Coco vs sunshine m ix #4 with H@G

[Dr.Dank]

Nice I am growing on sunshine mix #4 and loving it so far no need to add any perlite.. this is my first run with it... I also bought some CoCO to try and compare im using GH will stay tuned.

I thought you could re use sunshine mix #4 too..?? I have some black bags outside from the males that i cut...that and trying to re used it maybe for outdoor plants... they are getting some sun for a while to kill all bacteria.

 

[Shcrews]

im lookin forward to this

IME the coco will grow larger but SUnshine will taste (slightly) better

 

[OG Father Time]

Runoff was something that was stresed to me when i set up the coco system,very important,i have a friend that grows in coc in the outdoors and has amazing sucess !!
Kind Regardsm FT...

 

[TexasMonster]

Would yall talk more about why you need 30% runoff to avoid having issues with coco please?

 

[chefro420]

Great ! Look forward to this! Please all positive criticisms and advice are more then welcome! If it's negative , you can go kick your cat or something( sorry hate cats) or dog and go elsewhere .

 

[Madrus Rose]

Thanks for all the advice! Im gonna need as this is my first run. As some people have suggested this isn't a SCIENTIFIC test , maybe the results will mean something, maybe they will mean shit! If you don't like it , please go else where . I understand that 6 in coco , and 1 in ss#4 isn't the best , I don't need you to inform me about it.

Really , some peeps , lol....good luck with your test both coco & ss4 great mediums . Let us know what u use & how much .

Anyway on with the show. SO far the clone in SS#4 is taking the lead. The coco are slightly yellow . This is prob due to my inexperience . I will get up some pix this weekend, and go into detail . All positive comments and criticism are welcome , as I have a lot to learn about coco !

Know its been said a 100 times b4 about the addition of Cal/Mag & "charging" the medium well , from the very first (i go 1200ppms w/150+ppms cal/mag) . Issues with yellowing , never had with coco since realizing this . Same applys mostly with any inert, sterilized medium even R/W...that's pumping the pm's by hitting it good at least 3 successive times till nutes are charged up & grabbed into the medium .

Then all good to go ...then go moderate feed from there .

As another alternative to SS4 is Promix HP ...may be even a little superior & almost completely comparable. Their source for spahgnum was told is from a better source .
http://www.horticulturesource.com/product_info.php?products_id=8290

good mediums all !

best regards

mrose

 

[BRNEYDBVR]

Chefro-- Did you "pre-charge" your coco with some cal/mag?

Coco sucks up the cal/mag and could be the reason that your seedlings are a little yellow... When I hydrate my coco (Botanicare 5kg block), I use a good bit of cal/mag and don't have any issues with yellowing. If you don't have any cal/mag, you can use epsom salt. Just something to think about...

My hydro shop gave me a small, sample bag of the SS#4 to try out. I tossed a SSCH cut in it and have been impressed......plant really exploded. I like it....and intend on buying some in the future.

TexasMonster-- Coco is an inert medium....meaning that it has no nutrient value. The plants only get what you give them in coco, there is no fertilizer in it.

Salts tend to build up in coco, or any other medium for that matter....so some run-off, when watering, is necessary to flush out the built up salts in the medium. Failure to properly flush out the salts can cause a nutrient lockout and the plants will burn/crisp up pretty bad. Shit ain't pretty.

It's also very important to keep an eye on your PH levels as well..... I like to keep mine 5.7 to 6.0
Although, Ive had it as low as 5.5 and as high as 6.3 without problems.

Hope this helps...

-BEB

 

[TexasMonster]

TexasMonster-- Coco is an inert medium....meaning that it has no nutrient value. The plants only get what you give them in coco, there is no fertilizer in it.

Salts tend to build up in coco, or any other medium for that matter....so some run-off, when watering, is necessary to flush out the built up salts in the medium. Failure to properly flush out the salts can cause a nutrient lockout and the plants will burn/crisp up pretty bad. Shit ain't pretty.

It's also very important to keep an eye on your PH levels as well..... I like to keep mine 5.7 to 6.0
Although, Ive had it as low as 5.5 and as high as 6.3 without problems.

Hope this helps...

-BEB

Thank You and yes it did help. Thanks again

 

[OG Father Time]

Man i LOVE these forums, so many talent,knolagable growers, makes lifes chalenges a little more easier !!
KInd REgards, FT

 

[Madrus Rose]

Earth worm castings too boys n girls , at least for the beginning veg pots....if one took coco or ss#4 & added at least 1/4 EWC , plants will always love u . Nature's perfect food ...u could almost go 50/50 & not hardly even have to feed but would be a little extravagant .

* Since peat based mediums tend to be a little acidic even with CalCarbonate
they dress it with , tends to aid a little more with N availability since that
element freer in slightly more acidic ph . Why we like the 5.7-6.0 range .

** Run off is a good point , often wondered what peeps do when they grow
in catch trays & handwatering ? A good rinse every two weeks i guess would be
the answer ? Some do a feed every 3rd watering with plain in between ...some go light everytime, etc.

its all good

 

[BRNEYDBVR]

Earth worm castings too boys , at least for the beginning veg pots....if one took coco or ss#4 & added at least 1/4 EWC , plants will always love u . Nature's perfect food ...u could almost go 50/50 & not hardly even have to feed but would be a little extravagant .

Since peat based mediums tend to be a little acidic even with CalCarbonate
they dress it with , tends to aid a little more with N availability since that
element freer in slightly more acidic ph . Why we like the 5.7-60 range .

its all good

I was considering the idea of using some ewc, bone meal, blood meal, lime, etc. mixed in with the SS#4 for a water only mix. Just hit em with a PK boost once or twice in flower. Should work well.

 

[OG Father Time]

Did someone say worm casting!!!

i might be able to spare a little.....

FT...

 

[Droid88]

I use promix-hp with a few handfuls of earth worm castings mixed in each tub, really works great and I would recommend it for it's ease. I use hempy buckets with promix as the medium mixed with some additional perlite. I only need to water once every 5 days, which I appreciate.

I've been wondering though, could the less frequent waterings cause slower growth compared to more frequent dry/wet cycles? I'm mainly thinking about root oxygen transfer, anyone have an idea?

 

[OG Father Time]

worm castings carry an amazing amount of nitrogen,and ph's well...

i used a straight worm cast / mushroom compost mix for many years with great sucess on my outdoor trenches / gardens.
Kind Regards, FT...

 

[chefro420]

Really , some peeps , lol....good luck with your test both coco & ss4 great mediums . Let us know what u use & how much .



Know its been said a 100 times b4 about the addition of Cal/Mag & "charging" the medium well , from the very first (i go 1200ppms w/150+ppms cal/mag) . Issues with yellowing , never had with coco since realizing this . Same applys mostly with any inert, sterilized medium even R/W...that's pumping the pm's by hitting it good at least 3 successive times till nutes are charged up & grabbed into the medium .

Then all good to go ...then go moderate feed from there .

As another alternative to SS4 is Promix HP ...may be even a little superior & almost completely comparable. Their source for spahgnum was told is from a better source .
http://www.horticulturesource.com/product_info.php?products_id=8290

good mediums all !

best regards

mrose

Im using botanicare coco , supposed to be all pre-washed etc . Thanks for the advcie on really charging the medium . That's where I went wrong, i went half strength 1st 2 feeding, since then Ive bumped it up to normal and also began adding more ca/mg.

 

[chefro420]

If time allows , I hope to get some pictures up and some details about what I have been doing!

Thanks everyone for the positive input and keeping this thread on the right track! Also to Sleepy for his behind the scenes editing!

 

[Madrus Rose]

Im using botanicare coco , supposed to be all pre-washed etc . Thanks for the advcie on really charging the medium . That's where I went wrong, i went half strength 1st 2 feeding, since then Ive bumped it up to normal and also began adding more ca/mg.

Can measure the run-off after bout every 2wks just to check ppms, i run off an aerated rez starting with 1000ppms of base nutes & 150+ additional ppms of Cal/Mag . There's definitely some GH Floralicious Plus & Superthrive in there too , plus some Silica Blast for infrastructure developement & hardiness .

AS the rez drops down from usage after 3 waterings , generally its time to "top off" with plain water & that drops the original 1200ppm's down to around 700-800 then continue to water in with that . By that time the medium is "charged" & needs to cool down ...plants are usually really popping by then . Most strains by the time they are rooted well into a 4x4" pot are good to get full doseage nutes . And they fly ....then give a cool down periodicly or a really good rinse when into 12/12 switching over to flower nutes , etc .

* NIce thing about Silica Blast is it acts as a PH up which sometimes with
peat~based mediums which get a little too acidic ,
is a good thing .

just measure run-off once in a while , usually when they're "too green"
u've gone a lil too far & easy to spot, but no harm . Everyone should
own a truncheon ppm stick ..or equivilent .

 

[chefro420]

Thanks for the insight MR!

I'm using H@G coco base + additives , with addition of botanicare cal/mg and also 10ml/gal of liquid karma . The mix is straight botanicare coco, nothing added. In 7 days the roots had tore through the coco and are ready to be re-potted.

The sunshine mix #4 Hp is the mix used for the other clone, also nothing additional added . These are being ferted with H@G hydroflakes + additives and 10ml/gal liquid karma .

 

[Madrus Rose]

worm castings carry an amazing amount of nitrogen,and ph's well...

i used a straight worm cast / mushroom compost mix for many years with great sucess on my outdoor trenches / gardens.
Kind Regards, FT...

Would like to have seen picks of those baby's .... love trenches & beds ,
cause OD they're the only way to fly !

Anyone want to see how good veggies & strawberrys taste grown organically,
all ya have to do is take coco/sunshine mix or whatever & mix in up to 1/2
EWCastings & just let nature do the rest . But extravagantly expensive to buy
unless you have a tilled , developed garden with worms naturally occurring .

 

[Incognegro]

Would like to see pics of the ladies!

I love using coco... nothing easier to grow in.. I must say though, if you use nutes that aren't made for coco, then yes supplemental Cal/Mag is usually necessary. But when using nutes made for coco... no worries!

Subbed..

Funny, all these years, I've heard about the various sunshine mixes, but have yet to actually use it, see it, nor know where to acquire it... guess it wasn't meant to be.