Follow up:
All of the growing mediums did well & results were similar.
I have created a new formula called Gritty kitty™ -- equal parts proMix HP, coco coir, special kitty all natural (wal mart).
Plants love it! Very porous but still has enough weight to anchor everything securely. Coco tends to hold onto calcium & magnesium so I used a little CaliMagic (by Gen hydro).
I'm also mixing up a batch of organic soil using Gritty Kitty™ as the base. I'll just add compost (30%), a scoop of lime, and some Bio Live. Should be good to go.