Confused by nutes and schedules

[FlashBabylon]

OK, so I got a lot of advice before buying my setup, but now I feel like a fool when reading about what to feed my plants when it comes to it. So I have a lot of questions, sorry. I'll number them to make it (hopefully) easier to answer!

1) I'm growing in rockwool blocks in coco coir. I was told to use Vitalink Max, but I now realise that is for hydro setups not coco.I guess it would work but I guess also that I am better off getting some Canna coco a+b, is that right?

2) EC....I just about understand. Electrical conductivity, higher due to salt buildup in the coir yeah?

3) But do I *need* to measure this? The testers are expensive and I am poor (tight).

4) Can I just go on a schedule of watering every 2-3 days, and every 2-3 waterings give a feed according to the chart on the bottle?

5) Should I flush them on the last watering before the feed watering? I mean I will water each time until I get some runoff from the 15 litre pots but should I *properly* flush?

I feel like an idiot having got this far without really knowing what I was doing about feed. I also kinda wish I'd used soil, but I'm too committed to change now hahah! Thanks in advance....

 

[cottee]

OK, so I got a lot of advice before buying my setup, but now I feel like a fool when reading about what to feed my plants when it comes to it. So I have a lot of questions, sorry. I'll number them to make it (hopefully) easier to answer!

1) I'm growing in rockwool blocks in coco coir. I was told to use Vitalink Max, but I now realise that is for hydro setups not coco.I guess it would work but I guess also that I am better off getting some Canna coco a+b, is that right?

2) EC....I just about understand. Electrical conductivity, higher due to salt buildup in the coir yeah?

3) But do I *need* to measure this? The testers are expensive and I am poor (tight).

4) Can I just go on a schedule of watering every 2-3 days, and every 2-3 waterings give a feed according to the chart on the bottle?

5) Should I flush them on the last watering before the feed watering? I mean I will water each time until I get some runoff from the 15 litre pots but should I *properly* flush?

I feel like an idiot having got this far without really knowing what I was doing about feed. I also kinda wish I'd used soil, but I'm too committed to change now hahah! Thanks in advance....

Yes u need canna a&b. u do need to get urself a decent EC meter(£40-£70) so ur can measure how much nutrients r in ur water when making ur water up. Always put food in when ur watering unless ur doing ur final flush. Water them when they need watering. When ur water lift the pot and feel how heavy it is. When it get light ul no u need to feed. When at full size I feed every 2/3 days. It all depends on ur pot size, enviroment plants ect. I just feed mine till there's a nice bit of water coming. As ur growing in coco it's essential to go and buy cal mag. I grow in coco to so if u have nemore Qs feel free to ask dude

 

[Dr. Who]

1: Coco is a neutral media that in reality you ARE doing hydro. Coco nutes have extra additives/ lack Urea that should be used when growing in Coco. You should still use a Cal/Mag as Coco "needs" that like RO water. You MUST use it if using RO in Coco.

2&3: No, you don't "have to". simply use the nutrients at the makers stated amounts. To avoid problems down the road you should do a proper "flush" around very 2 weeks to wash away salt build up. Hint, avoid UREA based nutrients for Coco use as they tend to be "salty".

4: Yes. BUT, if you have wilting (needs to be watered) increase the waterings a little more often.

5: Yes to part 1 and No to part 2. Flow through helps, but in time you still get the salt build up. See answers 2&3.

I've run Coco, but don't care for the extra work and monitoring involved. So I don't any more.
Good luck.

 

[FlashBabylon]

Thanks guys, very informative answers.

Friend of mine who I see every few weeks has an EC pen so maybe I will try to borrow it periodically to check my levels. Other than that, I will take your advice of feeding every watering (more often than I had thought, I will go easy at first to check they are happy) and flushing every two weeks.

I am using tap water phd with malt vinegar. I live in a soft water area so not much in the way of alkaline deposits in the water, so I guess I would need some cal mag stuff?

There are just so many products out there, and I never feel confident in asking a salesman for advice, his job is just to sell me more products!

So - off to the shops later, I will buy some canna a+b and some cal mag. I guess root tonic is needed too, I have a generic one so I guess that's all I need for now (they are two week old seedlings so no nutes yet), that and the two things I will buy today?

Perhaps for future grows I will consider a soil mix. I think I might have jumped in the deep end a bit here! Oh well, no turning back now!

 

[cottee]

Thanks guys, very informative answers.

Friend of mine who I see every few weeks has an EC pen so maybe I will try to borrow it periodically to check my levels. Other than that, I will take your advice of feeding every watering (more often than I had thought, I will go easy at first to check they are happy) and flushing every two weeks.

I am using tap water phd with malt vinegar. I live in a soft water area so not much in the way of alkaline deposits in the water, so I guess I would need some cal mag stuff?

There are just so many products out there, and I never feel confident in asking a salesman for advice, his job is just to sell me more products!

So - off to the shops later, I will buy some canna a+b and some cal mag. I guess root tonic is needed too, I have a generic one so I guess that's all I need for now (they are two week old seedlings so no nutes yet), that and the two things I will buy today?

Perhaps for future grows I will consider a soil mix. I think I might have jumped in the deep end a bit here! Oh well, no turning back now!

don't worry coco is easy to grow in. U need calmag with every type of water in coco so I don't what dr clever balls is going on about lol NEVER with just waster because ul fuck the buffering up in the coco. I start my seedlings of with a very small dose in coco like .3ml per liter. There r some additives on the market but if u really wanted to u could get away with just a&b it just depends on how much u want to spend. Don't start using the calmag till u switch to 12/12. That's when ur plant will need it

 

[cottee]

Also DONT let the coco try out to the point of wilting. This is stressful for ur plant m. Feed them b4 they get to that point

 

[FlashBabylon]

don't worry coco is easy to grow in. U need calmag with every type of water in coco so I don't what dr clever balls is going on about lol NEVER with just waster because ul fuck the buffering up in the coco. I start my seedlings of with a very small dose in coco like .3ml per liter. There r some additives on the market but if u really wanted to u could get away with just a&b it just depends on how much u want to spend. Don't start using the calmag till u switch to 12/12. That's when ur plant will need it

Thanks dude.

The babies need a water today. I'm going to the shop to get some canna a+b. Unsure whether to use it just yet. I fed them some nutes a few days ago, real weak stuff (1/4 strength vitalink max) and it killed a few of my seedlings (fussy feeding blueberrys). Should I give my seedlings maybe a 5% strength feed with the water today? I have an auto with the third set of true leaves showing, some blueberry, super lemon haze and bubba kush all on 2nd set and another auto that is just on cotyledons (no feed for her yet). Any advice on whether or not to feed yet please?

I'm considering getting a ph pen and some calibration and storage liquids. Unfortunately I can't afford a super duper one going to get the cheapest but its gotta be better than the liquid test kits right?

I can't afford an EC meter. I'm going to have to hope for the best on that one. Will I be ok with just careful feeding and watching of the plant, feeding til i get runoff to clear the medium each time?

 

[cottee]

Some people feed from seedling and some people wait for the true set of leaves like u said. I've done bother and didn't c ne difference. I would start ur feed off at 0.5 ml and slow key build it up. U can get away with out a EC but u will definatly need something for ur ph. Not sure bout the liquid thing never used them but it's better than nothing. The most common boogie mistake that people make on there first grow (including myself) is to over fertilise. I think it's better to under fertilise than to over. Learn to read ur plants

 

[cottee]

Did u start of in small pots?When there small and on weak doses I don't worry bout the run off to much just as Long as there a little cuming out.also when there in big pots if there not already u should get something to suspend them of the ground or they will just suck up the run off water that ur tryin to get rid of. I use plastic saucers upside down with a few holes to let the water through

 

[FlashBabylon]

Most are still in rockwool blocks, but I have planted a few. I am going to transplant the rest today and kill off the shitty seedlings as they are just in the way and dying. I was told to put the plugs into 4" blocks then plant them in coco. Seems daft, next time I will go straight from plugs to coco.

I am still unsure whether I should feed them anything today. I burnt the poor little buggers bad last week by feeding too early. I think maybe the super lemon haze could do with some as they are pale, maybe lacking nitrogen. Some others are still recovering from nute burn. I realise I have done a doozy by growing so many different strains at once, they all have diff needs! Hoping they will kinda even out as it gets going.

 

[FlashBabylon]

PS I am just planting the 4" rockwool blocks straight in the coco, burying about halfway. is this right? I shouldnt be breaking the blocks off should I?

 

[FlashBabylon]

Right I have planted up so all six plant pots are full now. I had to decide to cull 3 blueberry seedlings. One of them was a close call between that and a bubba kush. The BK showed more promise up top but the blueberry had a hell of a root coming out the bottom of the rockwool. I am keeping hold of that blueberry for a few days just to see how it goes. It might replace the blueberry I have in coco if it overtakes it.

Anyhow, I watered everything with 10 litres of water with 2 ml each of canna coco a&b and 2ml of root tonic - all very very weak at this stage.

However, I didn't water til runoff on this occasion. How important is that? I can go back up and make some more and water again if I need to, but my back is bad so I was just trying to avoid the work if I don't need to do it at this stage!

 

[cottee]

Yea u just put the rock wall straight into the coco. 2ml is a bit too much for there first feed. If I were u I would give them a weaker feed and water them again I would have started on 0.5 ml per liter and work my way up. So if I fed them 0.5 ml when they had dried up a bit I would(5-7days roughly) I would give them 1 ml on the next feed and so on. I don't go above 2.5 ml per liter of a&b in veg. Don't rush them with the nutes and make the mistake of over feeding. As for the rhizo tonic I give them the full 4ml per liter for the first couple of weeks. As for the run off personally I'm not to bothered about it when then on weaker doses in the small pots because I don't like the coco to be to saturated because the root won't grow as good if it's soggy all the time.

This is what I do for seedlings. Never fails me.
1. Get an old VHS tape case
2 get some toilet paper and fold it over so it's 2 layers and line the bottom of the VHS case.
3 using a cheap spray bottle spray warm water over the paper till it's all wet and place the seeds on it(spread them out abut)
4 one layer of toilet paper on top and spray till wet. Tilt the case so ne excess water comes out.
5 store in a dark place at room temp and within 3 days they will be done.

With this method out of 40 seeds I might get. 2/3 that don't pop

Once done full ur small pots with coco and water them first. Make a little whole with a pen or something an place ur seed in root down. I do it so u can can just about see the seed. Then push the coco in GENTLY to get rid of the air pocket u made with the pen

 

[tip top toker]

I'll just jump straight in and say everyone told me i HAD to buy an EC meter when i moved to DWC, so i did, and i found it to be completely unnecessary and so i jut stopped using it. For reference, i used canna coc A+B and then the hydro version. I didn't need an EC meter for hydro and i most certainly never needed one for coco.

In short, there is ZERO requirement for an EC meter if that's how you opt to go. It should never be sold as a requirement as everyone and their mother seems insistent on doing.

As to flushing, do what you want, it clearly isn't as important as people like to make out, otherwise there would be no debate on the matter, it would simply be what everyone does.

 

[cottee]

I'll just jump straight in and say everyone told me i HAD to buy an EC meter when i moved to DWC, so i did, and i found it to be completely unnecessary and so i jut stopped using it. For reference, i used canna coc A+B and then the hydro version. I didn't need an EC meter for hydro and i most certainly never needed one for coco.

In short, there is ZERO requirement for an EC meter if that's how you opt to go. It should never be sold as a requirement as everyone and their mother seems insistent on doing.

As to flushing, do what you want, it clearly isn't as important as people like to make out, otherwise there would be no debate on the matter, it would simply be what everyone does.

Likewise. I went for 4 years in coco with out one just knowing how many ml I had to put in because I used to do the same couple of strains and had them dialled in. Getting bored of the doing the samething I now do different strains (some fussier than others) all the time and have messed around with different pks and have had nute burn a few times so I bought an EC meter so I could keep an eye on what my EC level is. I do agree with u thats it's not essential but it can be benificial on ur first couple of grows to keep a lid on ur EC level because over ferting is probly the most common mistake to make when starting out

 

[tip top toker]

I just don't see the point of ec with regard to coco, at all. With coco, it is a one time watering. Once you've watered, there is nothing you can do. It's not like hydro where you can check ec every day and add more water or nutes if needed. With coco, you feed a set ml of nutrients, and if you notice it' burning, then you drop that ml of nutrients. Ec will not give you anything more than a more detailed number, but is completely useless. If it burns, then you know an ec of 5 million is too high, and it needs to be lower, which is the exact same result as knowing that 5000ml of nutrients is too high, so you lower it.

 

[cottee]

I just don't see the point of ec with regard to coco, at all. With coco, it is a one time watering. Once you've watered, there is nothing you can do. It's not like hydro where you can check ec every day and add more water or nutes if needed. With coco, you feed a set ml of nutrients, and if you notice it' burning, then you drop that ml of nutrients. Ec will not give you anything more than a more detailed number, but is completely useless. If it burns, then you know an ec of 5 million is too high, and it needs to be lower, which is the exact same result as knowing that 5000ml of nutrients is too high, so you lower it.

Because I don't want to burn them in the first place dude

 

[teknival]

If you have to get a meter get a PH meter. PH levels are far more important than EC readings because you can feed low strength and not get nute burn. The PH levels can swing especially if you are using tap water with a high TDS(hard water). If you really cannot afford any meter just start with 1/4 strength and never go above half the recommended dose for the duration of the grow. In my opinion you should have started in soil it is a lot more forgiving and meters do help but are not totally necessary in soil medium.

 

[teknival]

As far as nutrients go I would suggest dyna grow. It is cheap and it contains everything you need.

 

[cottee]

I just don't see the point of ec with regard to coco, at all. With coco, it is a one time watering. Once you've watered, there is nothing you can do. It's not like hydro where you can check ec every day and add more water or nutes if needed. With coco, you feed a set ml of nutrients, and if you notice it' burning, then you drop that ml of nutrients. Ec will not give you anything more than a more detailed number, but is completely useless. If it burns, then you know an ec of 5 million is too high, and it needs to be lower, which is the exact same result as knowing that 5000ml of nutrients is too high, so you lower it.

Also my tap water can between 2 and 4 so if I want to stick to a certain EC it comes in handy. I'm not on a tight budget it doesn't bother me spending 60 on it when it will last years. It's worth havin it in my room for 60. Like I said I agree it is not essential. Each to there own I suppose