Pot sizes using straight coco

[Cheeb]

Hey all,

Curious what your opinions on pot sizes are when running straight coco.

Currently running 12 plants per 1000w light in 2 gallon pots. Do you think these size pots are sufficient or would it be worth the extra medium costs, buying new pots, and additional labor involved in bring in more medium as well as disposing of it after grow to switch over to 3 gallon pots.

I've heard that coco allows you to run a smaller pot then one would typically run in soil, but curious if 2 gallons pots are hurting me when grown at 12 per 1000w light.

(everything watered via blumats if it makes any difference)

- -

Also would like opinions on ideal pot size / plant numbers one would prefer under 1800w (3 sixers) in a 4x8 tent. Currently running 21 (3 rows of 7), but would like to reduce plant numbers for simplicity sake.

Any input?

 

[ThePizzaMan]

As long as your plants are getting adequate light...than you are golden. 2 Gallon pots are ideal for large harvests in coco...

I run small sog type 5X5's...and I get between 1/4 to 1/2 oz. per pot. So as long as you are getting like 2-3 oz.'s per plant...you are doing amazingly well.

There really is no ideal post size..there is what works for YOU. if you are encountering problems, aside the fact that you have to dump your used coco....than I would post them up.

Everyone has waste...it's just a part of this hobby. Find a secure location, don't go that often..and you should be fine.

ThePizzaMan

 

[Guest 18340]

Depends on how long you want to veg for.
Imo, if you're not root bound with the 2 gal pots and you're not going to lengthen the veg time with 3 gal pots then it's a waste.
It has been my experience that plants actually thrive in coco when the roots are packed in, they would be way root bound if it were soil.
Wish I could figure out how to hook up my Blumats...

 

[mk6]

like evlm said depends on veg time... heres a shot of mine in 2 gal-n
under 600's looks pretty sweet... right until they stretch thru the roof lol...
stick with the 2 gal pots but add perlite 30/70 to your coco and you'll get bigger buds - Ive tried it w/out...
here is.
day of flip and day 40... sour grapes

 

[dunkydunk]

I used to grow in quart pots under 600's, and the only problem I had was the plants falling over because their footprint was too small. I moved up to 2 gallon pots and my plants stopped falling over, but the yields remained the same. I now use 1 gallon smartpots. In coco, pot size is determined by how frequently you want to water more than anything else. The smaller the pot, the faster it will dry out, if you are using Blumats that shouldn't be a concern.

 

[slowandeasy]

Hey all,

Curious what your opinions on pot sizes are when running straight coco.

Currently running 12 plants per 1000w light in 2 gallon pots. Do you think these size pots are sufficient or would it be worth the extra medium costs, buying new pots, and additional labor involved in bring in more medium as well as disposing of it after grow to switch over to 3 gallon pots.

I've heard that coco allows you to run a smaller pot then one would typically run in soil, but curious if 2 gallons pots are hurting me when grown at 12 per 1000w light.

(everything watered via blumats if it makes any difference)

- -

Also would like opinions on ideal pot size / plant numbers one would prefer under 1800w (3 sixers) in a 4x8 tent. Currently running 21 (3 rows of 7), but would like to reduce plant numbers for simplicity sake.

Any input?

Why not switch to Smart Pots? I will never use a regular pot ever again. I use Blumats as well. I can tell you from experience that you will yield more in Smart Pots than in regular pots. I have yielded 7oz per plant in 1Gal Smart Pots. I used to use 2 Gal, but experimented with 1 Gal the past few runs. I would go with 1 or 2 Gal Smart Pots. Using extra medium does not help much since the roots are always being air pruned.

 

[Cheeb]

Appreciate the insight guys.

slowandeasy,
I've been meaning to grab a more smart pots...now I'm trying to decide what size. I've been playing with 8 3 gallon smart pots under 1800w and its been looking pretty good. 7oz out of a 1 gallon smart pot is insane. I think I'm going to grab some 2s. My latest 4k grow didn't yield great - 1lb per 1k. New strains and shit, but still thought I would have done better.

I'm already re-potted in the same 2 gallon pots from the previous run so I'll have to try the smart pots on the next.

I see they got some tan ones out.

 

[slowandeasy]

Appreciate the insight guys.

slowandeasy,
I've been meaning to grab a more smart pots...now I'm trying to decide what size. I've been playing with 8 3 gallon smart pots under 1800w and its been looking pretty good. 7oz out of a 1 gallon smart pot is insane. I think I'm going to grab some 2s. My latest 4k grow didn't yield great - 1lb per 1k. New strains and shit, but still thought I would have done better.

I'm already re-potted in the same 2 gallon pots from the previous run so I'll have to try the smart pots on the next.

I see they got some tan ones out.

Go with 2 Gal Smart Pots. I use have been using 1 gal in my tents lately with excellent results. The only down side to the 1 gal is the plants can get top heavy, but all my plants are tied down...so it does not matter. 2 gal are a little more stable for big plants that are not tied down. Good luck!!

 

[Shcrews]

2 gallons are great! Pico had great success with 2gal pot coco. i imitated his setup and yielded 2lbs off a 1kw light

nine 2gal pots with coco in a 4ftx4ft flood table
vegged a couple weeks into a scrog

so for a 4x8ft i would put 18 plants, arranged 3x6


i would water or flood 2x per day with the 2gal pots, maybe once at night too later in flowering, good luck


if you use 3gallon pots coco i would veg at least 2.5-3 weeks and pull 4-8ounces per plant, probly dont need too many.

 

[jocat]

pot size

pot size

in the winter when i'm around i use smaller, 5G buckets, with drains in them...in the summer i switch to 7G pots...why? because if i have a watering failure while i'm on the road the 7G pots offer up to a week of protection from drying out, the 5's give me a few days to notice my res is not going down. i think others are right on with the any size can work well..just a matter of dialing in your watering schedule, smaller pots means several watering cycles a day, with the 7G i can water 3 times a week. being a tad forgetful and enjoying traveling i need some added protection. MTC...j

 

[habeeb]

ever thought about re-using the coco? cut it at 1/4 to 1/5 even..

here's what I do when I don't know. I run a test. next time try running a 2.5 or 3 gallon along with the 2 gallons and see the difference in plant growth/ structure and compare root balls after its over and see if you want to switch..

 

[mrktwiz]

Appreciate the insight guys.

slowandeasy,
I've been meaning to grab a more smart pots...now I'm trying to decide what size. I've been playing with 8 3 gallon smart pots under 1800w and its been looking pretty good. 7oz out of a 1 gallon smart pot is insane. I think I'm going to grab some 2s. My latest 4k grow didn't yield great - 1lb per 1k. New strains and shit, but still thought I would have done better.

I'm already re-potted in the same 2 gallon pots from the previous run so I'll have to try the smart pots on the next.

I see they got some tan ones out.

I love my 3 gal SmartPots, I grow in Coco/Perlite 70/30....and I love it. THeir so easy to use, after harvest just wash in washing machine, cold water, gentle cycle presto ready to go!

 

[dawgsbolloxs]

great info ...thanks

 

[Joe Budden]

Great thread, thanks for all the info!

 

[Xerhoss]

Hmmmm....great info. I'm thinking of running 3 gallon pots in my 4 X 8 with 2000kws.

I'll have to look into the smart pots. I've heard good things.

 

[Lazyman]

Dongle69 said every time she used a smaller pot in flood and drain coco, her yields went up. I believe she ended up with 6" square pots in her ssh 6kw sog. 14# dry, no co2.

 

[Double Kindness]

I always recycle my coco, it's good to use 3-4 times before adding a new bale. I don't use supplements to induce the flowering hormones etc, which makes a difference if you're reusing your coco.

I definitely wouldn't add perlite, it dries out much too quickly. I feed 1 grow 3 x a day for 15 minutes on drippers. I hand water veg, which is a pain sometimes depending on how many plants I have going.

You should be good with 2 gal 12 plants under a 1000k w light growing in coco, coco can take a much bigger plant in a smaller sized pot than soil & smart pots are basically the same thing a bit better than coco, smaller pot size for a bigger plant.

 

[Lazyman]

I saw a grower here do a side by side, coco vs. coco/perlite. Coco perlite outyielded the coco side by 12%. It all depends on if you can water more frequently or not. i use the little Blumat drippers so it's automated, but yeah I wouldn't go over a 2g pot in a tray, a 1g would probably be just fine.

 

[ganjasuiteseat]

taggy

 

[puff adder]

I used to use 3.2 gallon square pots with Canna coco. Yields went up when I switched to 2 gallon round pots. Now I fill those 2 gal pots only 3/4 full, yields are my best, and it also seems to shorten the flowering time by a few days too. Either 9 or 16 plants per light works great for me, smaller plants means less veg time too.