Salt build-up with GH in coco?

[GratefulPhish]

I've done only organic soil grows in the past and recently setup a test grow with a coco mix (50% croutons/50% reg coco from ROOTS). Nutrients are GH micro and bloom @ 6/9 ratio only so far, per the h3ad/rez recipe.

I've noticed that there seems to be a very noticeable amount of salt build up on the top of the medium already and I'm only about 3 weeks into veg. I do have some powerful oscillating fans and alot of air moving through the room so the top of the medium does dry out rather quickly.

Is this normal when using salt based nutes on coco?

 

[dachieftan]

From what i read, coco NEEDS to stay moist otherwise you will see the problems that you are facing. Read H3AD's thread about COCO and GH nutes. I think that would be a good place to start. here is the sticky https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=55683

 

[t.rex.]

The end to your worries. . .

https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=150433&highlight=krunchbubble+drip+clean

 

[GratefulPhish]

Thanks for the advise guys- h3ad and rez were an inspiration for this setup and I've read through all stickies before starting up in coco. I'm also familiar with krunchbubble's grows and although he is a pro I'd like to stick to the h3ad/rez schedule, not adding anything else to the nute regimen. If the plants start to suffer I'll start looking into maybe trying the drip clean. I'll get some pics up when they dry out next since I haven't gotten anyone saying "yes, that happens if you let it dry out, u coco/GH noob".

Answering the following questions would probably prove the most useful-
Do you use coco and modified lucas?
If Yes- When the top of the medium is dry, does it look like someone took a salt shaker to it?

 

[+Vibes]

i use coco with a splash of perlite alongside the 6/9... with blumats the only salts i see are the little rings around the edge of my res. constant moisture is key key key. no salt in the pots, just damp coco. when i was handwatering i worked towards less and less runoff while watering every day to limit the flux... that said, they are noticeably perkier with the drip

 

[StealthDragon]

Do you use coco and modified lucas?

Yes. I use modified lucas in coco..aka h3ad formula.

When the top of the medium is dry, does it look like someone took a salt shaker to it?

No, because I use dripclean. It used to look like that before I used dripclean. I swear by the stuff in coco...few drops to the gallon.

 

[t.rex.]

Answering the following questions would probably prove the most useful-
Do you use coco and modified lucas?
If Yes- When the top of the medium is dry, does it look like someone took a salt shaker to it?

Yes, i use the modified lucas. I water my flowering plants in 7-gal smart pots every other day with 7-8 liters of water @ 750-900 PPM. The pots are dry by the time they get another watering, and there is very little to no salt buildup at the top. Here are a couple pics of my driest pot.

I hear you about keeping it simple/basic, and Drip Clean is all i add to the formula. 6 drops per gallon, that stuff goes the distance.

How often do ya water, GratefulPhish? I dont think you stated that.

 

[GratefulPhish]

Ty for the input +vibes

They are getting watered once per day, but after less than 24 hours the top of the medium is sparkling with what seems to be salt build-up (looks very similar to old crusties you find around the necks of your bottles on the salt based nutes). The amount has increased since being potted. I knew this might be a problem with coco as it dries out faster then soil, but figured one water a day as small plants would be ok. Needing more then one water a day would require I get some automation going soon. I'll snap some pics when they dry out later/tomorrow to maybe get some more info.

The plants don't seem to mind so far, and probably just being caused by fans blowing on the medium since they aren't that big yet. At this point just looking if anyone else had noticed that with this setup. tys

 

[Guest 18340]

I've done only organic soil grows in the past and recently setup a test grow with a coco mix (50% croutons/50% reg coco from ROOTS). Nutrients are GH micro and bloom @ 6/9 ratio only so far, per the h3ad/rez recipe.

I've noticed that there seems to be a very noticeable amount of salt build up on the top of the medium already and I'm only about 3 weeks into veg. I do have some powerful oscillating fans and alot of air moving through the room so the top of the medium does dry out rather quickly.

Is this normal when using salt based nutes on coco?

Hi there GratefulPhish.
I've been using coco for a few years now, and for the last year I've been using Maxibloom <-as salty as a nutrient can get. And can tell you from experience that the salt you see on the surface is perfectly normal and will not cause any issues.

 

[Guest 18340]

The plants don't seem to mind so far, and probably just being caused by fans blowing on the medium since they aren't that big yet.

Yup.

 

[puff adder]

I get what you are describing, whitish buildup on top of the coco. I also sometimes get some green stuff, and sometimes some brown buildup on top of the coco. I hand water once a day, dialed in to No runoff.

With 0-6-9, cal-mag, silica, and other addatives, I have found over time that i don't need to worry about anything except keeping the coco moist. I used to flush avery 10 days, now just 0-6-9 and cal mag from veg to week 5 then 0-0-10, liquid KB to finish. I adjust daily watering amounts to keep coco all the same moisture.
As time has gone on, I've found smaller pots give me better yields with more control of moisture.

With this formula, i think salts DO build up, but they build up along with the plant's needing stronger food, so it works together. I have yet to have any issues.

I wouldn't worry about anything unless your plants are acting up.

 

[GratefulPhish]

Tyvm all for the replies. Here is a pic of the medium below.

Still pretty moist at this point, but you get an idea of what I'm seeing around the edges.

Any and all experiences are greatly appreciated-

 

[Darth Fader]

Salt build-up is simply a reality in coco. It has to be dealt with one way or another. Here are some different strategies:
1. Feed to runoff to wash out salts
2. Feed with Drip Clean or similar
3. Flush regularly (every 4th day, once a wk, etc)

Keeping the coco moist will help with any strategy. In veg I like to to just give ph'd water w/ FlorKleen every 4th day (no runoff). I also reverse the Head/rez recipe in veg for more N. No build-up.

 

[Double Kindness]

I find that coco must be watered/fed to runnoff, always kept moist, and drip clean is important, and a little goes a long way. A product like root excellerator also really helps the plants chelate the nutrients, although it's wicked expensive.

 

[Rolando Mota]

I found gh to be very salty, no residue with canna or h&g though.

 

[JacuzziSplot]

Hi there GratefulPhish.
I've been using coco for a few years now, and for the last year I've been using Maxibloom <-as salty as a nutrient can get. And can tell you from experience that the salt you see on the surface is perfectly normal and will not cause any issues.

I am on my second run with 1tsp maxibloom + 1 tsp calmag plus per gallon. I have been planning to use blumats so I have been running hand watered with no waste throughout. I never even dumped the saucers out. So far so good in fact a friend of mine grew a few clones I took off my BB blue cheese in coco/pbp dtw and when it can to smell and taste all our friends agreed mine was better.

I think whats more important is consistency. Say I start my grow running 20% waste then at week 5 decide its too much trouble and start running zero waste it will probably hurt the plants. If the plant was a tiger it would be like raising her in the zoo then dropping her off in the middle of the jungle when she gets her period.

 

[Hazyfontazy]

that salt build up is caused by light drying the coco out ,try covering the exposed coco with some plastic sheeting ,should dissapear then