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What kind of perlite to mix with coco?
- Thread starter whodi
- Start date
either/or @ 30-50%... earth worm castings @ 10-20%.
there are a couple threads on ic about addition of perlite increasing aeration, etc... may be helpful to review.
yes, coco can be used alone. black gold coco blend contains: coco coir, earth worm castings, canadian peat moss, organic wetting agent, and perlite/pumice.
1 bag of this, w/ 1 bottle of gh fnb is all a gardener ever really needs. and no other implements really ever needed. if desire k.i.s.s....
enjoy your garden!
D
DEDHEDFRED
Hey Bro.........LTNS...........My situation has dictated using the cheaper/smaller version perlite mixed with my chunks and fiber but the Fox Farm bigass chunky shit costs triple what reg perlite costs so you can guess which way my tight ass went............
Goodta se yas still round Whodi.........Hope all`s well in your lil corner of the world.........
Here`s the thing with coco I found that helped me the most........The perlite formed a 2 inch layer at the bottom for max drainage and then I mixed chunks and fiber half and half , then added 1/3 more perlite in the mix for max aeration but takes more juice per cycle due to faster drainage , evaporation , and plant uptake which all in all is not a bad thing ........
Another couple inches perlite on top to prevent evaporation as well as help stop fungus gnat larvae , thrips and such shit from occurring along with SM-90 thrown in the mix on a regular 5 ml per gal mix with nutes as a systemic that won`t allow larvae to form........
Big and chunky perlite costs more and makes for more feed cycles due to the faster drying out thus using more juice in the overall grow so it`s all relative but as far as explosive veg growth and flower swellage I`ve found that figuring out the plants needs where they could be given just enough juice on a daily basis where they could dry out between feeds is the X factor in yield that so many folks search for and never find due to drowning coco just for the sake of being told to and that you can`t overwater coco which is bullshit........
Take care and let us know how your side by side works out for yas but guaranteed you dont need the chunky just more of the rinsed out regular for maximum aeration and benefits.........BTW............Purple Dom/Mistress.........You`re wick method with Nova Bloom has a whole lotta appeal for us old farts that`ve gravitated toward simplicity......Earth boxes , OBBT`s , your wick thingy .......all viable KISS methods to be embraced and dialed in for maximum grams per watt IMHO..........
Ya`ll take care..................DHF..............
.........
Goodta se yas still round Whodi.........Hope all`s well in your lil corner of the world.........
Here`s the thing with coco I found that helped me the most........The perlite formed a 2 inch layer at the bottom for max drainage and then I mixed chunks and fiber half and half , then added 1/3 more perlite in the mix for max aeration but takes more juice per cycle due to faster drainage , evaporation , and plant uptake which all in all is not a bad thing ........
Another couple inches perlite on top to prevent evaporation as well as help stop fungus gnat larvae , thrips and such shit from occurring along with SM-90 thrown in the mix on a regular 5 ml per gal mix with nutes as a systemic that won`t allow larvae to form........
Big and chunky perlite costs more and makes for more feed cycles due to the faster drying out thus using more juice in the overall grow so it`s all relative but as far as explosive veg growth and flower swellage I`ve found that figuring out the plants needs where they could be given just enough juice on a daily basis where they could dry out between feeds is the X factor in yield that so many folks search for and never find due to drowning coco just for the sake of being told to and that you can`t overwater coco which is bullshit........
Take care and let us know how your side by side works out for yas but guaranteed you dont need the chunky just more of the rinsed out regular for maximum aeration and benefits.........BTW............Purple Dom/Mistress.........You`re wick method with Nova Bloom has a whole lotta appeal for us old farts that`ve gravitated toward simplicity......Earth boxes , OBBT`s , your wick thingy .......all viable KISS methods to be embraced and dialed in for maximum grams per watt IMHO..........
Ya`ll take care..................DHF..............
.........good to have you back around. the wick + coco method was developed out of necessity & desire to get away from million this/that.Hey Bro.........LTNS...........My situation has dictated using the cheaper/smaller version perlite mixed with my chunks and fiber but the Fox Farm bigass chunky shit costs triple what reg perlite costs so you can guess which way my tight ass went............
Goodta se yas still round Whodi.........Hope all`s well in your lil corner of the world.........
Here`s the thing with coco I found that helped me the most........The perlite formed a 2 inch layer at the bottom for max drainage and then I mixed chunks and fiber half and half , then added 1/3 more perlite in the mix for max aeration but takes more juice per cycle due to faster drainage , evaporation , and plant uptake which all in all is not a bad thing ........
Another couple inches perlite on top to prevent evaporation as well as help stop fungus gnat larvae , thrips and such shit from occurring along with SM-90 thrown in the mix on a regular 5 ml per gal mix with nutes as a systemic that won`t allow larvae to form........
Big and chunky perlite costs more and makes for more feed cycles due to the faster drying out thus using more juice in the overall grow so it`s all relative but as far as explosive veg growth and flower swellage I`ve found that figuring out the plants needs where they could be given just enough juice on a daily basis where they could dry out between feeds is the X factor in yield that so many folks search for and never find due to drowning coco just for the sake of being told to and that you can`t overwater coco which is bullshit........
Take care and let us know how your side by side works out for yas but guaranteed you dont need the chunky just more of the rinsed out regular for maximum aeration and benefits.........BTW............Purple Dom/Mistress.........You`re wick method with Nova Bloom has a whole lotta appeal for us old farts that`ve gravitated toward simplicity......Earth boxes , OBBT`s , your wick thingy .......all viable KISS methods to be embraced and dialed in for maximum grams per watt IMHO..........
Ya`ll take care..................DHF..............
used to do kbs; if correct, dhf used to do kbs too?... all the bells/whistles that kr.sty brought to the boards were wild. huge air pumps, etc. in imagination, still have plenty pumps, soaker hoses, etc. no need to use them, @ all. most kiss ever...
can narrow down to 1-2 bottles of quality nute(s) & possibly inexpensive supplements. maybe, molasses ~1-0-5, cornmeal ~9-0-0...
in imagination, have already mistress'd & dominated the wick+coco+gh fnb method.whodi said:
am now desiring to pre-mixing coco+perlite w/ cornmeal, earth worm castings, humates, myco & microbes... use only water + molasses, for entire season... no conventional nutes. just give enough forthem to do their tomato thing...
enjoy your garden!
CuZZn BooBerry
Member
straight bcuzz coco(no rinse) w/ GH nutes = BIG COLAS!!
simple green
Member
Whether you need perlite or not depends on the coco you use, IMO. If you have access, I'd seek out canna, bcuzz, or some other coco that folks are doing well with without perlite, and add perlite if you feel like it...
When my local store used to carry Bcuzz, I used that with success both with and without perlite....hardly noticed a difference. You'll see a lot of people using/recommending canna coco and they have great results without perlite....Any time theres posts like this (or about if you can overwater coco or anything of that nature) the canna users come on and recommend it....None of them seem to need to consider aeration and that sounds good to me.
Now my local shops don't carry bcuzz and nobody within hundreds of miles of me has ever had canna. My choices are very limited (as I'm not having it delivered)...I'm using the Earth Juice Pro coir bricks that have to be watered and fluffed out.... I can tell you from bad experiences, that stuff doesn't aerate as nearly as much as the bcuzz did...I need to either add perlite or water it more like a soil grow (letting mostly dry before waterings)....
After these experiences, I'm about erring on the side of caution (aeration) as I don't mind "wasting" some extra nutes via more watering if it's going to guarantee that I'm not going to go through the horrible ordeal I'm limping my way out of now....finally....
Having said that, to your original question of which perlite to use...I've always been a "bigger the better" guy when it comes to perlite....I haven't spent the money on the real chunky foxfarm stuff due to price and availability, but I have some shops near me with fine to coarse to a little chunky perlite....I'm not sure if I'm right, but I've always gotten the impression that the bigger the perlite, the more it aerates....Since that's what perlite's for, I choose the biggest chunks I can get....
Just my .02.
Keep it green
When my local store used to carry Bcuzz, I used that with success both with and without perlite....hardly noticed a difference. You'll see a lot of people using/recommending canna coco and they have great results without perlite....Any time theres posts like this (or about if you can overwater coco or anything of that nature) the canna users come on and recommend it....None of them seem to need to consider aeration and that sounds good to me.
Now my local shops don't carry bcuzz and nobody within hundreds of miles of me has ever had canna. My choices are very limited (as I'm not having it delivered)...I'm using the Earth Juice Pro coir bricks that have to be watered and fluffed out.... I can tell you from bad experiences, that stuff doesn't aerate as nearly as much as the bcuzz did...I need to either add perlite or water it more like a soil grow (letting mostly dry before waterings)....
After these experiences, I'm about erring on the side of caution (aeration) as I don't mind "wasting" some extra nutes via more watering if it's going to guarantee that I'm not going to go through the horrible ordeal I'm limping my way out of now....finally....
Having said that, to your original question of which perlite to use...I've always been a "bigger the better" guy when it comes to perlite....I haven't spent the money on the real chunky foxfarm stuff due to price and availability, but I have some shops near me with fine to coarse to a little chunky perlite....I'm not sure if I'm right, but I've always gotten the impression that the bigger the perlite, the more it aerates....Since that's what perlite's for, I choose the biggest chunks I can get....
Just my .02.
Keep it green
I use Botanicare coco blocks with Foxfarm chunky perlite along with Crop Circles(chunky coco needs to be rinsed of salts).
I'm sure you can just use the Botanicare it has exccellent drainage.... also I will never use anything but foxfarm chuncky perlite this shit rocks and is way better then any perlite I have EVER used....
I never hear anyone comment on botanicare coco.... makes me want to try out bcuzz.... but I never had my plants ever looks so damn good so I recommend Botanicare coco I guess, lol.... good shit.
**Post by PoopyTeaBags**
I'm sure you can just use the Botanicare it has exccellent drainage.... also I will never use anything but foxfarm chuncky perlite this shit rocks and is way better then any perlite I have EVER used....
I never hear anyone comment on botanicare coco.... makes me want to try out bcuzz.... but I never had my plants ever looks so damn good so I recommend Botanicare coco I guess, lol.... good shit.
**Post by PoopyTeaBags**
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i like coarse........but i don't mix in any coco at all...
just some vermiculite every one i know that use's coco has gnat's prob's like i did with peat/soil's
G
grow nerd
Good BTi products kills fungus gnats.
G
grow nerd
Hey 00420, just noticed that "S.I.R." in your signature link... sativa / indica / ruderalis from 14th & Mission in the City? (And, did they shut down?) What's special about it? What's the Ruderalis do for it? The name completely turned me off and I never took interest in it.
~fvk~
the Lion is going Guerrilla...
Yeah, I use Botanicare bricks too. I don't think I'll ever use anything but, unless I go aeroponic or some shit, which I highly doubt. I'm one of those dudes that say most coco doesn't need perlite though. Mr. Bongjangles did a thread with an amended/not amended comparison. You've seen it, right man?
Ya bojangles had better yields with coco/perlite than straight coco. I've heard of 1 test someone did and they didnt get better results...it's all weird to me.. guess it depends on what brand coco you use if it's any better or not.
i know i just hate buy'n shit to kill shit.... when u can buy shit that works with out other shit
last time i was there they where shut down {2-3 yr's?} i picked one up just to try along with just about every clone at any club .... man was it a keeper in my eye's it much reminded me or the silverhaze or blue dot. i grew it again when pick up the 2nd time and got a mislabel it was more like the lions gate
i was mad too cuz i cloned a nice mom and had it growing out ready for many cut's.... it could be that the first one i had was a mislabel and not the sir?
