Coco drip irrigation queries

Hello, new to forums posted this somewhere else but no replies so hopefully I'd get better success here go go copy and paste...

Planning a drip to waste coco grow. My first coco/hydro grow (done a few in soil) please share all you can from your own experiences. I've tried searching the net for info to no luck i dont know if im looking in the wrong places so i ask anyone that has good sources of information to share it so we can all learn. Also, PLEASE NO THEORIES OR ASSUMPTIONS lets reduce the risks of misinformation unintentional or otherwise. Will be using canna coco, if anyone has tried this brand of coco please share as much of a detailed analysis on what you thought can I plant my germinated seed and start feeding? I'd be mixing in 25% perlite and adding a 1"-1.5" layer to the bottom of my airpots and a layer at the top for pest prevention, slow down evaporation and increase drainage so I can water more. I wont be using tables my pots will be on stands, again if anyone has had any experience please share. Starting in 3L for 2 weeks then 1gal for 2-3 weeks and finally 3gal to finish off veg will be 6-8 weeks. Going with npk industries raw line since its very flexible. My main issue is I don't know how often I can water, I know your not meant to let coco ever dry since its a hydro medium but won't the pot always be heavy? How do I know when it's time to water? how early can I start watering more than once per day? if i provide enough drainage can I water seedlings more than once a day? does anyone foiler feed throughout their grow? and when watering frequently do I reduce EC so frequent and light nute waterings or keep it the same? Does anyone use microbial innoculants with mineral nutes? Why and how? What temps do you keep your water? Do you have to adjust depending on environment? How do i check EC in coco since i hear its a headache? Why is it considered a headache?Thank you for your time[​IMG]

Try formatting your posts with paragraphs to make them easier to read. folks will be more apt to respond if doesn't look like a wall of text.

to address a few of your questions -

a smaller plant will not need to be watered as much since their root structure is small. also why you should have small plants in small pots. let the plant become rootbound, or close to it, before potting it up.

you should not water seedlings more than once per day. I tend to only water my larger, fully rootbound moms or flowering plants more than once per day. seedlings, clones, babies, or any recently transplanted plant usually does not need multiple feedings per day - not until they have a large enough root volume to pull that much water from their medium.

Lift up the pot to tell if it wants water, it will feel lighter and the coco at the top of the pot will look a bit drier.

you do tend to reduce EC when feeding multiple times per day. Use an EC pen to check EC of the water before you feed and then test the EC of the runoff water. A runoff that tests higher than your feed EC can indicate that you're feeding too high for how much the plant wants to consume

Cannabean said:

Try formatting your posts with paragraphs to make them easier to read. folks will be more apt to respond if doesn't look like a wall of text.

to address a few of your questions -

a smaller plant will not need to be watered as much since their root structure is small. also why you should have small plants in small pots. let the plant become rootbound, or close to it, before potting it up.

you should not water seedlings more than once per day. I tend to only water my larger, fully rootbound moms or flowering plants more than once per day. seedlings, clones, babies, or any recently transplanted plant usually does not need multiple feedings per day - not until they have a large enough root volume to pull that much water from their medium.

Lift up the pot to tell if it wants water, it will feel lighter and the coco at the top of the pot will look a bit drier.

you do tend to reduce EC when feeding multiple times per day. Use an EC pen to check EC of the water before you feed and then test the EC of the runoff water. A runoff that tests higher than your feed EC can indicate that you're feeding too high for how much the plant wants to consume

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Thank you for your input bro yh I'll do that I was just trying to get my situation across. Ok so as long roots are established I can feed more than once right? And say instead of full strength in 1 feed I do half strength in 2 feeds both times watering till 10%-20% runoff does this sound about right?

Reduce pots size to 1-2 gal max unless you looking for trees. Don't add perlite. Once you start multiple feeds per day keep your ec low around 1.2. -1.3. Coco work great without run off. If your tap water is good 100-200 ppm 0.2-0.4 ec use tap water instead ro. Plant in 1 gal pots easyli can hit 2m height multiple colas toped or lst. Again 3 gallon is overkill.

maimunji said:

Reduce pots size to 1-2 gal max unless you looking for trees. Don't add perlite. Once you start multiple feeds per day keep your ec low around 1.2. -1.3. Coco work great without run off. If your tap water is good 100-200 ppm 0.2-0.4 ec use tap water instead ro. Plant in 1 gal pots easyli can hit 2m height multiple colas toped or lst. Again 3 gallon is overkill.

Click to expand...

Why'd you suggest not adding perlite? Wouldn't it increase oxygen in the rootzone, plus a layer on top help me prevent bugs? Not dismissing your advice just wondering what's the reason behind your methods.
Do you keep track of your water temps by any chance? I also want to water till run off to have better control of my ph n ec try stay in that goldilock zone as much as I can.
Thanks for the advice bro in on a 4x8x6.5 space and I might do indicas scrog it try get them at least at least 4ft tall. 12-16 plants so they have enough space to grow big colas. Having them in smaller pots will also allow me to water them more right? It's brilliant, again thank you

Coco already has an ideal water to air ratio and as long as roots are abundant (potting up to final container only after they are as stated above) there is no need to change that by adding perlite, hydroton, drainage material on the bottom, etc. Smaller containers also help facilitate that process. Mixing in perlite is for mediums like soil, coco is more sophisticated than that and simpler.