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For what it's worth. I like to start my seeds in plug trays filled with coco, I feed a 300 ppm nutrient solution at pH 5.5-6.0 once they've developed their 2nd leaf set (a bit further along than you are right now) before that I just give RO or spring water.
I also water with a syringe keeping the coco saturated. Once they out grow the plug I transfer to a 1-2 cup/250-500ml pot where I will start feeding 500 ppm nutrient solution. From here I can go to my last pot which is anywhere from 1-5gals of coco and my root system will be very strong at this container size I water with 750ish ppm nutrient solution (I've gone up to 1000-1100 but it's not necessary at all) and water several times a day.
Quote: Stoneth said: Coco coir is a hydro method.
Coco coir is a nearly inert soilless medium. Many people consider coco coir to be hydro or to be treated as a hydroponic method only because most people are accustomed to irrigating with their nutrient solution having no nutrients in their medium. If I were to amend my coco with worm castings, kelp, bat guano, etc it would be more like soil than hydro.
Quote: Stoneth said: Is there a reason you choose to feed several times a day? I just started using coco myself, and I'm kinda following Heads plan just to get a good grip on things. Also how often do you flush, when feeding several times a day? Just curious to how quickly salt built ups begin. I prefer to stay a head on things like that.
I choose to feed several times a day because you're providing nutrient rich irrigation with lots of dissolved oxygen several times a day which increases growth rate since you're turning your "passive hydro" into "active hydro" since there's an active exchange of nutrient solution and oxygen. You also can't over water using this method since every time you water you're bringing in fresh oxygen into the root zone.
H3ad waters like this too, however my "formula" is modified from H3ad's to suit a wider range of plants and to avoid deficiencies (although he and other 6/9 growers claim to get none or next to none).
Every time you water you're flushing so long as you water to run off which I do each time. The the main reason salt build up occurs is watering less frequently to the point where the medium gets a chance to dry out. In case it's not obvious if you start with a 1300+ ppm nutrient solution (not uncommon for most growers) and 70% of that water is taken up by plants or evaporated you're going to be left with ~4000 ppm nutrient solution in the remaining 30% of the medium. In a case where a coco grower uses/does 1. high ppm 2. doesn't flush 3. doesn't water to run off that grower will run into problems with salt build up / overly acidic medium very quickly.
Quote: A To The K said: I always water until runoff, I was actually coming back here to ask how much runoff is too much (forgot to ask in my PM) but it sounds like any amount is fine.
Actually, I water my soil plants until they runoff too...I've learned doing it that way I don't ever get very bad burns.
If these survive, I think I'm gonna step up my staggered SOG into half gallon pots rather than the solo cup SOG I was gonna use. I have the space, I have the lighting, I have the pots...the only thing I'm really missing is the additional coir (which is what, $6 for 2 bricks? haha).
Time'll tell. Heres to hoping they spring back...and that I've got some damn females in the mix lol.
People who water once every few days tend to do 20% run off. This would be roughly 20% more water than the plants need for that particular watering. If you can feed them 1litre before they spill a drop you would feed 1.2litre.
I probably water like 700 ml and get half back in run off. I'm not really aiming for this though. This irrigation strategy takes the formality out of watering, provide plenty of water rich in oxygen several times daily and it won't matter how much or little you get in run off so long as it exceeds a couple-few ounces (60-90ml).
I wouldn't water to run off in soil since soil tends to hold water to a point where it's water logged which coco doesn't. Even when coco is saturated there's enough air for the roots. When soil is saturated it's too dense without enough air for the roots.