Looking for advice on switching from coco to a Pro-mix

[NeWcS]

Been growing in coco for 10+ years with really really good results. But as of late I have been having issues. I use the cheapest blocked coco I can find on Amazon (nearest store is over 2hrs away). I don't rinse it or buffer it, like some suggest (never have). I suspect this is part of my issues. I just don't have the setup to run and drain a bunch of water.

I am looking for more consistency. I am thinking about jumping ship to a soilless pre mix. something like pro/sunshine-mix.

But I am not sure if I treat them differently? I premix a 25g reservoir and feed from that. Plants are in #5(t) pots.

In coco I water every day. I pick up the pot to gauge how much to water. How does this differ with pro-mix? Do I let it dry back more?
In coco I keep my pH between 5.6-6.2. How does this differ with pro-mix?
I grow using Masterblend+calnit+Mg


Is there really much of a difference between coco and a pro-mix, in terms of how its treated?
Any help?
Thanks!!!

ps; i'm using pro-mix as a generic term for a soilless mix. I know there are several brands of soilless mixes. ☺

 

[420PyRoS]

You can water like you were, pick up the pot and feel. Don't let it dry out completely to many times or you'll have a promix brick that won't take water well. Pearlite is your friend if it doesn't have much drainage.

I pH around 6-6.5, mostly leaning toward 6.

Never done coco, only actual promix BX / HP

Blue mats are great for keeping pots just wet enough. I was even putting PH'd feed directly into water reservoir and they grew faster than when I hand water by far.

 

[iStruggle]

Promix you water significantly less, the amount of water peat can hold is incredible. I mixed up a very basic mix of DtE 4-4-4, some castings, alfalfa, azomite, and a bit of bone meal amd langbeinite.

The only thing that worries me about promix is that it becomes super acidic over time, which can result in serious ph issues if it was sitting around too long. It comes buffered with lime, or gypsum, something that makes raises it a bit.

But from the extremely basic mix i had extremely good results. If youre gonna do it id suggest doing it with dry amendments, whether its DtE or gaia/earth juice. Watering it is pretty wonky when you start, several days in between. So if youre using liquid nutes theres a possibility that theyre only eating once a week.


But ive only done a few grows in it, im sure theres much more experienced on here than i. Great stuff imo. Im on to coco indoors, but for my outdoor grows i will be doing a promix blend. Those bales go a long way.

 

[NeWcS]

Does a pro-mix need 30% runoff as some suggest with coco?

Also, being it holds moisture better/longer, can one get away using smaller pots w/ the same'ish results?