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Advice on using bennies in coco

BlackMagic66

New member
Hydro/Coco noob about to start my first run using bottom feed EnF in 5 gal buckets. I would like to use beneficial bacteria and fungi at least to get the roots going in seedling and veg stages vs some sort of root stimulant. I have used bennies in soil before and am familiar with Caps Bennies teas. (biowar now I think) I think there is still some benefit to be gained from a living rootzone in coco even with salt based nutes, yes?



Should I just brew up a separate batch and throw in some molasses and an airstone for a few days, and then just top feed the coco between watering?



Folks in an earlier thread warned me about messing with molasses in a recirculating hydro system, though some seemed to have used it sparingly enough to feed bennies and not get slime. If I inoculate like I said above, how should I keep the bennies fed?


Should I even bother with any of it and just keep everything sterile aside from maybe zyme and use a root stimulant?
 

Klompen

Active member
I'm going to be doing a coco-based soilless hybrid medium and would like to know this as well.
 

MedResearcher

Member
Veteran
Should read this thread. Its really long, but has a wealth of information in it. Including using bennies(OG biowar) in Coco with great results. Explains exact recipes, schedules, delivery, and results from use.

https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?threadid=339886


The OG biowar is expensive, but is very effective. Adding it into my teas, I have seen great results. I think it is worth the monthly costs, and honestly possible save you money in labor and quick fixs by avoiding problems and increased yield.

Gl,

Mr^^
 

FunkBomb

Power Armor rules
Veteran
I mix Tribus/Mammoth P/Recharge with regular ferts (Canna, CNS17, PBP)and have wonderful results.

-Funk
 

MrBungle

Active member
I didn't go to the other thread... I'm just curious about how you guys use the og biowar.. and which one of the 3 choices? do you water it in or add it to the soil dry?



FunkBomb is that a comparable mixture to the OG Biowar? is it more cost effective to use those products together as apposed to the OG Biowar?


I've messed around with nitrogen fixers and mychorrizae in the past.... just thought it was too expensive to carry on with it, especially cause most of those microbes are already present in most soils and even peat moss.... not sure about coco though, but I wouldn't be surprised if they were present in coco as well...


there is no denying they do improve the root zone health which is most important, I guess I just do it the old fashioned way :D
 

Itsmychoice

Well-known member
ICMag Donor
I use bioag vam powder sprinkled on the roots both times I up pot. I use great white once a week or so watering in veg and i foliar feed biowar 4 or 5 times a grow wetting all the leaf and stem surfaces right at lights on. I have used recharge for root drench and have added mammoth p to my reservoirs with good results, I just need to order some more. There are so many variables involved it’s difficult to give credit to any one technique it’s just what I do to try to make the plant as good as it can be.
 

FunkBomb

Power Armor rules
Veteran
MrBungle - I don't know what OG Biowar uses, but I'd assume its probably close. The great thing about Tribus/MammothP/Recharge is that you don't need much at all to make a massive difference. I mix it in water with or without NPK nutrients, adjust pH and apply.

-Funk
 

Klompen

Active member
Doesn't it sort of suggest beneficials are not colonizing the medium if you need to keep applying the starter?

What's the actual advantage of these expensive products versus a well-made aerated compost tea?
 

FunkBomb

Power Armor rules
Veteran
They do colonize the media/soil but regular applications helps speed it along. Your argument is a good one and correct. Most of them suggest only applying once per week at a rate of 1-2 ml/gal. When you use it multiple times a week or every watering the colonization is lightning fast and growth rates and results show themselves quickly. The product Recharge says its a replacement for compost tea. Having used it I can say they are correct. Tribus/Mammoth P have a few specific microbes so I find that applying once a week makes a huge difference in growth, quality, and yield.

-Funk
 

Klompen

Active member
I'll have to look into it a bit more thanks. I've worked with mycellium quite a bit and I've never really seen a situation where it colonizes better when continually adding more spores. Bacteria and arachea might be another matter though. I plead ignorance on those.
 

Goats

Active member
i sprinkle some myco powder when transplanting and then use +life from hydroponic research. roots always blowing out the bottom of my fabric pots.
i have also used orca, voodoo juice and a few others in the past. the +life seems to give me the most obvious results, but it also leaves a powdery residue on my flood table.
 
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