I did a little experiment and was wondering if anyone could duplicate it and provide some feedback... it is very simple to do.

Take your coco of choice and do a 50/50 mix with some perlite. Now take another pot and fill it with pure coco. Pour the same amount of liquid into each container and see which one provides the most runoff.. don't forget to pour slowly and evenly...

All ya gotta do is report back here and tell me which of the mediums held more liquid.

Here is why I ask...

I did this experiment with one gallon containers using Bcuzz loose coco coir. One container had home depot perlite, another container had fox farm chunky. After adding 3/4 of a gallon of water to each of the pots I was confused by the results...

The container that had the 50/50 mix of coco perlite held a hell of a lot more water as opposed to the pure coco... I don't think it was due to the quality of perlite because I had used two seperate containers with home depot and fox farm chunky.. am I wrong or is the perlite supposed to provide even more drainage then the coco by itself?

p.s. I don't ever use perlite in coco, I see absolutely no point in it nor do I condone the use of it.

[Old Soul]

Interesting experiment. I have never mixed anything with my coco either and have never used any other medium for that matter. If I had some perlite I would try it just to give you some other results to go by. Now I no why it is fine on it's own.

Old Soul

[-VT-]

Interesting....in the coco growers thread....some reported overwatering in 100% coco...so it's quite surprising to me that 50/50 coco/perlite has MORE water retentive properties than 100% coco....
I have read of overwatering 100% coco before....but not a cut mix
Someone free of trolls should do a side by side

Good thread

I can't explain it.. and thats the only coir I have laying around since I switched to profit disks... thats why I was hoping someone would give it a try..

[-VT-]

I agree....we need a test thread...a side by side........with pics

naa, don't need to get that detailed.. I just want someone to mix some shit up real quick with a different brand of coir and see if the coco/perlite holds more water..

If someone wants added aeration to the coco then ya better get some sunleaves or profit disks. Hopefully someday, people will begin to stray away from the pith dust and stick to the fibrous mixes.

[gaiusmarius]

interesting indeed, could it be that the perlit initially holds additional water? i also never have to worry about over-watering my coco, as long as it can drain freely the plants remain the picture of health no matter how much water runs through the coco.

i would never have thought that you would get such a result. the perlit is supposed to make the coco airier and faster draining. i will do a test on a small scale next time i get the chance and remember. 50/50 perlit coco huh? as i normally use pure coco, i'm not gonna waste it in a big test, i'll fill a couple of plastic cups, one with the mix 50/50 and the other pure coco, then we will see, should be interesting, but i doubt the same thing will happen, lol. you'd think the new coco would suck up more water, no?

[NPK]

I already did this with my first coco run: half my pots were pure b'cuzz, and the other half were 50/50 b'cuzz and Home Depot perlite. The cut stuff drained faster than the straight coco. Now I just run straight coco, no perlite added.

[-VT-]

Hey guys....

I'm going to do the test soon and report back (Botanicare coco and fox farm perlite)...

I think the test should be done with a saturated medium.....GM makes an excellent point about dry coco skewing the findings....with both mediums saturated.....one can then see which is holding more water by subsequent runoff....


One thing I like about coco/perlite is that (seemingly) it drains faster than the latter....seems like I can handwater faster....this can be measured also by time....and I have an easier time feeding....

I'm keeping an open mind on this (I'm an unabashed fan of the perlite lol)...I'm open to change and trying something new....perhaps the perceived advantages of cutting coco are indeed a myth....and I'm humble and open-minded enough to admit it if it is.....we really need a definitive thread on this...(I have vegged plants in 100% coco before btw...but never measured anything....)

PH is another factor than can be tested as others have done....I remember a guy in the coco growers thread that was using 100% Botanicare coco and having PH issues with Botanicare nutes...when he cut it...he didn't have these PH issues with Botanicare nutes....

I have two Casey Jones just about rooted....one will be in 100% coco....the other cut....I'm gonna find out all of these things once and for all....

[pico]

pearlite is a lot cheaper than good coco too which is nice when you are using a lot of medium.