Does it matter what brand of coco coir I get?

[Rick Sanchez]

Hey again!
I'm buying the stuff for my grow tonight and I saw that 9 liters of coco coir on amazon is $23 (1.5 cubic feet is $43) but at my local home depot a 1.5 cu. ft. package of it is only $20, This one is a "coco coir mix" but I read that it only has perlite and coco coir in it which should be good because I need perlite anyways so it just saved me even more money, is it too good to be true? If I get this will I still have to get perlite for the bottom? I'm planning on using 5 gallon PVC buckets (the ones they use at super markets for flowers) and growing 5 plants, either northern lights, ak47, or black jack (side question - will black jack reek outside of my garage and the grow tent its going in? can't afford carbon scrubber but am considering ona/ozium) My lights are still debatable, I can afford about 100-200 tops for lights and right now the "Viparspectra Reflector-series 600w" LED lights look pretty good for $190 plus free one day shipping, this is going to be my first ever grow. Tell me if you think I'd be better off with different lights or different anything, HPS lights are out of the question. My list is most the things used in the coco coir CFL grow that is on here only with LED lights. I'm planning on buying all this tonight so all responses are greatly welcomed and appreciated!
Thanks~~

[Weasel]

Well this isn't a super helpful/specific response except to say yes I think it matters. An online friend grew a year or so in one brand, switched to a more expensive brand, and the growth of his plants was was far far better- like night and day.
The brand he is using, which I can't remember, isn't one that I can find in my country- but he said to look for the brands that proclaim themselves to be high quality or have a 'golf seal' type rating on the label...

[Rick Sanchez]

The brand is called black magic and the videos they have say it's made "to bring the highest yields" but of coarse in the video they only showed tomatoes and shit not cannabis.

[Jibblerjoe]

I have used the diy coco tek bricks, I have had no problems as of yet. I have a botanicare block I will making up soon. I mixed it with perlite.

[Rick Sanchez]

Have you tried other ones? is the perlite in the bottom or does it not matter where it is?

[Jibblerjoe]

Perlite has got to be mixed in. I mixed perlite through out.

[NA420]

I use General Hydroponics Coco Tek brick and Vigoro perlite both are OMRI listed 100% organic. I like mixing the perlite in myself. My girls love it and never root rot. The medium is even re-usable if you clean it out good!

[bobsakamoto]

here's a suggestion. when i was where you are i (uninformedly) thought that since "light=food" for plants then go with the larger light if i could afford it. what this meant was that i got *one* really big light, a switchable 1000W MH/HPS w/air-cooled reflector, $200.

since then i have learned that it is far better (for reasons you can check in NebulaHaze 's tutorials on lighting, links below) to have more than 1 light with lesser or equal to wattage than it is to have just 1 light w/max wattage.

http://www.growweedeasy.com/cannabis-grow-lights

http://www.growweedeasy.com/led-grow-lights

and i know you're not looking to upgrade but the info here is invaluable

http://www.growweedeasy.com/grow-light-upgrade-guide

anyway, since reading all of that and understanding what it meant, i saw the newbie mistake of my initial light purchase. since then i have purchased a viparspectra 300 and 2 roleadro 2nd generation COB (link below) because, the latter, at only $100, are a REALLY good value for not just wattage, 400W, but perhaps more importantly, they are full spectrum. so in short this set up is very versatile since i have 3 lights (at 900 total watts) doing a FAR BETTER job at doing what my initial purchase, the 1 1000watt light, could, for only a little more money

in addition, doing it the "multi-light" way means a MUCH larger light "footprint" for your plants (see tutorials), and also one that is more versatile/more customizable. for example you can move them around, interchange them, etc., depending on say, strain or species.

[bobsakamoto]

i didn't mean to be suggesting that exact setup for *you* but rather explained it as an example of why you might want to consider getting multiple lights for the same or less $$ than getting the single larger 1200W. but if the 1200W works best for you, and more importantly for your specific space, then my all means go with it.

[Rick Sanchez]

Well I would rather get the 600w, do you think it would be better to get the 1200w light or one 600w light and maybe get a second one down the road?

[bobsakamoto]

find the light footprint graph in the links i posted and use it together w/this

http://www.growweedeasy.com/sites/growweedeasy.com/files/natural-vs-lst-cannabis-sweet-spot-sm.jpg

to work out the light density-to-$$ ratio of multiple lights vs. single light to make the best decision for you/your setup.

[Tika]

Gadzz I am late to this topic.
yes I think it matters what brand. I have tried many coco- bricks to pre mix s. I prefer Cyco Platinum coco coir and add Vigoro perlite . 3 coco to one perlite.
Drains beautifully and retains moisture well.
it is clean and well buffered.