- Thread starter
- #921
How to grow in Coco: Feed schedule
dauzer
Well-Known Member
Hey Cult,
Iv just bought some of the H&G Root Stimulator. I could only afford the 250ml bottle for now so I'm wondering when would be the best time to use it to get the most benefit. I'm running IWS flood and drain buckets in 80/20 pebbles/coco. 200L reservoir and I'm in week 2 of veg. So far they have been given 1/4 strength AN coco base, Voodoo and B52. I was thinking the last 2 weeks of veg and first 2 weeks of flower?
Iv just bought some of the H&G Root Stimulator. I could only afford the 250ml bottle for now so I'm wondering when would be the best time to use it to get the most benefit. I'm running IWS flood and drain buckets in 80/20 pebbles/coco. 200L reservoir and I'm in week 2 of veg. So far they have been given 1/4 strength AN coco base, Voodoo and B52. I was thinking the last 2 weeks of veg and first 2 weeks of flower?
- Thread starter
- #923
get it in now and just use it but keep some for first two weeks of flower. are you using AN pho perfect 3 part? do you not have ec stick? if not get a bluely truncheon before you buy anything else. accurate, last years ands handy for mixing nutes. then theres no guess work on feeds. how big are plants? 60ml of roots excellence per 200litres. dos you will get 4 res changes. it is expensive but combining that with voodoo juice and great white mycorrhizae will grow monster roots which means plants can grow killer buts. its so important to get that root zone built early. makes plants strong.
dauzer
Well-Known Member
I'm using the Sensi Coco Grow and I'm using the bluelab guardian. I was going to go off the ec but I was worried I'd over feed so went with 1/4 of the bottle. There not that big I messed up at the start and didn't give them anything when I potted them from the cubes to coco. I have most of the nutes from my last run and I'm just after getting the root stimulator, great white and calmag after I came across your journal. The res was at 1.1ec with 400ml base, 300ml voodoo and 300ml b52. Then I added 60ml root stim, 1oz great white and 200ml carboload. The ec didn't budge until I added the calmag now it's at 1.4ec
dauzer
Well-Known Member
I was trying to add a photo there but the app doesn't seem let me the way it use too. I'll try get onto a PC. I'm actually going to looking into those bluelab sticks you have, the guardian is ok for monitoring levels but hard to get a quick reading when mixing the nutes. I ended up taking off the 25mm feed pipe from the inside of the res and turning on the flood. Handy way to mix things up haha
Autogrower18
Well-Known Member
Need advice please. My ph tester has broke and I need to water. Can I water un ph'd?? I'm using coco coir.
Thanks in advance!!
Thanks in advance!!
Troy01
Well-Known Member
You can water with regular water but over time you may have lock out. Many use Advanced Nutrients PH Perfect and don't ph at all.
I would continue to water as normal and get a new pen ASAP - also make sure you are adding Cal-Mag if growing in CoCo.
Derbybud
Well-Known Member
If you can remember about how much ph up or down you use in previous feeds I would try to go with that so you'll be closer too your perfect ph than not do anything art all. Don't want lockout. I always write down every feed mix that I do in a folder and if I see things change some on my meters I know I need to recalibrate them.
Slowpuffer
Well-Known Member
If you've been using that ph meter everyday, then you should know approximately how much, if any pH up or down it takes to adjust your solution.
- Thread starter
- #930
yeah id add a drop of ph down even if its still high on the ph it won't be as difficult to correct. you should never give coco only water though, unless its the final flush. always nutrients.
Autogrower18
Well-Known Member
Problem solved now as I have a new ph pen ☺
Thank you all for your quick response.
I am using nutrients but at quarter strength because she only 1 week old, epsom salt, root tonic, bio grow.
Thank you all for your quick response.
I am using nutrients but at quarter strength because she only 1 week old, epsom salt, root tonic, bio grow.
- Thread starter
- #932
get a ppm/ec meter because 1/4 strength means nothing. You need to be in specific ranges in coco and feed nutes every day at least once for best results.
dauzer
Well-Known Member
Cult with the flood and drain IWS. I'm using the pebble coco 80/20 mix. Roots are starting to show out the bottom. Should I be feeding these once a day now? I had an issue the last time I ran this system with over watering and slow growth. I find it hard to tell by weight with this medium. About an hour before lights go out they look droopy, but when lights come back on they perk back up
- Thread starter
- #934
You can't over water coco, you must feed everyday with nutrients. The only way there could be a problem that mimics over watering would be if the system wasn't draining correctly and roots are sitting in undrained solution. Without seeing pictures of your set up id only are guessing. But def feed everyday and be sure the solution is draining completely from pots. Ideally feeding twice per day in veg should give explosive growth.
Actually warm water could cause slow growth as could really cold water. best to have a chiller set up keeping res temps at 20c/69f.
Actually warm water could cause slow growth as could really cold water. best to have a chiller set up keeping res temps at 20c/69f.
dauzer
Well-Known Member
Ah ok that makes more sense. Yeah I did have an issue with drainage. It was more towards the end of flower. The roots on one of them got sucked into the pipes. When I tried to free it I could feel the roots snapping so I just left it. Any tips on keep the roots out of the pipes ? I'll be scoggin this one so I can't turn the pots after they go through the net. Trying to get photos up but the app and browser doesn't seem to have the option anymore. I'm on the hunt for a PC
dauzer
Well-Known Member
Ok i figured it out. These are the most recent pics i have
So if my ppm in using advanced nutrients is 600-700in week five flower in coco straight with some rock stones on top and bottom of pots for better airflow .
My question is I test run off it comes out 1100 hundred so this tells me stored nutes correct ?
Say I fed 700 ppm and it came out 500 ?
Does that mean my plant is eating faster and I should up my nutrients ? I just want to make sure they are getting their max potential .
I always get told not to worry but can't find myself from getting a little bit of peace in mind here .
Any help would be awesome .
- Thread starter
- #938
normally the its set ups have copper discs that prevent roots growing into pipes. I always use the pro systems with wider pipes for this very reason. id be feeding this twice daily now and watch how fast they grow.. I don't have an answer for not blocking pipes other than keep lifting pots and clearing blockages.
your feed is very weak for week 5 in flower. id be pushing at least 1000ppms. I never check run off, infact when I hand feed I never feed to run off. The only time a hand fed plant will get any run off would be during flush. I gauge everything by looking at the plants and knowing exactly what I put in. If the plants suddenly got sick then I would look to the run off as a diagnostic tool but if the plants are healthy I wouldn't even check it. However to answer your question, you are on the right lines but in hydroponics which is what coco is I believe you should just condition the media to what it should be and continue along that line until the plant physically shows you it wants more feed or less. dark plants with burnt tops indicate too heavy on feeds and lighter coloured plants with airy or smaller buds may mean stronger feeds or more frequent feeds.
SLHLover
Well-Known Member
This is an incredibly informative thread. Just finished reading the entire thing. Bravo Cultivator! 
I have been growing in coco for the past 8 years (60% coco 40% perlite). I use GHE 3-part formula plus calmag, mycorrhizae, GHE bloom booster and Ripen (with a weekly spray of horsetail fern tea for silicate and to control PM spores and other nasty pathogens). I have always fed one day, watered the next - always with a bit of run-off and really have healthy plants and good yields (1 - 1.5g per watt). I read your thread and was especially interested in what you had to say about conditioning the coco and feeding from day 1 with no runoff. I am now trying your system with my nutes - the mix I use tallies with your EC values, but in the past I have been hesitant to feed every day rather than alternate with plain water. I took the plunge anyway and have followed your advice and the girls are now around 4-5 nodes. I have to say, that apart from having slightly droopier leaves, they look well and show no signs of nute burn of lockout. My leaves are usually dead straight and reaching up slighlty, but slighly droopier leaves are no big deal and I am reserving judgement and continuing with your system. I have always gone fairly light on nutes as I have believed that light makes a bigger difference to yields than nutes but I see the effort you have put into this thread and have read your other journals and I am giving this a serious go. I started Low Stress Training (LST) last night and have noticed that in the 17 hours since I started training them, the main cola's dominance has been broken and the lower nodes are already growing and pushing up and out. This usually occurs within 2-3 days of starting Low Stress Training so I was delighted to see such rapid development within one day!
I do have one question about the daily feeding:
I grow in 20L airpots. I hand water twice a day (one of these days I'll set up a drain to waste drip/top feed system) and have been giving them 300ml feed each per feeding. It seems v difficult to evenly saturate the pot with this small amount of liquid - even tho there IS some runoff even with this amount - I am still experimenting to find optimal amount to feed without getting runoff as I do not want to wash out the mycorrhizae. Does it matter that I don't seem to get the entire surface uniformly damp? I tend to pour a small stream around the outside edge of the pot in order to encourage the roots to fill the pot. Your thoughts would be appreciated.
I have been growing in coco for the past 8 years (60% coco 40% perlite). I use GHE 3-part formula plus calmag, mycorrhizae, GHE bloom booster and Ripen (with a weekly spray of horsetail fern tea for silicate and to control PM spores and other nasty pathogens). I have always fed one day, watered the next - always with a bit of run-off and really have healthy plants and good yields (1 - 1.5g per watt). I read your thread and was especially interested in what you had to say about conditioning the coco and feeding from day 1 with no runoff. I am now trying your system with my nutes - the mix I use tallies with your EC values, but in the past I have been hesitant to feed every day rather than alternate with plain water. I took the plunge anyway and have followed your advice and the girls are now around 4-5 nodes. I have to say, that apart from having slightly droopier leaves, they look well and show no signs of nute burn of lockout. My leaves are usually dead straight and reaching up slighlty, but slighly droopier leaves are no big deal and I am reserving judgement and continuing with your system. I have always gone fairly light on nutes as I have believed that light makes a bigger difference to yields than nutes but I see the effort you have put into this thread and have read your other journals and I am giving this a serious go. I started Low Stress Training (LST) last night and have noticed that in the 17 hours since I started training them, the main cola's dominance has been broken and the lower nodes are already growing and pushing up and out. This usually occurs within 2-3 days of starting Low Stress Training so I was delighted to see such rapid development within one day!
I do have one question about the daily feeding:
I grow in 20L airpots. I hand water twice a day (one of these days I'll set up a drain to waste drip/top feed system) and have been giving them 300ml feed each per feeding. It seems v difficult to evenly saturate the pot with this small amount of liquid - even tho there IS some runoff even with this amount - I am still experimenting to find optimal amount to feed without getting runoff as I do not want to wash out the mycorrhizae. Does it matter that I don't seem to get the entire surface uniformly damp? I tend to pour a small stream around the outside edge of the pot in order to encourage the roots to fill the pot. Your thoughts would be appreciated.
- Thread starter
- #940
welcome to the thread and thank you for your feedback.
On the runoff I need to clarify my position. run of isn't a bad thing, when I speak of no run off it is aimed at people who hand water once per day. I find the balance of feeding enough to allow plants to be almost dry 24hours later is the best way to approach single feeds daily. When multi-feeding there will be run off and thats ok. I should have been clearer.
It can be a really pain sometimes to get even feeds in coco, especially when the plants are well rooted as the nutes take the path of least resistance and you find that the feeds will tend to always run a specific way and leaves spots. This isn't a good thing because it leaves areas of the coco dry which means root burn and different areas of the medium with diff ec/ph values. In a perfect world the coco would be washed through evenly but it is definitely tricky when hand feeding multiple plants. This is where drippers are perfect, especially the ring type so its a more even spread.
600ml of feed per day doesn't sound a lot for a 20litre pot but then it depends on plant size too I guess. I try to get 4litres per day through 20litre plants, once they are in flower and 2litres per day in veg when they are established.
But the fact you have experience behind you is good so anything you don't like you can adjust to suit your needs. On page 1 the schedule and advise I am giving is very general and needs adapted to individual set ups for the best results. However following it the way it is written will def give results providing there is 600w/m2 light and adequate ventilation.
On the runoff I need to clarify my position. run of isn't a bad thing, when I speak of no run off it is aimed at people who hand water once per day. I find the balance of feeding enough to allow plants to be almost dry 24hours later is the best way to approach single feeds daily. When multi-feeding there will be run off and thats ok. I should have been clearer.
It can be a really pain sometimes to get even feeds in coco, especially when the plants are well rooted as the nutes take the path of least resistance and you find that the feeds will tend to always run a specific way and leaves spots. This isn't a good thing because it leaves areas of the coco dry which means root burn and different areas of the medium with diff ec/ph values. In a perfect world the coco would be washed through evenly but it is definitely tricky when hand feeding multiple plants. This is where drippers are perfect, especially the ring type so its a more even spread.
600ml of feed per day doesn't sound a lot for a 20litre pot but then it depends on plant size too I guess. I try to get 4litres per day through 20litre plants, once they are in flower and 2litres per day in veg when they are established.
But the fact you have experience behind you is good so anything you don't like you can adjust to suit your needs. On page 1 the schedule and advise I am giving is very general and needs adapted to individual set ups for the best results. However following it the way it is written will def give results providing there is 600w/m2 light and adequate ventilation.