Coco question

[Tead]

So, pardon the noob questions here...
My local grow shop doesn't carry Perlite... claims it's too messy to deal with. Instead, the handed me a brick sized square of compressed coco. I guess I was thinking of all the toys on the shelves, and I forgot to ask how to actually use the compressed coco. I want to use it with FF OF soil to lighten the mix a bit. Normally, I'd use about 20 or 30 percent Perlite in my mix and I want to achieve the same density with the coco.

Do I just break up the coco into little pieces (perlite sized) and mix it into the soil?

Cheers!

 

[BWC BayArea]

Break it up in to chunks and hydrate it (with water PH 7 unless otherwise specified on packaging). It will expand substantially if its the compressed brick stuff I'm thinkin bout. Wet it 1st let it sit for a little while to expand and incorporate it into you soil.I put gloves on and incorporate it into the soil in a corkscrew, garden claw motion. I use at a 1:1 or 2:1 ratio. I use it as an amendment for moisture retention and aeration.

 

[Tead]

Sweet! Thanks!

 

[BWC BayArea]

Watch ur PH, tho. I heard that certain ones can throw ur ph off. U mite wanna get a little dolomite lime as a buffering agent and incorporate it into ur soil mix.