How do I reuse coco?

[Guest]

I know that it can be used up to 3 times, but how to prep for the second run?
From what I can gather hygrozyme is good for this but it's EXPENSIVE!

What are my options? H2O2? Do I use it for the whole second cycle? Im totally lost here.

Help! :

 

[MedResearcher]

I wouldnt mind some expert info on this subject either... so I thought I would bump the thread.

I do know that a good flush before reuse is a smart idea. Maybe get a large rubbermaid bin or trash can and dump all the pre-used coco in it grabbing out all the large pieces of roots you can. Then drain a ton of warm PH'd water through it until the runoff is coming out with a low ppm or almost clear.

I was gonna look into getting some enzymes for my old root mass as well, but I think you scared me with the expensive word lol. Maybe someone has a cheaper method, or maybe leaving them in wouldnt hurt.. honestly I dont really know.

 

[humble1]

H2O2 is not an option.

Some people have reported success with high doses of enzymes inbetween cycles.

Canna recommends using an enzyme throughout the first cycle and into the second

cycle.

Removing as much of the roots from the medium as possible is advised and much easier

said than done.

Peace, Love & CoCo

 

[Mr. Nevermind]

Removing as much of the roots from the medium as possible is advised and much easier

said than done.




I used to think the same thing but i found an easy way...show em who is the boss. And what i mean is you gotta slap em around. Allow me to elaborate, I use coco in 2 gallon growbags handwatered. Whati have found is that once you harvest the plant you gotta palm the stem and flip it upside down. Once that is done it slips out of bag and onto my hand, toss bag and get your free hand and grab her from the side and put her right side up. Once you do grab the stem and start slapping the sides of your rootball. Once you start slapping the coo will fall right off leaving you with nothing but a stem and rootball in hand.

I do this all the time , getting ready to in an hour or so actually, and its easy and you have hardly any waste. I have a trashbag with about 20 rootballs and stems in it and its not full yet, easy onc you show em who is the boss,lol



Nevermind

 

[Guest]

Mr. Nevermind, do you use any enzymes, or do you find that your method with a good flush does the trick?

I have this one tube with a perferated bottom too, So I will be doing a good flush, I just dont want old roots to create problems in the future.

Would the bioactivity created by adding worm castings to the coco aid in the breaking down of old roots? This could be a cheap option.

Localy a 500mL bottle of Hygrozyme is 23usd and a new bale of coco costs 12usd... Do the math. The whole point of coco is to reuse it but if it costs twice as much, then this could be an issue.

 

[cough_cough_eer]

I've reused my coco about 7-8 times now ..all I do is remove as much of the root matter as possible . place it in a rubbermaid untill ready for use (month or so) flush it with ph'd water, then transplant . Never had any problems

 

[Mr. Nevermind]

Mr. Nevermind, do you use any enzymes, or do you find that your method with a good flush does the trick?

I have this one tube with a perferated bottom too, So I will be doing a good flush, I just dont want old roots to create problems in the future.

Would the bioactivity created by adding worm castings to the coco aid in the breaking down of old roots? This could be a cheap option.

Localy a 500mL bottle of Hygrozyme is 23usd and a new bale of coco costs 12usd... Do the math. The whole point of coco is to reuse it but if it costs twice as much, then this could be an issue.

Im with Coughcougheer , remove the roots and put in a bin til next use. I dont use enzymes but im sue they help. All i do is start to flush well 7-10 days before harvest so really aint much in the coco after that point. I make sure to get all roots off ( seriously the slapping thing works) and never have any other matter in my coco once i place the smackdown on em.

I dont use worm casting but i would think that them in the coco that you reuse may be an issue. But i may be wrong. I dont really see the need to amend coco with castings or anything like that. But thats just me, if it works for you then cool.

Im a 100% coco man, nothing but coco in mine. Hell i even clone in coco now and dont use hormones or gels,lol







Nevermind

 

[Kenny Lingus]

Using slabs I can simply add 1ml/l of enzyme from 2nd week of bloom, and when I harvest it's merely a matter of cutting the old pots/cubes off from the holes in the top of my slabs. I've already stopped drip-feeding 2-3days prior to chopping the plants and this allow the root balls to dry out a bit before I give the slabs a strong soak of enzymes at 4-10ml/L. (this soak is only for 12-24hrs) I continue using enzymes throughout the grow. Either 1,0-2,5 ml/L continuously, or 4,0-10,0 ml/L added once weekly, when theres 1-2 days left until flush/refill. (Using it once weekly is cheaper then always, and Canna's pamphlets/infoprints now recommend this procedure as it seem to be more efficient. It also help keeping the res stable IMO.)

 

[MedResearcher]

Some good info, tks guys ^^

Does anyone know the downside to having old dead roots left in the CoCo when its reused?

It doesn't seem like a little bit of leftover roots could do that much damage, wouldnt they just slowly break down?

 

[Guest]

nevermind, do you slap wet or dry?

kenny, thanks! This is good info, though I may pass on it all together.

cough_cough_eer, what about using it right away? Does the drying out of the medium have to do with the success?

 

[Mr. Nevermind]

nevermind, do you slap wet or dry?

That is one of the funniest questions i have read in a while. I assume we are talking about coco and not Miss Nevermind? Anyway... once i harvest em i let them sit for a day or so without watering. But i read that without water for long roots looking for water build salts in coco so i dont let it get to dry. But it dont being soaked helps. the slap is so it comes off in small particles as opposed to coming off in big wet clumps that are heavy enough to rip roots and have them in my medium. When i slap i want it to turn to dust. that way i can see no roots made it.


Hope that helps bro, and +rep to you for making me laugh.

Best of luck to you and your grow.



Nevermind

 

[humble1]

The downside to leaving roots in is that they are a food source for fungus and fungus gnat larvae. Also the breakdown of the old root can cause pH swings.

The recycle value of coco is nominal because the price of a compressed brick is so cheap. It certainly can be done with the use of enzymes, which then cost more. Also, if you use paclo or other PGRs the residue remains in the medium thereby stunting the young growth of the next cycle.

I feel better on the balance about tossing it back into my garden after each cycle. The roses love a big mound and it gets eaten by the tomatoes in my veggie patch.

Peace, Love & Coco

 

[cough_cough_eer]

nevermind, do you slap wet or dry?

kenny, thanks! This is good info, though I may pass on it all together.

cough_cough_eer, what about using it right away? Does the drying out of the medium have to do with the success?

I have used it right away befor with no problems...

 

[i_score]

I have used it right away befor with no problems...

im on my third grow, the last 2 ive used the same as the first, used it right away also, but now im using a big container to let it sit for a wile, i will ad some enzymes to break some of the dead roots down, but i also do the slaping thing like mr. nevermind, im kynky too

 

[MedResearcher]

Damn tough decision, my vegetable garden could probably use some CoCo... but at the same time saving 100 bucks or so is nice...

Decisions decisions lol

Ive never had a problem with gnats not really sure why, but I deff dont want old roots giving me one or ph swings would be even worst ><

How long do you think it takes Enzymes to break the roots down. Would 5 weeks be long enough ?

Gah and if I think about buying new CoCo then I have to decide Pure CoCo or CoCo with perlite.....

 

[humble1]

If you go coco with perlite, just get the ready-gro. You'll be so much happier than

mixing your own batch, plus it comes with extra organic goodies.

If you stick with straight coco (almost everyone here recommends) you won't be out

100 bucks unless you buy all canna coco or royal gold (pre-rinsed/fluffed/trichoderma

added). The bricks (5kg Botanicare) cost about 15 bucks and two of them are enough

for most smaller grows (2 gal/1 gal grow bags) maybe three if you're running full coco

beds.

Peace, Love & Coco

 

[terran2]

Once you start slapping the coco will fall right off leaving you with nothing but a stem and rootball in hand.

easy onc you show em who is the boss,lol



Nevermind

Just on my 3rd round w/coco and found that a good rinse b4 harvest takes out most of the salts ....and saw no problem seperating out the roots when using your approach .

Found that tossing the rootball into a milk crate & letting the crate's lattice do the sifting works fine collecting over one of those 33gal oblong plastic storage totes from Home Depot we all know & love. Builds up your chest & forarms too , lol...all the girls say i'm a much stronger lover since i started growing pot . hehehehe

** Plan to reuse all the collected Coco/perlite for a nice outdoor grow this next season piling it up as we speak . Still contemplating how to amend this mix with some worm castings & Ocean forest blend ...maybe someone has some ideas here ? Was using a 60/40% Coco perlite mix ...though with proper attention w/drip ferts one could just go hydro outside as well , prolly with fantastic results.

cheers

;o)

t2

 

[Kenny Lingus]

Like cough cougher says, the coco is ready to reuse right away (if you've not had infections of any kind in t) Canna recommends using it again as soon as you're sure the EC is down at 1,5 mS/cm.

Cannazyme will dissolve dead vegetative matter within hours if concentrated enough and the matter is soaked in it, but I will assume it takes some days for it to happen in the medium.

Canna has a test where you dissolve a bit of applemash in enzyme/water and the same measures into pure water (or other zym product). (25ml/pulp + 25ml/enzyme + 50ml/water, or simply 25ml/pulp + 75ml/water)

Next you filter the pulp solutions through a coffee filter. (and when measuring the produce you will see if the enzymes have dissolved more then the water itself.).

 

[BlindDate]

I must be one lazy bastard, because I'll reuse the coco 3-4 times and do absolutely nothing. I rip out the old stump and throw a clone into the hole. Never had a problem 4th grow just as good as the first.

This info should be made into a permanent sticky since it gets asked just about every weak.

 

[clowntown]

That's exactly what I do, too.

I rip out the stump and transplant a new clone. When I pull out the stump, the hole left behind is usually almost exactly the same shape as the original transplant hole. Meaning I can take a clone out of a smaller pot, transplant into this one perfectly without really needing any extra medium to fill any gaps.

I do use CannaZym throughout the grow, typically once or so a week.

Other than that, no other preparation since the medium has already been flushed at harvest.

(I'm pretty sure I have you beat hands-down in laziness.)