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Best Brand Of Coco Coir Today

slowandeasy

Active member
Veteran
Well, my experience has been that one is totally different than another, and completely superior. Further, one didn't need flushing and the other needed flushing.


Canna All the Way! No need to rinse, it is the ONLY brand I trust to not rinse and the results are Superior.
 
C

coconaut

adding coco chips to the pith + fiber mix increases the air porosity and decreases the water holding capacity.

I disagree, coco chips/crutons/chunks will only add air space if used without coir. The chunks are more dense than the coir itself. If only chunks are used then gaps will form between chunks, if used with coir, the coir will fill in those gaps. Think of a bin with large beach balls, non-square objects will leave gaps between each other when packed together, those gaps can be filled with smaller objects.

As for water holding capacity, they also hold more water because they are more dense than coir, this isn't a negative though, roots just love chunks, when I break down old rootballs the chunks are the hardest to separate, coir just falls away with a light brushing of the hand, while the chunks have thick roots entangling them.
 

slowandeasy

Active member
Veteran
I've only used two types, but Canna ^^^^^ was totally superior.


I have tried 5 different kinds of Coco, and there is only 1 that does not have to be rinsed...Canna. All the rest when rinsed the ppm of the water was really high. GH green bricks were second cleanest. BCuzz has starter fertilizer in it, and will burn certain plants. I also like Canna, because it has Trichoderma and is already broken down for you in a bag. Only one place in my State carries it, and it is worth the drive.

If you do not mind rinsing and stuff, GH Green Bricks work well.
 
C

Carl Carlson

I disagree, coco chips/crutons/chunks will only add air space if used without coir. The chunks are more dense than the coir itself. If only chunks are used then gaps will form between chunks, if used with coir, the coir will fill in those gaps. Think of a bin with large beach balls, non-square objects will leave gaps between each other when packed together, those gaps can be filled with smaller objects.

that makes a lot of sense. thanks. Well than i cannot explain why I prefer coco with the chips mixed in...
 
C

coconaut

So, a piece of granite is going to hold more water because it's denser than a sponge? I'm not sure if I follow your logic.

mgk :tiphat:


Hey there pal, I sure don't mind to explain, here's my logic.
Granite and sponge are two different materials, while coir and coco chunks are the same material, only in two different presentations.

Coir is shredded coconut, while chunks are pieces of coconut.
Chunks of coco contain coir, only the coir is arranged very neatly, I liken this to a stack of paper. Not much airspace between each page, however if we were to shred that stack of paper we would certainly have a hard time getting the tiny pieces arranged as they were before the shred.

As further evidence, it is clear if you have ever hydrated both a bale (or brick) of coir and one of chunks. The bale of coir expands many times the volume of the bale, while the bale of chunks hardly expands at all. Both bales weigh the same (5kg) but it is clear that the pile with more volume is going to be less dense.

In coir, the space between each piece of coir is big enough to allow gravity to overcome waters surface tension, water is only held inside individual pieces of coir and where pieces overlap and intersect.
Coco chunks, on the other hand, become fully saturated.
I liken chunks of coco to buckets of water, while coir is like test tubes of water. Interior of the bucket can become fully saturated while test tubes have a lot of external area that isn't holding water.

Clear as mud? :tiphat:
Does that make sense? I'm not very smart, but I like to think my logic is pretty good.
 

MaynardG_Krebs

Active member
Veteran
Hey there pal, I sure don't mind to explain, here's my logic.
Granite and sponge are two different materials, while coir and coco chunks are the same material, only in two different presentations.

Coir is shredded coconut, while chunks are pieces of coconut.
Chunks of coco contain coir, only the coir is arranged very neatly, I liken this to a stack of paper. Not much airspace between each page, however if we were to shred that stack of paper we would certainly have a hard time getting the tiny pieces arranged as they were before the shred.

As further evidence, it is clear if you have ever hydrated both a bale (or brick) of coir and one of chunks. The bale of coir expands many times the volume of the bale, while the bale of chunks hardly expands at all. Both bales weigh the same (5kg) but it is clear that the pile with more volume is going to be less dense.

In coir, the space between each piece of coir is big enough to allow gravity to overcome waters surface tension, water is only held inside individual pieces of coir and where pieces overlap and intersect.
Coco chunks, on the other hand, become fully saturated.
I liken chunks of coco to buckets of water, while coir is like test tubes of water. Interior of the bucket can become fully saturated while test tubes have a lot of external area that isn't holding water.

Clear as mud? :tiphat:
Does that make sense? I'm not very smart, but I like to think my logic is pretty good.

Sorry.. I was just being a smartass.. I do know what you're saying.. I think the roots like boreing into the chunks and it's gotta be good exercise for them. I personally like the mix from GH that comes in the cubes (the red pack I think.. they call it the 'natural mixed brick'). It works great for my particular circumstances and that is my main consideration on that choice. I think they all work fine as long as proper preparation is employed. I really like using Coco.. it's clean, predictable and easy as can be. Love the coco nut mon...

mgk :tiphat:
 

Shcrews

DO WHO YOU BE
Veteran
CANNA and B'CUZZ are the best.. hands down. both are pre-washed and pH buffered. have fun!
 

Dethclock

Member
Burpees-ever since i found 'em at Lowes for $2.47 a brick.I just re-hydrate 'em & run 'em as is,or mixed w/some MG perlite.I've never had any problems w/'em!
 
D

dramamine

I just wanted to add this, because I just realized it. The botanicare cocogrow runoff ppm's are made up of fertilizer, a pre-treatment intentionally added. Check out the website listed at the bottom of the label, the one that says "for more info regarding metals, etc." If you look it up, it is a fertilizer website, proof that the ppm's are intentionally added and explaining why so many succeed without rinsing.

(I realize many people realize this already, but I know there are lots of us that didn't)
 
I just wanted to add this, because I just realized it. The botanicare cocogrow runoff ppm's are made up of fertilizer, a pre-treatment intentionally added. Check out the website listed at the bottom of the label, the one that says "for more info regarding metals, etc." If you look it up, it is a fertilizer website, proof that the ppm's are intentionally added and explaining why so many succeed without rinsing.

(I realize many people realize this already, but I know there are lots of us that didn't)


First time I ever read it :thank you:
 

jocat

Active member
whatever brand you can get....iv'e tried the main ones..& some others...i don't do bricks....to much work for me...i'd rather just crack open a bag fill my pot and plant...between all of them i use the bio bizz coco, i pay $16 a sak. if brand X is closer or easier to obtain...it would be brand X...JUSTDOIT..
 

Justin_Credible

Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary....
Veteran
whatever brand you can get....iv'e tried the main ones..& some others...i don't do bricks....to much work for me...i'd rather just crack open a bag fill my pot and plant...between all of them i use the bio bizz coco, i pay $16 a sak. if brand X is closer or easier to obtain...it would be brand X...JUSTDOIT..

Been looking into this because J..C. agrees, brick is a pain in the ass.
Question, if I may? How many transplants do you get out of one bag? Like if I was going from 4 inch cubes into 2 gallon pots how many pots/plants could I transplant with one bag of that? :tiphat:
 

crazybear

Member
FWIW...I use Botanicare's ReadyGro Moisture formula with great results, and have NEVER flushed before using. It's pretty empty...has a couple amendments in it...worm castings, perlite, etc... But I've had great success with it.

Now if I can just find a good ballast.

What kind of ballast? Go to I believe it's 1000bulbs.com! They have pretty good deals on ballasts alone! High tech garden supply has replacement kits with instructions that are good in price also!:plant grow::smoweed:
 

jtk707

Member
JUST DOI IT JUST COIR

JUST DOI IT JUST COIR

Iv used just coir for three runs since i switched from soil nothing but good things to say about just coir good luck everyone peace
 
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