Switching from Soil to Coco. Cost & equipment list?

Indoor Growing
#22

Ok this was a great start, lot of great growers I respect pitching in their methods. I’ve got ph up/down & the drop test kit. But it sounds like I should pickup an Apera PH60.

The rest I’ll take into advisement, do more research for sure. I definitely don’t want anymore fungus gnats so I’ll spring for the good coco :laughing:

It would be nice to be able to leave the house for 48hrs for an emergency. What do you guys think of Autopots/Octopots etc?

Anyways I know I could pick any one of these replied lists & succeed. That’s why I love OG :metal:

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#23

Yeah lots of good ideas here, even for people not new to coco. Nice topic.

BTI should take care of gnats. Haven’t seen one since I started sprinkling Aquabac on top of the pots after transplanting.

You can get away for a few days by dimming the lights really low. I just did 3 days away like this no problem on mid-flower plants in 1 gallon hempies. Stole this from someone on here, not sure who.

Lots of octo fans on here, don’t think anyone would say they’re not worth the price or effort to DIY.

@Tappy usually you don’t have to worry about overwatering coco. But I’ve done it before on seedlings or a small plant in a huge pot in straight coco with no perlite. Once they build some roots it’s fine, and the roots grow fast in coco.

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#24

That’s what I’ve seen and what draws me in. Some of these guys in 1 liter pots and roots a’hoy…pulling +1oz per plant. Makes me wanna learn more.

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#25

You do those hempy like @CocoaCoir talks about above in fabric smart pots that air prune for you. Can pull a lot off a little pot. I’m getting ready to start this indoor after not doing one since 08. I might just get a handful of different sizes of small fabric smart pots do that hempy method with my version of coco loco. Like what I have in my outdoor 30 gallon smart pots. See how a # of sizes perform.

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#26

@Gonzo Go for it, I love coco:) I’d suggest going with simplest cocoventure first, and ease into it. Hempies. The real @hempy is on the site, maybe this bat signal will bring him in :slight_smile:

I started with bagged, but now I use cheap coco bricks I get at a farm store. Gnats don’t really like dried, heated, compressed places to hang out.

Trader Joe’s gives away rose pots, 8-10l with no holes. Put your own hole in 1 1/2 -2" from the bottom. Just ask.

Perlite rez, also cheap from the farm store

ec meter and pH meter are extremely helpful.

Good water is a big deal. I’m on a well, so I got a cheapo RO system.

I know you are thinking of flood trays, but if that doesn’t pan out (:slight_smile: ), I water to a good runoff into underliners, and suck it up with cheap wet/dry vac. You can also clean the house with it!

I went from from about a zip/gallon pot size with mud when I was lucky, to 3-almost 5 in coco. Did I say I loved coco?

Lotta good thoughts, here, you’ll love it!

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#27

Happy to help if any need it.

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#29

I have to say, one MAJOR contributing factor to deterring gnats in coco

Have wind/fans blowing at the substrate level. In a 24hr span, i like for my coco to look bone dry at a glance, but like half an inch down or so it’s still saturated.

I use Tupur and don’t get gnats. IMO there’s no reason to spend twice as much on coco, unless you prefer to :man_shrugging:t2:

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