-5 times a day. I will be using air stones for my reservoir to keep the solution fresh and change every 7 - 10 days.

I found your prescription of quarter strength very interesting. I have actually considered that to be almost full strength. I use RO and my PPM levels run from 350 at the start up to around 800 in flower. I may have to dial that back with the E&F process.

Thanks for an excellent example and reference. It confirms that some of my directions are headed in a good direction.

 

[FelipeBlu]

Especially the root boost. Trust me, the roots go mental during the stretch and for a week or so after.

Are you saying that the roots also stretch during stretch? What root boost are you using in hydro?

Thanks for the excellent thread, amigo!

 

[Emilya Green]

I'm still here, see you responded to others and not me maybe this will clarify things about my grow. Same strain White Widow-2, OG Kush-3, 1 Darth Vader Kush found seed. The leaf is off one in the grow at bottom of the plant /I don't recommend this co. As I list 50% in germination replaced and growing again plus seedlings from critical mass, power plant, and Trainwreck just popping. So what can you tell me? Any would be appreciated ❣

He Jenny... looks like a severe magnesium deficiency... get some calmag in there quick. Make sure your pH is correct for your medium. It is easier to get responses to problems if you start your own thread with a question or sending a PM or a profile message to someone rather than just jumping into a thread on another topic. We are all glad to help, but you can easily get lost in a discussion of other matters.

 

[Lungren]

Subbed In, if for no other reason because you are speaking my language. I've been growing Hempy Bucket style for my last six grows, and have had great success and easy grows with nice yields. My first grow was in soil and did extremely well also, but was a constant hassle so to speak.

Hempy Bucket for me is super easy but I still can't leave it alone for more than a couple of days. I have been considering adding some CoCo into my perlite mix to about a 50/50 ration. Not exactly sure of what the benefit would be. The perlite wicks moisture up to at least 8inches. I've been using 100% perlite with Pour to Waste method.

I'm currently getting an Ebb & Flow system put together for my next Hempy Grow. It will flush the bottom half of my perlite grow medium about 4-5 times a day. I will be using air stones for my reservoir to keep the solution fresh and change every 7 - 10 days.

I found your prescription of quarter strength very interesting. I have actually considered that to be almost full strength. I use RO and my PPM levels run from 350 at the start up to around 800 in flower. I may have to dial that back with the E&F process.

Thanks for an excellent example and reference. It confirms that some of my directions are headed in a good direction.

do you ever find the roots come out and clog the hole at the bottom of the hempy?
interested to try this method with coco and hand watering, but have been hearing that its not great
im currently in promix HP and coco 50/50ish

 

[BTzGrow]

do you ever find the roots come out and clog the hole at the bottom of the hempy?

I never have had an issue with this. No clogging of the hole if the Perlite is rinsed well. I also use a slightly large perlite especially in the reservoir area. I think the roots do what is call "self pruning"?

interested to try this method with coco and hand watering, but have been hearing that its not great

I've done 7 grows now with the Perlite Hempy Bucket experience and have had what I consider a very successful experience. If you get a chance go back a check out my yields. Typically about 5-6oz with each grow inside a 2x2.5 foot print. I did one Auto by itself in a 2x2x4 tent and yielded 2oz under a 100watt DIY Quantum Board start to finish and consider it to be one of my best and easiest grows.

The simplicity and basically hands free effort is what keeps me in the process. My experience shows a lot less water/nutrient mixing effort because the amount of feeding is reduced at least 50%, more like 75%. My first grow was soil and required 2gals every other day. Current flowering plants in 2gal buckets require less than 2 liters each.

I'm looking to simplify the process even more, that's why this thread caught my interest.

 

[Lungren]

I never have had an issue with this. No clogging of the hole if the Perlite is rinsed well. I also use a slightly large perlite especially in the reservoir area. I think the roots do what is call "self pruning"?

I've done 7 grows now with the Perlite Hempy Bucket experience and have had what I consider a very successful experience. If you get a chance go back a check out my yields. Typically about 5-6oz with each grow inside a 2x2.5 foot print. I did one Auto by itself in a 2x2x4 tent and yielded 2oz under a 100watt DIY Quantum Board start to finish and consider it to be one of my best and easiest grows.

The simplicity and basically hands free effort is what keeps me in the process. My experience shows a lot less water/nutrient mixing effort because the amount of feeding is reduced at least 50%, more like 75%. My first grow was soil and required 2gals every other day. Current flowering plants in 2gal buckets require less than 2 liters each.

I'm looking to simplify the process even more, that's why this thread caught my interest.

The simplicity with the yeilds is what's drawing me too it, I'm growing in the airpots right now, love me some airpruning

 

[Edwina420]

He Jenny... looks like a severe magnesium deficiency... get some calmag in there quick. Make sure your pH is correct for your medium. It is easier to get responses to problems if you start your own thread with a question or sending a PM or a profile message to someone rather than just jumping into a thread on another topic. We are all glad to help, but you can easily get lost in a discussion of other matters.

Thank you for your reply I'm nor phone, computer savvy so posting in a thread is foreign to me. I just don't know how.

 

[Emilya Green]

Thank you for your reply I'm nor phone, computer savvy so posting in a thread is foreign to me. I just don't know how.

That was what I figured Jenny... that is why I answered you. Hope you get the problem fixed! Just 19 more posts and you can send PMs (Private Messages) and get personalized help if you need it. Why don't you start up a thread in the introductions area, and let us know a bit about you. Get those 19 messages whipped out and make some new friends! Tell us about your grow, how you came to do this... come on girl... you can do this thing.

 

[Edwina420]

Here?

 

[Emilya Green]

Here?

no...
it is polite to respect that this is someone else's thread. Read this, it will help. I will follow you so I can see what you post from here on out. lol, you now have a stalker. You are now down to needing 17 messages.

Introduce Yourself

Your opportunity to tell the 420 community a little about yourself and your interest in cannabis with a brief introduction

www.420magazine.com

 

[Barney86]

Thanks Emilya I've been out on a bit of a mad one. Got a baby sitter for the weekend so was in the pub all day. .spent about 200 quid and snapped my ankle so gonna be off work for a week now too!! Great

 

[Emilya Green]

a true bender! an ankle bender! lol... sorry. Hope you mend quickly. Ouch. Hope you had a grand time!

 

[Barney86]

I'm still here, see you responded to others and not me maybe this will clarify things about my grow. Same strain White Widow-2, OG Kush-3, 1 Darth Vader Kush found seed. The leaf is off one in the grow at bottom of the plant /I don't recommend this co. As I list 50% in germination replaced and growing again plus seedlings from critical mass, power plant, and Trainwreck just popping. So what can you tell me? Any would be appreciated ❣

Hi Jenny, sorry about the late reply. I'm usually on but was out with the Mrs yesterday

Most problems in Coco originate from not feeding enough. Just about anything can magically appear if you give it a wet dry cycle.
What you should be doing is feeding somewhere around 500ppm or 1ec.
Ph5.7 for veg. ph 6.3-6.5 for bloom.
Always feeding to run off and always feeding every day.
Which of that are you not doing?

Ppm is parts per million of (TDS) total dissolved solids. Basically telling you how much stuff is in the water.

EC tells you the same thing but does so by measuring electrical conductivity (EC)

The easiest way I know to check the accuracy of ppm or pH pens is to buy brand name bottled water. pH is always on the bottle and if the ppm or EC isn't then it's just a Google away.

You do have deficiences there but if you've been letting the Coco dry out then they're more likely a side effect.
Sure I seen full strength mentioned somewhere there so an actual deficit seems unlikely initially.

Oh and 90% of failed seeds are down to user error. I've had about 150 from no idea how many different places. Ive had 1 that didn't crack. Get a pack of root riots. 24 for £5 on Amazon.
Put the seed in pointy side up at 15mm deep. Any deeper and the likelyhood is it will get stuck. Less than 10mm and it will come up with the shell on. Same results if you don't put it pointy side up.
Give it like 5ml of tap water and leave it anywhere other than the fridge.
Works every time. 20*c roughly will get them going faster.

 

[Barney86]

Subbed In, if for no other reason because you are speaking my language. I've been growing Hempy Bucket style for my last six grows, and have had great success and easy grows with nice yields. My first grow was in soil and did extremely well also, but was a constant hassle so to speak.

Hempy Bucket for me is super easy but I still can't leave it alone for more than a couple of days. I have been considering adding some CoCo into my perlite mix to about a 50/50 ration. Not exactly sure of what the benefit would be. The perlite wicks moisture up to at least 8inches. I've been using 100% perlite with Pour to Waste method.

I'm currently getting an Ebb & Flow system put together for my next Hempy Grow. It will flush the bottom half of my perlite grow medium about 4-5 times a day. I will be using air stones for my reservoir to keep the solution fresh and change every 7 - 10 days.

I found your prescription of quarter strength very interesting. I have actually considered that to be almost full strength. I use RO and my PPM levels run from 350 at the start up to around 800 in flower. I may have to dial that back with the E&F process.

Thanks for an excellent example and reference. It confirms that some of my directions are headed in a good direction.

Ebb and flo is the one thing I've not tried yet mate. Know a few guys that use them but never even seen one in action. Done the rest though and hempys are definately up there with the easiest way to do things.

I did mention somewhere that if youre using r/o water then you'll need to add a bit of ppm so you're fairly spot on anyway 100ppm of a difference isn't worth worrying about.
Some strains will take a bit more too. Just gotta judge it. Can get fairly different feeding habits from different strains.
And obviously bigger plants will take a bit more too.

The benefit of Coco in the mix is that it holds more water. Which just means less chance of getting hot soil syndrome from it drying out.
The benefit of just perilite is that it drains better so get more oxygen to the roots. But it drains fast so gotta keep an eye on things till the roots hit the bottom.

 

[Barney86]

I never have had an issue with this. No clogging of the hole if the Perlite is rinsed well. I also use a slightly large perlite especially in the reservoir area. I think the roots do what is call "self pruning"?

I've done 7 grows now with the Perlite Hempy Bucket experience and have had what I consider a very successful experience. If you get a chance go back a check out my yields. Typically about 5-6oz with each grow inside a 2x2.5 foot print. I did one Auto by itself in a 2x2x4 tent and yielded 2oz under a 100watt DIY Quantum Board start to finish and consider it to be one of my best and easiest grows.

The simplicity and basically hands free effort is what keeps me in the process. My experience shows a lot less water/nutrient mixing effort because the amount of feeding is reduced at least 50%, more like 75%. My first grow was soil and required 2gals every other day. Current flowering plants in 2gal buckets require less than 2 liters each.

I'm looking to simplify the process even more, that's why this thread caught my interest.

Get a big 20l plastic tub with a lid from the bargain store.
£8 recirc pump, £3 scillicone tubing , £5 feed ring and £8 light timer from Amazon.
Stick the pump in the tub.
Plug it into the timer and set it to go off for 15 minutes 3-4 times a day
Drill lots of holes in the lid.
tubing goes up through the lid and attached to feed ring.
Plant in pot sits ontop of the lid.
recirculating system that you don't even need to feed. Just fill the Res when it gets low.
Feed as previously stated and it will stay in range no worries for upto 7 days. At which point if there's any left it needs changed.
Can't get much easier than that lol

 

[Barney86]

a true bender! an ankle bender! lol... sorry. Hope you mend quickly. Ouch. Hope you had a grand time!

Yeah was a definate Scottish "mad wan" lol. Crackin night. Just gutted I've broke my foot again. 3rd time now and still never been to the hospital. It sits squint as fook at the best of times

 

[SherlokOhmz]

Get a big 20l plastic tub with a lid from the bargain store.
£8 recirc pump, £3 scillicone tubing , £5 feed ring and £8 light timer from Amazon.
Stick the pump in the tub.
Plug it into the timer and set it to go off for 15 minutes 3-4 times a day
Drill lots of holes in the lid.
tubing goes up through the lid and attached to feed ring.
Plant in pot sits ontop of the lid.
recirculating system that you don't even need to feed. Just fill the Res when it gets low.
Feed as previously stated and it will stay in range no worries for upto 7 days. At which point if there's any left it needs changed.
Can't get much easier than that lol

Does feeding them this way save you $ as opposed to drain to waste? I have not tried recycling nutrients before. I could easily adapt my system to run like that.

 

[d42zero]

Get a big 20l plastic tub with a lid from the bargain store.
£8 recirc pump, £3 scillicone tubing , £5 feed ring and £8 light timer from Amazon.
Stick the pump in the tub.
Plug it into the timer and set it to go off for 15 minutes 3-4 times a day
Drill lots of holes in the lid.
tubing goes up through the lid and attached to feed ring.
Plant in pot sits ontop of the lid.
recirculating system that you don't even need to feed. Just fill the Res when it gets low.
Feed as previously stated and it will stay in range no worries for upto 7 days. At which point if there's any left it needs changed.
Can't get much easier than that lol

That sounds easy as. If I wanted to move my plants to that system would you recommend a big flush beforehand with the same stuff I'll be feeding them, so that whatever runs back into the tank from the first couple of waterings doesn't change the mix?

I have three plants but I'm already picturing a larger version that would be enough for all three... either that or I can move the tent so I can get in from the sides to access three of them.

With a system like this would you have to drain the res COMPLETELY each time you do a water change, or would leaving a small amount (maybe 100-200ml or so) of the old solution be ok? I can picture an easy way to drain it that would leave a little bit, or a way that would drain it 100% but be much more expensive..

Cheers

 

[Barney86]

Does feeding them this way save you $ as opposed to drain to waste? I have not tried recycling nutrients before. I could easily adapt my system to run like that.

Yeah saves you massive amounts of time and money mate. Its basically a diy wilma system. Get much better growth rates if theyre being fed multiple times a day too.