Would appreciate advice: coco related+pics

[High Jinks]

This coco was flushed with ph'd water and h020 recently, so they may improve. I have been using FFGB at 4-5ml every two gallons. This lowers the PH to about 6. Periodically I will add some Calcium with CalPlex, because I was advised to do so. The plants lower leaves will yellow dry and fall off. Also, I just transplanted them into rubbermaid 18 gal containers with about 2" of perlite/hydroton at the bottom.
Questions: Will there be enough oxygen to sustain plants in the container without drainage holes?
Is the yellowing a result of a deficiency worsened by non coco specific nutes or am I underfeeding, or....
Thanks for any help, and sorry for the poor photos.
HJ

 

[MynameStitch]

Ok, so let me get this straight.... you have a 18 gall0n container with plants in it.... are the roots just sitting in this water... or what?
If so, then absolutly not, you must have air pump if they are sitting in water without drainage holes......


If not, then please explain a little better in detail about how it is setup.... there are no pictures of your plants, your problem sounds like nitrogen issue, but you have given too vague of answers and need a lot more information......

FFGB= fox farm grow big? THat can be used for hydro or soil... how often do you water your plants....

The way you have stated your setup is confusing, because when you water and there is no drainage holes.... then water is staying in there?
Overwatering or water that is saturated the roots that the plant can't get rid off will choke it of o2 and cause nitrogen absorption issues.

With a container that size how big is the plant?

 

[10k]

icmags coco forum...
http://www.icmag.com/ic/forumdisplay.php?f=65577

 

[High Jinks]

Stitch:
shoot, i'm sorry. I put the pics in a private folder on accident. Can you see them now?
I water once a day and try to make sure they stay wet with little runoff. This yellowing and drying of lower leaves is the old issue here.
I was also asking about growing in rubbermaids as a container for coco and wondering if other people who use them drill holes in the bottom for some drainage or air; or just regulate a moderate amount of water so as not to over saturate the container. I have put a few inches of medium at the bottom for excess water to collect...is that a time bomb?

10K: I am aware of the Coco forum, and have searched for the answers of my two questions there first. Is this not the place to post sick plant pics/questions regardless of grow medium?

 

[10k]

Stitch:
shoot, i'm sorry. I put the pics in a private folder on accident. Can you see them now?
I water once a day and try to make sure they stay wet with little runoff. This yellowing and drying of lower leaves is the old issue here.
I was also asking about growing in rubbermaids as a container for coco and wondering if other people who use them drill holes in the bottom for some drainage or air; or just regulate a moderate amount of water so as not to over saturate the container. I have put a few inches of medium at the bottom for excess water to collect...is that a time bomb?

10K: I am aware of the Coco forum, and have searched for the answers of my two questions there first. Is this not the place to post sick plant pics/questions regardless of grow medium?

You need drainage holes in those tubs. Having a bottom layer of hydroton/perlite is not going to stop those roots from reaching down into that standing water.
Plus watering with small amounts like you're doing can cause some dry pockets to happen within the medium which cause root system problems and stress.
Much better to have sufficient drainage holes and water thoroughly, allowing the medium to breathe the way coco likes.
Don't 'confuse' the root system development...just modify the tubs with good drain holes and position the tub so the drains arent blocked off by the weight of the tub(s).

hth

 

[High Jinks]

10K:
Thanks for that response. Drainage holes it is. Anybody have any thoughts on my yellowing/drying of lower leaves?

 

[inreplyavalon]

I have never used FFGB before but i am a coco grower that used to grow in soil and i will tell you those plants look HUNGRY. So put some holes in the tubs and hit them with some NITROGEN!
Coming from soil(where i had burned quite a few plants) I was always hesitant to feed more in coco. Now almost everytime my plants in coco don't look perfect it is because they are not getting enough of something. Hope my mistakes can help yours

 

[MynameStitch]

Well, overwatering or roots that sit in water too long like soil coco and so forth will show nitrogen issues due to lack of o2 and soggy mediums lack good absorption for nitrogen. Like 10k has said get some holes in there and so forth.... let them start to recover a bit then hit them with a small dose of it then slowly move the dosage up as it grows and recovers.