Advantages of Cocos?

[Asentrouw]

I always grown on soil, but for a long time I wanted to try hydrophonics.

As I understand cocos coir is somewhere in the middle between those two and probably the easiest start to try "hydrophonics" without any big investments.

So I'd like to know what are the big advantages of cocos over soil?

And what are the minimal requirements of tools to have a succesfull grow (outside cocos and nutrients ofcourse)?

 

[goingrey]

Much cleaner to deal with, especially indoors.

Safer to overwater.

These are the two benefits I have noticed.

In theory also same root mass in smaller volume, basically can have bigger plant in smaller container, hard to say if really so so.

 

[Asentrouw]

Much cleaner to deal with, especially indoors.

Safer to overwater.

These are the two benefits I have noticed.

In theory also same root mass in smaller volume, basically can have bigger plant in smaller container, hard to say if really so so.

But soil has great buffer capacity and is quite idiot proof. For that I don't mind to do a extra vacuuming. I usually don't have issues with overwatering, if any issues it is usually caused by overfeeding.


My main reluctance to try cocos, is that I'm a bit worried that I f#% up the nutrients and create inbalances that are very difficult to correct.

Considering I don't want to invest in expensive pH and EC gages, as it might be a one/two time thing.

Is it possible to get away with it, with only a bag of cocos, lakmus paper and a simple a/b line of cocos feed? Or do I setup myself for failure without the expensive equipment.


Supposedly hydro plants grow faster and bigger. That would be a great benefit, but as you say this might be hard to substantiate.

 

[goingrey]

But soil has great buffer capacity and is quite idiot proof. For that I don't mind to do a extra vacuuming. I usually don't have issues with overwatering, if any issues it is usually caused by overfeeding.


My main reluctance to try cocos, is that I'm a bit worried that I f#% up the nutrients and create inbalances that are very difficult to correct.

Considering I don't want to invest in expensive pH and EC gages, as it might be a one/two time thing.

Is it possible to get away with it, with only a bag of cocos, lakmus paper and a simple a/b line of cocos feed? Or do I setup myself for failure without the expensive equipment.


Supposedly hydro plants grow faster and bigger. That would be a great benefit, but as you say this might be hard to substantiate.

Soil is easier yes. But pH and EC meters can still be useful for a soil grower too. They are not so expensive, well everything is relative. I guess litmus paper works? Haven't used it since a child in school heh. The pH test drops might be more accurate and cheaper?

 

[xtsho]

Coco is much easier to fix a mistake than soil as it's simple to flush with new nutrient solution and start fresh. All it takes to grow in coco is the coco, some pots, and nutrients. A pH meter is handy but there are other ways of testing the pH like the drops or even litmus paper.

Simpler is usually better as far as nutrients. Nobody should ever have nutrient issues regardless of what they're growing in but so many do and it's caused by the grower feeding too much stuff to their plants. The overfeeding of any nutrient can cause deficiencies of other nutrients. That's why you see so many plants with yellowing crispy leaves weeks from harvest. People dumping high P/K boosters and all kinds of other stuff they don't need.


Fabric pots, blumats, and low levels of a basic nutrient from start to finish will lead to healthy plants and a good harvest.

 

[StickyBandit]

If you run a coco hempy system you can correct instantly with a correct nutrient flush. I'm going through the motions currently. The only other variable that may catch me out is the coco quality and whether or not to add perlite to avoid saturation on flush...

 

[xtsho]

Three gallon fabric pots of coco, blumats, and VitaGrow nutrients. Just keep the reservoir for the blumats filled and that's it. Easy as can be.

Coco is as easy as you make it just like anything else. Cannabis is an easy plant to grow. Problems are usually caused by people doing too much.

But if you hit your groove with coco it's a piece of cake.

 

[StickyBandit]

Soil is easier yes. But pH and EC meters can still be useful for a soil grower too. They are not so expensive, well everything is relative. I guess litmus paper works? Haven't used it since a child in school heh. The pH test drops might be more accurate and cheaper?

I agree totally! With a pH meter and a good chart you can fine adjust pH to absorb the correct nutrients super easy for leaf or trichome development depending on what stage you're at for the extra sticky buds. I've done grows with almost no trichs due to pH being low just due to my water or soil quality changing.
Slightly low pH for veg and slightly high for bud

 

[Asentrouw]

Simpler is usually better as far as nutrients. Nobody should ever have nutrient issues regardless of what they're growing in but so many do and it's caused by the grower feeding too much stuff to their plants. The overfeeding of any nutrient can cause deficiencies of other nutrients. That's why you see so many plants with yellowing crispy leaves weeks from harvest. People dumping high P/K boosters and all kinds of other stuff they don't need.

I agree, that's a lesson I learned by experience - especially of you run no till. Less is usually more and most fancy expensive brands don't contribute much if any at all.

With coco the idea is just to stick with the feeding schedule of the line I buy and using pre-buffed cocos.