Clay or coco?

[cwesto]

Is expanded clay better or is coco better? Are they equally easy to adjust Ph? Is the coco and clay mixed with anything or just used by themselves? Can plants being grown in coco and clay get lockouts, and if so can i use my Mycrorrhizal or is that fungi for soil use only? My first grow was with soil, and i plan on trying clay or coco for my 2nd grow depending on which is better. Do i have to buy new nutes or will my soil nutes work for coco and clay?

cwesto Reviewed by cwesto on 10-21-2007. Clay or coco? Is expanded clay better or is coco better? Are they equally easy to adjust Ph? Is the coco and clay mixed with anything or just used by themselves? Can plants being grown in coco and clay get lockouts, and if so can i use my Mycrorrhizal or is that fungi for soil use only? My first grow was with soil, and i plan on trying clay or coco for my 2nd grow depending on which is better. Do i have to buy new nutes or will my soil nutes work for coco and clay? Rating: 5

[rhizome]

Is expanded clay better or is coco better?

They're differant. Plenty of partisans either way, but I've had great results with both. Style thing.

Are they equally easy to adjust Ph?

'Bout the same- more a question of whether or not you re-circ nutes than which media you use.

Is the coco and clay mixed with anything or just used by themselves?

Often mixed w/ other media, each other, or used alone. Feed style question, not media question. Media is adjusted to feed style.

Can plants being grown in coco and clay get lockouts, and if so can i use my Mycrorrhizal or is that fungi for soil use only?

Yes to both lockouts and biologicals, again depending on feed style. Lockouts will generally be pH, though coco does have an odd calcium ion thing that you have to adjust for. That's it- an adjustment...

My first grow was with soil, and i plan on trying clay or coco for my 2nd grow depending on which is better.

Again, style thing. Which is better, Sinaed or Sabbath? Depends on yer tastes.

If you had a successful first grow in soil, you might want to stick with it for a while and learn the plant before you start flipping variables

Do i have to buy new nutes or will my soil nutes work for coco and clay?

As a rule, you'll need specific nutes for each media-subtly differant electrochemical properties in each media can be twitchy, and difficult to diagnose. That being said, it's amazing what you can get away with, once you know what you're doing. But for the first couple ( dozen) cycles, I'd keep it simple.

[cwesto]

yea i didnt have any luck with soil b/c i think i had a bad lockout, but im not sure, that is mainly y i wanted to switch to clay or coco, i imagined lockouts would not be as much a prob. So, Rhizome what do u suggest i do, my "big bud" seeds should be here within days and i want to get started as soon as i can. Should i try soil again?

Man i wish i could hire a mentor, this stuff is tricky

[rhizome]

However you want to play it- but you should pick a technique and learn it.

[cwesto]

Right, right. See i think i want to try coco or clay. Ive heard wonderful things about better growth and yeilds and all that jazz with coco and clay over soil. If i do switch to clay or coco, is it very different to care for the plant than soil? im sure i will have to water more often, but is the introduction of nutes to the plant any different than soil? What other factors differ from soil growing that i should look into??