Pinktiger777
Well-Known Member
I want to begin using coco coir instead of clay hydroton. Is it ok to use in ebb and flow? I use a flood tray.
Can I use coco coir as a medium for ebb and flow, flood tray, hydro?
- Thread starter Pinktiger777
- Start date
You can. Shouldn't have to flood as high or as often (but you may wish to flood longer). Standard coco prep recommendations would apply (hydrate all of it, rinse it really well, then "precharge" with something like calcium nitrate or other source of calcium, maybe with some kind of magnesium thrown in), as would the recommendation to never let the stuff go completely dry.
It doesn't seem to be popular, even with people who've tried it. But there do appear to be some die hard fans of the method. Personally, if I'm going to use coco coir, it'll be a top feed drain to waste setup; if I'm going to do ebb & flow, it'll be with something like expanded clay balls ("Hydroton"). But that's just me; again, some people do use the stuff in E&F setups.
A general web search for:
will return lots (29,000+) of results. There'll be lots of chaff, of course, but you'll be able to find some information. And there's at least one video on YouTube of a coco E&F grow:
It doesn't seem to be popular, even with people who've tried it. But there do appear to be some die hard fans of the method. Personally, if I'm going to use coco coir, it'll be a top feed drain to waste setup; if I'm going to do ebb & flow, it'll be with something like expanded clay balls ("Hydroton"). But that's just me; again, some people do use the stuff in E&F setups.
A general web search for:
Code:
coco ebb & flow- Thread starter
- #3
Pinktiger777
Well-Known Member
Thank you so much for responding to my question. I am using hydroton right now and it is working fine. But I think I need to get new hydroton and stop using the old. I was just wondering about coco coir, but after your comment, I think I'll stay with hydroton. Thanks again!
I want to clarify: I was not trying to discourage you from trying something new (to you), just giving you my own thoughts/observations.
Nutrient salt buildup? One thing I don't like about that media. I once boiled a handful for over an hour, dumped it into a strainer... and it was still covered with it. I assume that any accessible interior spaces were also full of salt by that point. I thought about boiling it in white (clear) vinegar, but worried that it'd have residual pH effects due to the acidity of the vinegar.
I didn't think of it at the time, but maybe boiling it in white vinegar and then boiling it in water, lol? IDK. I ended up just throwing that portion away - and then, later, realized that I didn't have any more left
.
Nutrient salt buildup? One thing I don't like about that media. I once boiled a handful for over an hour, dumped it into a strainer... and it was still covered with it. I assume that any accessible interior spaces were also full of salt by that point. I thought about boiling it in white (clear) vinegar, but worried that it'd have residual pH effects due to the acidity of the vinegar.
I didn't think of it at the time, but maybe boiling it in white vinegar and then boiling it in water, lol? IDK. I ended up just throwing that portion away - and then, later, realized that I didn't have any more left
.
