Boosting the CEC in soil-less mixes

[Creeperpark]

If I add amendments in the center as a core it will hold more feed water longer. Without a core the soil-less can't hold as much nutrient water. The over all water holding capacity is cut 1/3 without a core. Its so easy to see that the water holding capacity is the cause of the CEC boost. Plant roots hold more nutrient in the root zone longer.

 

[gmanwho]

hey @Creeperpark , i think small amounts of specific powdered clay may work. (i cant remember which held higher ratios). or maybe a turface product (clay like chips or small gravel), or biochar

 

[Rocket Soul]

CEC is one of those thing im very nooby about. Raising the CEC; is this a hand watering thing? Like wanting to not have to water so much?

Ive worked with Coco and we generally try to get everything to the point were we can water as many times as possible, big pot small roots problem. This is why im curious why you want more CEC (which seems to make the coco retain nutes and get hot which in turn is a bit shitt if you dont have enough water to waste on flushes, other than in the end).

So were maybe coming at this at opposite directions. Why do you want to raise CEC?

 

[Creeperpark]

Coco CEC typically ranges from 40 to 100 meq/100g. Thats why it has to be flooded many times a day.

Peat moss,(promix) CEC typically ranges from 100 to 200 meq/100g will need flooding every other day.

When I boost to 400 meq/100g I need to flood every 3 days.

Which would you rather do hand hand-fertigate "many times a day" or "every other day" or just "two times a week"? I like only two times a week, and by boosting the CEC one can minimize the labor.

 

[Rocket Soul]

Coco CEC typically ranges from 40 to 100 meq/100g. Thats why it has to be flooded many times a day.

Peat moss,(promix) CEC typically ranges from 100 to 200 meq/100g will need flooding every other day.

When I boost to 400 meq/100g I need to flood every 3 days.

Which would you rather do hand hand-fertigate "many times a day" or "every other day" or just "two times a week"? I like only two times a week, and by boosting the CEC one can minimize the labor.

Thats the thing, we water coco pretty much like soil, let it dry a fair bit. Its the way my grobuddy stipulates and it works for him. It may have to do with water scarcity ina DTW system.

Funny, i thought coco was higher CEC. As i said im a cec noob

Since we have auto watering options once or many times a day doesnt relaly matter to use, but since they wont dry out (which is our watering prompt) in a day it almost never happens.

 

[Rodehazrd]

Hey Creeper what about biochar wont that help?

 

[Ca++]

The relationship between cec and water holding capacity observed, is coincidental. DWC has water holding capacity, but no cec. A sponge is the same.
I think this topic is about water retention, and the freely available feed within it. The amendments are acting as sponges.
You can lengthen the period between fertigations, by having a more waterlogged medium. Mixing in silica gel crystals perhaps. Though the best way to get more water held in the pot, is probably getting a bigger pot.

 

[I Care]

I was about to ask how you get the extra CEC. interesting

 

[Creeperpark]

The relationship between cec and water holding capacity observed, is coincidental. DWC has water holding capacity, but no cec. A sponge is the same.
I think this topic is about water retention, and the freely available feed within it. The amendments are acting as sponges.
You can lengthen the period between fertigations, by having a more waterlogged medium. Mixing in silica gel crystals perhaps. Though the best way to get more water held in the pot, is probably getting a bigger pot.

I'm not talking about DWC I'm talking about boosting the CEC in a peat substrate. Please do not compare the two because its totally different. IF you take the cotton out of your ears and put in your mouth you may learn something.

In Deep Water Culture (DWC) hydroponics, Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC) is not a primary factor to consider. CEC is a measure of a medium's ability to hold onto a positively charged nutrients and is more relevant in soil-based and some other hydroponic systems, not DWC. DWC systems focus on delivering nutrients directly to the plant roots in a nutrient-rich water solution.

 

[Creeperpark]

I was about to ask how you get the extra CEC. interesting

The best way to get extra CEC is adding select aggregates that hold fertilizer water longer. If you use a core and put the core into the soil-less it will boost without water logging. If one mixes the aggregates loosely with the substrate it will water-log easily.

 

[Creeperpark]

When the CEC is above 400 meq/100g the container size should be smaller. The higher the CEC the smaller the container. The size I have worked with is mostly 3 gallon and keep the CEC below 400 meq/100g.

 

[Creeperpark]

Here is a garden using pro-mixhp with a high EC. The CEC 100 to 200 meq/100g and gets flooded every other day. The buds are much smaller and the amount of fertilize used is double. These plants have been flowering for 30 days where as the plants above are 60 days. Its easy to see the difference.

 

[Rexel]

Coco CEC typically ranges from 40 to 100 meq/100g. Thats why it has to be flooded many times a day.

Peat moss,(promix) CEC typically ranges from 100 to 200 meq/100g will need flooding every other day.

When I boost to 400 meq/100g I need to flood every 3 days.

Which would you rather do hand hand-fertigate "many times a day" or "every other day" or just "two times a week"? I like only two times a week, and by boosting the CEC one can minimize the labor.

I would want to feed as often as possible in a hydroponic medium to move the off gases and keep pH and EC in optimal range and to keep nutrient strength as low as possible for better mineral sensitivity and uptake.

Plants grow slower being fed less frequent but that grows plants too. I'm more focused on increasing growth rates than wasting nutes by runoff growing on a smaller scale. It's my least expense growing weed.

How do you even measure CEC in a repeatable way or are you just talking in theoretical terms?

 

[Ca++]

I'm not talking about DWC I'm talking about boosting the CEC in a peat substrate. Please do not compare the two because its totally different. IF you take the cotton out of your ears and put in your mouth you may learn something.

In Deep Water Culture (DWC) hydroponics, Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC) is not a primary factor to consider. CEC is a measure of a medium's ability to hold onto a positively charged nutrients and is more relevant in soil-based and some other hydroponic systems, not DWC. DWC systems focus on delivering nutrients directly to the plant roots in a nutrient-rich water solution.

Well that was just rude. How can water holding capacity boost cec. You are talking nonsense. You have just been googling since my post, but still not enough to understand my explanation. A higher cec doesn't lead to a reduced watering frequency. The cec can't hold Nitrogen, Phosphorous, or water.

Just rude.

 

[Creeperpark]

I would want to feed as often as possible in a hydroponic medium to move the off gases and keep pH and EC in optimal range and to keep nutrient strength as low as possible for better mineral sensitivity and uptake.

Plants grow slower being fed less frequent but that grows plants too. I'm more focused on increasing growth rates than wasting nutes by runoff growing on a smaller scale. It's my least expense growing weed.

How do you even measure CEC in a repeatable way or are you just talking in theoretical terms?

Theoretical terms and observation results from the last 18 years of using different aggregates indoors.

 

[Creeperpark]

Well that was just rude. How can water holding capacity boost cec. You are talking nonsense. You have just been googling since my post, but still not enough to understand my explanation. A higher cec doesn't lead to a reduced watering frequency. The cec can't hold Nitrogen, Phosphorous, or water.

Just rude.

This thread is closed.

 

[Rexel]

Theoretical terms and observation results from the last 18 years of using different aggregates indoors.

Your methodology and mentality goes against of what most experienced hydro and soilless growers do to dial in a system and to work towards stability and increased rate of growth.

Your words sounds more in tune with what the newcomers call "Crop steering" a term created by the Athena and other nutrient manufacturers to promote heavy dry backs and overfeeding.

Thread is closed when a mod choose to close the thread, not when a regular user decides to not want any further replies? It's an open public forum for everyone to use freely and gather information.