Page 1 of 2 1 2 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 11

Thread: Coco slabs = stunted growth?

  1. #1

    Join Date
    Jul 2020
    Posts
    23
    Thanks
    20
    Been Thanked: 87 Times

    Default Coco slabs = stunted growth?

    I used these coco slabs i bought that you first put water on to make them expand/break. All the plants i used it for had stunted growth. I thought i had gotten crappy seeds and was about to toss them, but i noticed one plant that looked great and i remembered i had used old coco coir for that one (that coir looked more like soil, if i remember correctly it was quite expensive).

    Any idea why these dried slabs are so crappy? This coir is not very much like soil, it's more like bark mixed with some soil. I did not use any Perlite. Was that the problem here, roots having problem penetrating the medium, it was quite tightly packed too.. or is it more likely to be PH-related?

    I replanted all the stunted plants in the old/used soil-like coir and all plants looks great now.

    I'm trying the slabs again but with 35% perlite for my clones, hope they will be fine but i'm slightly worried.
    Last edited by CasanovaFrankenstein; 03-08-20 at 10:37 PM.

  2. The Following 6 Users Say Thank You to CasanovaFrankenstein For This Useful Post:

    Blue61 (04-08-20), CityDweller (05-08-20), GEORGE (03-08-20), Jingo (04-08-20), Mac (04-08-20), Sir Digby Chicken Caesar (09-02-21)

  3. #2

    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    11,263
    Thanks
    35,516
    Been Thanked: 42,618 Times

    Default

    I've heard it said that cheap slabs can contain salts from the ocean because they just leave the coconut fiber laying out by the beach. I only buy general hydroponics and I prefer the slabs because I know there's no bugs down in that compressed chunk the coco fiber. If you're buying an off-brand you might need to flush and pH balance your coco.



    J

    "If science can't be questioned, It's not science anymore"

    ~Aaron Rogers

    "This is not an economic turndown, it is a takedown"

    ~ Catherin Austin Fitts

  4. The Following 8 Users Say Thank You to Jingo For This Useful Post:

    Blue61 (04-08-20), CasanovaFrankenstein (04-08-20), CityDweller (05-08-20), GEORGE (04-08-20), Mac (04-08-20), M_C (04-08-20), Sir Digby Chicken Caesar (09-02-21), Valentina (05-08-20)

  5. #3

    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    11,263
    Thanks
    35,516
    Been Thanked: 42,618 Times

    Default

    Then of course with Coco you have to feed with every watering and it should be pH to around 5.8 or above to about 6.2.



    J


  6. The Following 5 Users Say Thank You to Jingo For This Useful Post:

    Blue61 (04-08-20), CasanovaFrankenstein (04-08-20), CityDweller (05-08-20), GEORGE (04-08-20), Mac (04-08-20)

  7. #4

    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Posts
    62,168
    Thanks
    177,534
    Been Thanked: 196,771 Times

    Default

    As jingo says, it's the way that the cheap stuff is processed
    It's Not What You Know, It's What You Can Prove

  8. The Following 6 Users Say Thank You to M_C For This Useful Post:

    Blue61 (04-08-20), CasanovaFrankenstein (04-08-20), CityDweller (05-08-20), GEORGE (04-08-20), Mac (04-08-20), Valentina (05-08-20)

  9. #5

    Join Date
    Jul 2020
    Posts
    23
    Thanks
    20
    Been Thanked: 87 Times

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by jingo View Post
    I've heard it said that cheap slabs can contain salts from the ocean because they just leave the coconut fiber laying out by the beach. I only buy general hydroponics and I prefer the slabs because I know there's no bugs down in that compressed chunk the coco fiber. If you're buying an off-brand you might need to flush and pH balance your coco.
    Yes i now remember reading this somewhere.. It should be flushed of its salt after several waterings you would think (around 15'ish i would say).. I PH my water to around 5.9. I have used this brand before without problems, maybe it's a bad batch with more salt..

    I have some type of cleaning agent which is made to wash out salt from soil/coco (to be used in late flower), guess i can try that if i see problems again with the clones.

  10. The Following 4 Users Say Thank You to CasanovaFrankenstein For This Useful Post:

    Blue61 (04-08-20), CityDweller (05-08-20), GEORGE (04-08-20), Mac (04-08-20)

  11. #6

    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    Canada
    Posts
    4,934
    Thanks
    45,245
    Been Thanked: 22,404 Times

    Default

    The only bricks I ever used in the UK that I found to be good were on ebay from a seller called fertile fibre,NEVER had a single issue with that seller,I have had problems with others.

  12. The Following 5 Users Say Thank You to scoot For This Useful Post:

    Blue61 (05-08-20), CasanovaFrankenstein (05-08-20), CityDweller (05-08-20), GEORGE (05-08-20), Sir Digby Chicken Caesar (09-02-21)

  13. #7

    Join Date
    Apr 2018
    Location
    eastern us
    Posts
    9,782
    Thanks
    87,992
    Been Thanked: 50,169 Times

    Default

    If the water is out of wack the coco will be out of wack.

    I have used cheap bricks successfully. I wash it well first and then soak it in PH balanced clean water.

  14. The Following 5 Users Say Thank You to CityDweller For This Useful Post:

    Blue61 (05-08-20), CasanovaFrankenstein (05-08-20), GEORGE (05-08-20), Sir Digby Chicken Caesar (09-02-21), Valentina (15-12-20)

  15. #8

    Join Date
    Jul 2020
    Posts
    93
    Thanks
    145
    Been Thanked: 430 Times

    Default

    I use coco slabs and have had no issues, I did ‘clean’ it with tap water until the run off was completely clear first though


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  16. The Following 5 Users Say Thank You to BlackBeard For This Useful Post:

    Blue61 (05-08-20), CasanovaFrankenstein (05-08-20), GEORGE (05-08-20), Jingo (05-08-20), Valentina (15-12-20)

  17. #9

    Join Date
    Jul 2020
    Posts
    23
    Thanks
    20
    Been Thanked: 87 Times

    Default

    Good to know.. i'm beginning to think it was too tightly packed and perhaps i over watered a bit too, not a good combo.. i think the perlite will solve this. PH i don't think is an issue, i measure it constantly, make sure its around 5.9.

  18. The Following 4 Users Say Thank You to CasanovaFrankenstein For This Useful Post:

    Blue61 (05-08-20), GEORGE (05-08-20), Sir Digby Chicken Caesar (09-02-21), Valentina (15-12-20)

  19. #10

    Join Date
    Jul 2020
    Posts
    93
    Thanks
    145
    Been Thanked: 430 Times

    Default

    I did add 10l perlite to around 45l prepped coco too. One thing I would add is it shrinks a fair bit once it’s in the pots and has had a few doses of feed/water, my pots were full to the brim and are now 2-3 inches from the top, possibly true for any coco though I would imagine


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  20. The Following 5 Users Say Thank You to BlackBeard For This Useful Post:

    Blue61 (05-08-20), CasanovaFrankenstein (06-08-20), GEORGE (05-08-20), Sir Digby Chicken Caesar (09-02-21), Valentina (15-12-20)

Page 1 of 2 1 2 LastLast

Tags for this Thread

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  


THCtalk.com Disclaimer - You must be over 18 years old to view/use this site .THCtalk.com does not encourage growing Cannabis or possessing Cannabis. Learning how to grow Cannabis instructions should be for educational purposes only. All Information contained in this web site is for: Historical reference, Scientific reference and Educational purposes only. Visitors to this website are advised against breaking the law as It is illegal to smoke, grow, or possess cannabis in the UK and some US States