PH runoff with canna coco

Sketch96

Well-Known Member
I just flushed one of my plants about 4 days ago due to issues of slow stunted growth, warped curled leaves and what looks like some nitrogen toxicity.

My question is.......I know checking runoff with coco is not accurate but I thought I would check it during flushing just to get an idea anyway. I flush with 2 gal of dechlorinated tap water at 6.3ph, 114ppm. Runoff was yellow color at 6.89. I continued with the same water for 3 more gal and rechecked ph at 7.6. I finished with 2 more gal. And my final ph reading was 7.8.

Why would my ph readings be climbing as I kept flushing out the dry amendments? I thought that coco was naturally ph6.2 and believed after flushing it would correct lower not higher?
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Have you checked your runoff ppm?

Did you charge the coco prior to use?

A picture would be nice.

Good luck!
 
Could your readings be reflective of the coco releasing some of its "captured" ions?

When you began using it, did you pretreat it in any way, maybe soak it in some sort of calcium solution in order to replace some of its sodium and potassium ions with calcium? Or just hydrate it and do a thorough rinse or three?

I agree with gr865, pictures would be helpful in illustrating the effects you're observing in your plant.
 
Being my first grow with coco, no, I didnt precharge. I used a high quality (I'm told) canna coco that is buffered, which I thought meant it was pre charged.

With the plant I flushed I used 7 gallons approx of 6.3 114ppm dechlorinated tap water.

Today, after waiting 4 days since flushing I watered using advanced nutrients sensi grow coco nutrients at half strength. I ph to 6.1 513ppm. The runoff measured 7.4 505ppm.

This plant is much smaller than the other plant I have. Both have had issues right from the start but i thought i would experiment with flushing and switching to synthetic nutrients on just one of them for comparison.

I also did not saturate the medium fully before planting. I premixed with gaia green dry amendments, no perlite. I had problems with the first batch of blueberry seeds not germinating and had to reorder more seeds. During this time my pots sat waiting and dried out completely......dust dry. When I planted in the 3gal smart pots I just watered a small area around the seed. I have been wondering if letting the pots sit totally dried out has affected the amended medium at all.

Pic 1 is the taller plant that is showing the dark green curled tips that I was thinking could be nitrogen toxicity. Pic 2 is the smaller plant that was flushed 4 days ago.

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You should still charge the coco, I use Canna also but I charge it every time. I charge with high CaliMagic, Epsom and low nutes, 150 ppm A&B. I wash it with gallons of tap and rain water mix, my tap is very bad, then prior to planting I flush, say a 2 gallon Smart Pot, with three to five gallons of the charging solution.
Remember Less is More.
I run my base nutes, Canna A&B, at 200 to 250 in veg and 300 to 350 in flower.
Not familiar with Sensi nutes, but I would add, 0,5 to 1 gram Epsom/gallon and 1 to 3 ml of Cal/Mag, I use GH CaliMagic. It will take you time to dial in your nutes but keep them low and you should be alright.
Also, you should lower the pH to 5.8 +/-,

This is JMHO! Others may not agree, but this works for me. I am always trying to keep my overall ppm's low, 650 and below and so I tend to back off the CaliMagic and get deficiency, not bad but still need to keep my Cal/Mag up.

Good luck,
 
Best ph for coco is around 5.8. Ensure your ph meter is calibrated and try to now water @ph5.7 a couple of days then 5.8-6
 
I did start using GH calimag but after 4 or 5 waterings I noticed a nitrogen toxicity. I didnt realize there is nitrogen in cal/mag also.

I will try what you suggest going forward with the flushed plant now that I'm going to synthetic nutrients.

Thanks for the replies!!
 
No I wasnt watering daily because I was using gaia green organic dry amendments. Slow release. Was just watering with ph water @6.8 to start. It's different than growing with synthetic nutrients. I have been following mr canuck on you tube. His grows are incredible using this method.

I was having issues so I flushed that plant and was waiting for the coco to dry out some before starting a new daily watering schedule with the synthetic nutrients.
 
Yeah mate I'd just go straight to bottled nutes. Seen a few guys do organic Coco stuff. I know it can work but it's not something id advise. feed it to run off as often as you can be bothered. Better yet get an auto dripper of some sort and drench it 3 times a day.
Coco Is hydro growing and tends to behave erratically if you treat it like soil.
Can't overwater it cos overwatering doesn't exist. The symptoms are caused by poor drainage which isnt a problem in coco.
 
I was going by how heavy the pot was after flushing and figured with a good soak I should let it recover/dry out a few days before proceeding with the bottled notes.

I will change it up and go by the recommendations here.

Thanks for all the help!
 
This is the 2nd thread today about having problems in coco following Mr. Canuck's grow method. Coco should be fed every day to substantial run off with a nute solution pH of 6.0 - and never plain water. Obviously you're having a problem with this guy's method - ditch the dry nute slow release shit and get some quality nutes made for coco.
 
Different, or none main stream processes are not for beginners, in my opinion

I agree, get some good nutes, and maybe try the powdered stuff as a demo or when u understand and are able to, read, what the plants need

Start simple
 
I just flushed a second plant and it had some surprising numbers when I measured runoff.

Flushed with 6.12ph dechlorinated tap water at 118ppm. After 1st gallon, ph 6.87, ppm
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was crazy high at 1852!!. End of flushing ph7.25 and ppm down to 292.

Fed at ph6.09 and 474ppm. Runoff from feed was ph7.20 and 334ppm.

Hoping this one will come alive in a few days as it's been very slow growing also. This is at 19days old. 6.5inch high
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If you didn't prep the Coco , they can have salts and stuffs build up I think
Plus yer flushing the powder nutes out

Just be sure to water daily with nutes and I'm sure they will take off
 
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