i wouldn't put it that way "competing for root space". The plant gets all the nutes they need because you drip feed nute solution. Or you flush with nute solution. to give you an idea of the root ball from on of my single pot grows (dozen .8 gallon Air Pots in a 3x3 tray), i posted the pic below. That ball is all roots. it's solid. I couldn't poke my finger into it without a lot of force. Now those Air Pots are designed for air pruning, much like Smart Pots, and inducing lots of branching of the root system. The plant from that pot was 4 feet tall and that pot is less than a gallon in size. So, you can pack a lot of roots into a coco system because, much like hydro, you give them all the nutes they need/want.
Im yet to venture into the world of coco. So, with this in a dwc setup, the seed can be started right into the coco rather than RW surrounded by pebbles? And does it have the tendency to get in the rez? Always looking for improvements, thanks for posting this freak.
well, b33, it's not a dwc (deep water culture). I run a Botanicare flood and drain tray, 3x3, with a 40 gallon reservoir. in the reservoir are 2 pumps: one is on constantly to keep the reservoir stirred, one is connected to a timer that will activate the pump once at lights on, once after 6 hours, and again an hour before lights off, for about 15 minutes each time. this pump sends the nute solution up through a system of tubing and out to drip stakes. The solution floods each pot or grow bag ( I run 1 gallon grow bags too) and flushes each with nute solution and the runoff rruns back down into the reservoir. The coco soaks up the nute solution and the roots feed constantly. No salt builds up in the coco because it is flushed every time the pump turns on. So, it's not DWC hydro. The roots grow in a soil-like substrate that is refreshed with nutrient solution multiple times per day. I haven't seen any algae or slime growing in my reservoirs - yet. when the plants get big, my 3x3 tray will drink up a 40 gallon rez in about 8 days. So the rez is changed, if you will, pretty often, and I scrub it out every time I change it out. That and I use Hygrozyme in it. does that give y'all a better picture?
Oh certainly. Ive seen drip systems on vids and such and they seem to be very efficient. Kinda outta my league right now tho, gotta stick wit the po' mans hydro. Can the coco be used in a dwc system?
sounds like you are on your way, Shogo. What nutes are you running in your setup? B3310w, a dwc system is very different fro a coco setup. In DWC, the plants roots grow into the nute solution and uptake needed nutrients directly. With coco, the roots grow into the substrat (coco) and get their nutrients like they are in soil, except the nutrients are more ready available, soaked into the coco. Coco is a bit more simple than DWC hydro, more like growing in soil. In coco, if your pump stops working, your pots generally will not dry out for a few days and the coco is holding nute solution so your plants won't go hungry either - this holds advantages over soil. Coco is a bit more forgiving.
so would the foxfarm trio pack and soluables be sutible for a 50/50 coco fiber/ soil mix?i also thinking of using cal-mag from botanicare, and superthrive, would this overcome the calmag problem with coco?
bcgd-bcps, you would need to use the Grow Big for Hydro, but other than that, Fox Farms nutes work great. I am currently running GH 3 part and love it for its simplicity. I don't even usually have to add call mag. Infact, i lost 2 pumps due to calcium build up on them, so I stopped adding cal mag and won't add it unless i see a deficiency
Very nice grow Freakshow! Looks like you have it dialed in. Coco is great to work with. BB - With the FoxFarm nutes you do need to use the Cal-Mag, about the third week of flowering she will start to get a little bitchy for some. 2tsp per gallon has really worked well for Alatar who does not use dolomite to help with that like I do.
High Freakshow, cool setup man. I'm a big fan of coco myself, the stuff rocks. I use good ol' handwatering and have an easy as hell grow, but it keeps us smoking plenty Keep up the good work! Wish I had found this thread sooner LOL
yes, thank you MrsEd for clarifying about the Calmag. You do need CalMag with Fox Farms. i just set up a flood and drain tray in my veg room to veg the coco plants and to keep a couple moms in coco.