Questions:
I can't find any good info about container sizes with these mixes when recycled. I've seen 15 gallon with no till and mostly 5 gallon with recycled mixes. I have a similar mix (less ferts and not cooked) that I use in 2 gallon smarts but it takes lots of bottled nutrients...ok its not that similar, lol.
I would like to try adding more ferts so I can ditch the bottled stuff but I don't know if 2 gallons is big enough.
I am space deprived so mixing 2 x 42 gallons is way easier than 5 x 42 gallons...and my cooking space is nill. But if I can get the space to cook it once I'm in. But it needs recooked/amended each grow.
Can I recook it in the 2 gallon smarts?
If I need some bottled nutrients and only use fish, kelp and guano can it still be reused? I've been told any bottled nutrients will screw these mixes up but I am skeptical.
I rarely see (maybe never) blood meal in these mixes. Any idea why? Are you getting iron somewhere else?
If you don't use dolomite, can you use cal mag? I'd be harvest-less without cal mag! I'm scared, lol.
Comments:
I don't use water only grow but my general understanding of bio/chem leads me to think the following is relevant...somehow, someway
Dolomite and Carbonates may not be water soluble but the plants roots exude acid to cause ion exchange. And the microbes should convert it into usable form.
I did not see any reference to feather meal, which is a great inexpensive slow release nitrogen source.
Coco? I am shocked it has not become a major component of these mixes faster. I am totally guessing but it seems like equal parts Peat/Coco/Compost would be great.
In construction, rock dust and glacial rock dust have totally different properties - something to do with ancient degradation in mildly acid water. Is that important here. I suspect glacial lost a lot of its minerals with time...or did the aging make them more available. IDK?
I think the evidence against perlite is growing. Between PWT and its lack of nutrients I think it will be replaced with coco eventually. Currently we are addicted to the idea of air space but the tiny spaces provided by coco are just as good as those provided by perlite. We just need to trust that they are there.
