Coco Coir growers - Any advice as I'm about to switch from soil to coco?

[Dagmar]

I've been growing successfully in soil for 1 1/2 years but now I want to try coco coir in my next grow. I'll mix coco with 30% perlite. Also, I purchased Fox Farms Grow Big for hydro - I used the FF Trio in soil but it seems that only Grow Big changes to a hydro version for coco and I will continue using the same Big Bloom,Tiger Bloom, and GH Cal-Mag that I used in soil. Does this sound right for the nutrients? Will I continue to PH at 6.0 for coco (I read that ph should be between 5.5 and 6.5 for coco) I read GWEs info on growing in coco but thought the GWE Community could give me additional info from folks who have made this change and now have some words of wisdom to share. What else will change in how I treat my coco grow vs soil grow?

 

[Dutchman1]

I try to get the best of all worlds. I grow in 1/3 organic soil 1/5 perlite, 1/5 coco coir and 1/5 friends homemade chicken crap, leaves, organic debis and foodstuff compost from his home. I use alot less nutrients than in a hydro or straight coco coir grow. I only add nutrients a couple to three times during my grow. Sugar and molasses every other watering.

 

[Dagmar]

I would definitely mix my own if I grew more than 2 plants at a time only 3-4 times a year. It sounds like the best way to go. I use black strap molasses too but why do you also add the sugar and how do you add the sugar?

 

[Canyon Grower]

Oh no! Another valiant soil grower going over to the Dark Side ! Just say no ! Kidding of coarse. Good luck and have fun learning along the way.

 

[Dutchman1]

tyler_ hobbyist Did a whole big thing with a side by side and white sugar and also molasses and plants with none. It was pretty cool. He was having great results with white sugar, Just adding like a 1/3 cup per gallon I believe. I add like a 1/4 cup white and a cpl tablespoons of molasses to two and a half gallons.