Adding Extra Calcium

[jahjahweed]

Hello All,


My plants are already 25 days old & they are growing very slowly. Feeding them canna coco 2 times a week, with ppm 450 & ph 6,0.
The Runoff water PH is rather high – 7.0 when measured in a tray.
Guess this ph level might be blocking absorption of certain micro elements.
I read somewhere that to reduce ph level it was suggested to use calcium.
I know Canna have got a fertilizer –
canna CA 15%
about which it's said:
«This mineral fertiliser contains 15% calcium (Ca) and is chloride-free. CANNA Calcium is an essential element for the plants. Calcium is, amongst others, responsible for the structural and physiological stability of the plant tissues. It stabilises the cell wall, has an influence on the growth hormones and regulates the transport of water and nutrients in the plant.
Liquid calcium fertiliser can be immediately absorbed by the plant and directly fortifies the cell tissue. Liquid calcium fertiliser can be mixed with other fertilisers, except when in concentrated form with fertilisers containing phosphate, citrate and sulphate».
So my question is this – would it be possible & advisable to reduce the acidity of my coco medium as is measured in the Runoff water till 6.2 level, by adding exta calcium?
Many thanx

 

[Spitz]

I won't touch that exact question. I will propose this though.... if you think you are having PH problems after a few days, why not just feed/flush every day? The most beautiful part of coco is you get to reset the root zone instantly to whatever you want. My nutrient solution drifts as well. I usually mix to PH adjusted 5.6 and let it drift towards 6 after a few days. Just a thought.

Read a handful of "how to water coco threads" in this forum. There are some mixed opinions about watering daily, every few days, or multiple times a day... No coco user will argue against flushing your pots thoroughly with good PH adjusted nutrient water at the first signs of root zone PH problems. Good luck!

 

[XobeMan]

Well coco the best PH level is 5.5 to 6.0 and most will PH to 5.8 and the run off should be the same as it is going in.

I think you have a Nute Lockout which like your saying is not allowing the proper nutes to be absorbed.

I recommend doing a Flush with Water that is PH 5.8 just water no nutes... Flush until you get a 5.8 run off reading...

Then start back with your Nutes and PH to 5.8 and then check PH of run off if its 5.8 awesome if its 5.5 to 5.8 thats good too, but 5.8 is the best PH level for Coco growing although some ppl will fluctuate the PH at every other feeding so say 5.8 today and 2 days later PH 5.5 and then 2 days later 6.0 and then next 2 days start at 5.8 again.. this way you get a broader over all nute up take.

Now one thing is to note depending on how old your plants are will depend on how much nutes you give.

Also as for Calcium and Magnesium... this is only added if your using RO water or your tap water does not have enough in it or if your actually getting a deficiency from not having enough...

Pictures will help us more here to see what your plants look like, but right now you have a Nute lockout.

 

[Weaselcracker]

Coco plants do go through a lot of calcium and magnesium.
I have my doubts about what's said in the first post. I did a shitload of experiments at one point trying to make a diy calcium supplement for hydro. Every calcium source I used had a ph around 7, which played hell with my hydro plants. I went back to using the bottled calmag, which for whatever reason- is acidic.

 

[jahjahweed]

thank u! i will try to flush them with water at 5.5 - hopefully that might help...

 

[Spitz]

thank u! i will try to flush them with water at 5.5 - hopefully that might help...

I would go with 5.8. Again, your setting the root zone to whatever you want and that should be an optimal number. You can work on drifting moving forward. For now, get them flushed and happy. Good luck!

 

[gr865]

Do you have any pics?

If you are watering coco only twice a week, that is not enough. Increase the times per week your watering and yes you need cal/mag if your feeding less than the recommended.

IMO

GR

 

[Danolo]

Do you have any pics?

If you are watering coco only twice a week, that is not enough. Increase the times per week your watering and yes you need cal/mag if your feeding less than the recommended.

IMO

GR

Would it be useful to water several times a day, perhaps with a drip feeder?

 

[XobeMan]

Would it be useful to water several times a day, perhaps with a drip feeder?

Most plants in Coco is once a day when they are seedlings up to 10 inches, then twice a day (once in morning and once at night) all way to harvest.

Now some with do a feed then feed and third day just PH water no nutes.

Some will feed 3 times a day depends on how fast the coco is drying out..
Note: Never let coco ever completely dry out... Use the 1 Inch Rule from top soil if its dry then feed.

 

[Weaselcracker]

Coco growers can get away with using smaller pots, and usually do. That, and the fluffy nature of the stuff, means more frequent waterings.
But it can definitely be overwatered when seedlings are small. Base the number of waterings around how much the plants drink. Common sense applies, and in the early days of growth you probably won't need to water very often at all- maybe once or twice a week. Right now I'm growing in one gallon pots. Plants are between 2 and 3 feet in height and I water twice a day in order to get them from drying out.

 

[gr865]

Would it be useful to water several times a day, perhaps with a drip feeder?

Yes it would, the larger the plants get the more times you will need to water.
If you water them like soil, you are not getting bennies of coco.

GR

 

[Archiweedies]

Sort of related question: How do you judge when to water? I water once a day and my coco never feels dry. If anything it is always damp-ish. Is this ok? Would it benefit from multiple feedings at this point?

 

[Weaselcracker]

I judge by the weight.

 

[Archiweedies]

I judge by the weight.

Ahh. That would be a better way indeed. Especially for me as I have some plants inside and some outside. How light are you looking for the plant to be?

 

[Weaselcracker]

Well that's hard to answer specifically but - best to mix up a pot full of coco at the moisture level you think might be about as dry as you want to go, or too dry/whatever, and weigh that in your hand- and weigh a soaking wet one. You'll get a feel for it very quickly.

 

[DoctorGonzo]

Sort of related question: How do you judge when to water? I water once a day and my coco never feels dry. If anything it is always damp-ish. Is this ok? Would it benefit from multiple feedings at this point?

Coco is perfectly oxygenated, (as long as your drainage is sorted) ergo, the question isn't *when* to "water", the statement to know is: "Since I'm growing using passive hydroponics, my plants must be fed (emphasis on "fed") fresh food daily."
How much/how often, depends on the plant's requirements; stage of growth/size of root system, et al.

 

[Archiweedies]

Coco is perfectly oxygenated, (as long as your drainage is sorted) ergo, the question isn't *when* to "water", the statement to know is: "Since I'm growing using passive hydroponics, my plants must be fed (emphasis on "fed") fresh food daily."
How much/how often, depends on the plant's requirements; stage of growth/size of root system, et al.

Thank you for your response. As I am currently in the middle of my first grow, I hope to fully understand the plant as you do. For now, I am reading as much as I can to get the best performance I can out of the medium. I just worry at times that my plant seems to always be wet. The plant seems to be happy and that makes me feel good.

Thanks again!