Coco coir and sand

[Iammygod]

I got many problems these days with root ph. My runoff ph is lower than 5.3 and it is not going to go higher Though I'm feeding my plants using 6.4 ph water. I also have almost heavy Ca deficiency as i pictured below.

What wrong i did, i asked myself. when i was washing my coco i found 300g sand in my washing reservoir. what are they? do my plants need them? i decided to remove them but i have many problems now. After 2 weeks trying to fix my ph probs with no success and i found something on wikipedia that i think it relates to my plants problems.

According to wikipedia Sand is Calcium Carbonate:

• it reacts with acids, releasing carbon dioxide:

CaCO₃(s) + 2H⁺(aq) → Ca²⁺(aq) + CO₂(g) + H₂O (l)

Calcium carbonate will react with water that is saturated with carbon dioxide to form the soluble calcium bicarbonate. CaCO₃ + CO₂ + H₂O → Ca(HCO₃)₂
This reaction is important in the erosion of carbonate rock, forming caverns, and leads to hard water in many regions.
Dry coco has many air spot containing CO2 that decreases ph but Calcium carbonate can remove Hydronium ion and raise th ph(my low ph problem) it also will turn into Calcium bicarbonate that can be absorbed by plants and help preventing Ca deficiency.

What do you think? even 5 times 6.4 watering didn't help me to fix the ph. my coco needs sand? I should not have removed them? i have to get them back?

[insomniaczzz]

I know nothing about growing in coco coir. Perhaps you need to use a pH up solution?

I'm sure tomorrow someone experienced in that growing medium will come along and answer. But bravo to you for really doing all the research.

[insomniaczzz]

This poster needs help. I'm bumping it up in hopes that someone can help them out.

[Iammygod]

Based on my chemistry Wood ash has many metal alkaline oxides. if they absorbe water they raise the ph by producing Hydroxide ion. what should i do?

Any idea? help me please.

[Sonnyhad]

I don't know man, you had me with all the equations up there! Best thing i can say is Keep it simple!

[Iammygod]

None of my plants are growing simple at ph below 5.3. I need to fix it fast

[Royal Nugs]

Sand is silica?

You dont need sand in coco. Plenty grow in straight coco just fine. Some add perlite, vermiculite, and even rice hulls for additional drainage. Vermiculite retains moisture I believe but I digress.

Coco should be sterile and inert. Everything you add is pretty much directly input which is why all directions with coco are almost identical to hydroponics.

In coco your ph should be 5.5-6.0. Something is causing your ph to drop. What nutrients are you using? Most liquid silica nutrients are naturally a ph up.

Can you you show us the whole plant?

[Iammygod]

Sand is silica?

You dont need sand in coco. Plenty grow in straight coco just fine. Some add perlite, vermiculite, and even rice hulls for additional drainage. Vermiculite retains moisture I believe but I digress.

Coco should be sterile and inert. Everything you add is pretty much directly input which is why all directions with coco are almost identical to hydroponics.

In coco your ph should be 5.5-6.0. Something is causing your ph to drop. What nutrients are you using? Most liquid silica nutrients are naturally a ph up.

Can you you show us the whole plant?

Yeah bro... sand is mix of SiO2 and CaCO3.
Good new is that I'm fine now... After adding 50g sand to each of my pots and transplanting the ph got fixed in less than 24 hours. i just water my plant using 6.4 water. Then i measured runoff ph. That was 6.3 which is ideal for absorbing Ca. It means to me that I've fixed that Fukcing ph(below 5.3)

I use flora trio/CaliMAGic by GH.

Yeah i can show you some pics of her but after i gave her some time to recover, not now. let her get some rest.

Thank you all.

[Iammygod]

Ca deficiency had made my main stem weak. I splited one of my girls in 2 by a very low pressure. i typed her. tell me she can recover

[Sonnyhad]

Tape her up with duct tape, she will recover!

[Royal Nugs]

I don't think a calcium deficiency causes stems to get weak.

A silica supplement like i suggested will strengthen your stems though.

[Iammygod]

You dont need sand in coco.

Now I'm completely sure my coco had some sand to buffer ph or something. If you say coco doesn't need sand so the coco in American should have something else to do what sand was doing for me.

Take a coco brick(at least 500g). Add more than 15 time water that coco mass. Take coco step by step without moving water too much. Take all has left on the reservoir. I'm sure you can see about 50g sand. If not tell me and let me do some researchers to find what you American have in coco instead of sand.

[Royal Nugs]

If you have that much sand in your coco, I think you need to find better coco. Sand is similar to perlite in regard to their drainage ability. Perlite is commonly added to coco for additional drainage. Perhaps this is what you're experiencing. I know plenty of people that grow in straight coco with no problems too. I know sand can raise ph, maybe you need it...

I only have experience with coco loco by fox farms, its amended and bagged. I don't mess with the bricks since the bag stuff is readily available and cheap.

You know us Americans are all fat and spoiled right?

[Iammygod]

You know us Americans are all fat and spoiled right?

No bro. Just heard from you. Never had research about American.

Sand has good drainage, I agree. but it holds to much water/air. Perlite is adding to coco because it helps medium to hold more air and help it to be more light. Sand is adding to coco because it has one another application instead of drainage, ph buffering or something.

btw... "I know plenty of people that grow in straight coco with no problems too" you said and im saying even straight coco should have sand or something else to buffer ph.

I'm trying to understand coco. I will find better coco brand but i have to know this one is not good which i dont think it's not yet.

[Royal Nugs]

Well, I'm glad to hear the American stereotype hasn't reached your corner of the world.

Just because you need sand to correct your ph doesn't mean everyone does. I'm glad it works for you, it seems like you're convinced that coco needs something to buffer ph.

[Green75]

What do you call those things carriage horses wear around the sides of their eyes....

[Royal Nugs]

Blinkers or blinders. Had to look it up lol.

[Green75]

Yes blinders...lol

[Iammygod]

Well, I'm glad to hear the American stereotype hasn't reached your corner of the world.

Just because you need sand to correct your ph doesn't mean everyone does. I'm glad it works for you, it seems like you're convinced that coco needs something to buffer ph.

Corner of the world? lol.
You wrongly think you are at center So you are allowed to think I'm at corner. But If you see yourself at Center you shouldn't have big enough world. We all are no where in the WORLD. We all are nothing in the WORLD. There is no Center and no corner in the world.

Anyway... i washed my coco using hot water several times so i should have washed everything solvable. unsolved stuff should stay at top of the water or go down to reservoir. I found nothing but coco on the top. but i removed those i found at bottom and started growing. After getting ph problem you have to let me think it should be something in coco that prevent my coco ph going down too much. what else than sand that was?

you may right or not, as i may wrong or not. Overall i need an explanation that if coco needs something to stay at range so what do you have in your coco in place of sand? if coco doesn't need anything else so why my coco ph was going down?