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swinghigh
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Registered: 07/23/20
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not all coco coir is the same
#26876984 - 08/12/20 02:23 PM (3 years, 5 months ago) |
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just wanted to chime in with a bit of knowledge for people starting mono totes with coir. from my experience i noticed alot of times i was getting a large contamination usually before full colonization. i was lost as to where the contamination was coming from i was using a flow hood with agar in a sterilized environment there shouldn't have been a reason for this large of a contamination especially when one month previous all totes went fine with beautiful flushes.....
it then hit me i had changed a brand of coir to a cheaper brand that was in stock at the time.......lone be hold after doing research i found out a difference in coir and where you buy it makes a massive difference.
there is three types of coir pith, or peat, looks similar to peat moss but is a rich, brown color. The density of this product means it retains water extremely well
Coco fibers are stringy bundles that allow oxygen to easily penetrate a plant’s root system. By itself, the fiber is not very absorbent and will break down over time.
Coco chips are small chunks of coir that combine the best properties of the peat and fiber. Coco chips retain water well, but also allow for air pockets, too.
for the application of monotubs and mushroom i use the coco pith/peat and add vermiculite. the next major most important thing is where your coir is grown and processed and how it comes packaged.
you MUST look and see if it is coastal grown or inland farm grown, althought they are the same in every aspect the only difference is where they are grown and how they are processed. you DO NOT want coastal coir for two reasons
Possible high salt content: Make sure you research how the coco medium you choose is produced. If the husks were soaked in salt water, do not use that company. Coir with a high salt level is usually the result of suppliers washing the coconut husks with salt water instead of fresh water. remember the majority of coco coir is produced primarily in Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Indonesia, Mexico and parts of the Caribbean and South America, therefor some companies might not have the best of cleaning procedures.
Chemical treatment: At the end of the drying process, coir bales might be treated with chemical agents to ensure pathogens didn’t bloom inside. Learning how it was treated may help you manage your crop, since the chemical residue could affect plant growth. Read the product label or refer to the manufacturer’s website to learn more.
ive read alot about people saying they had negative results with coir and they stopped using it, those people probably had a bad brand of coir and didn't realize the effects it had on their totes. coco coir is the most sterile out of the substrates to use, it is naturally highly resistant to bacteria, pests, and mold, providing an ideal base for your mushrooms as they grow. if pasteurized correctly and purchased from a good supplier it will be the best medium you use.
the company ive come to use is "canna"
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maxmush
Always learning...
Registered: 06/13/20
Posts: 440
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Re: not all coco coir is the same [Re: swinghigh]
#26877439 - 08/12/20 07:50 PM (3 years, 5 months ago) |
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Using Canna as well. Still have trich issues unfortunately. Using a scaled version of bucket tek. Would be nice to not have to boil water and "pasteurize" (i dont really think it gets pasteurized in the proper sense TBH).
-------------------- Disclaimer: all information presented is intended for educational purposes only. All photos are only representations and not directly from the user.
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swinghigh
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Re: not all coco coir is the same [Re: maxmush]
#26877486 - 08/12/20 08:24 PM (3 years, 5 months ago) |
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trich can be alot of factors though not just your substrate. i get 85-90 percent success rate with my monos tubs with canna coco coir but im also using rye berries and agar under a flow hood. and your right its not a "true" pasteurization but unless you wanna put your coir threw the pressure cooker then the best way is to get your water to a rolling boil....put coir in a cooler with a tight fitting lid put boiling water over coir then close the lid and tape the seam then pout a towel or thick blanket over top.....i leave mine for 24 hrs and its still steaming at the bottom after 24 hrs i usually have to add some cold water or leave the lid open for while in the clean room.
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maxmush
Always learning...
Registered: 06/13/20
Posts: 440
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Re: not all coco coir is the same [Re: swinghigh]
#26877494 - 08/12/20 08:28 PM (3 years, 5 months ago) |
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Yes trich is a total pain!
We use both rye and oats, agar and flowhood. Bags always "seem" clean with no obvious signs of contam. We did have some heat waves lately which i think is accounting for some of the infections but I am still troubleshooting our issues.
We also use a similar method of a scaled bucket tek.
-------------------- Disclaimer: all information presented is intended for educational purposes only. All photos are only representations and not directly from the user.
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swinghigh
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Re: not all coco coir is the same [Re: maxmush]
#26877532 - 08/12/20 08:50 PM (3 years, 5 months ago) |
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ya heat could have been a big factor. our A/C broke a few weeks ago and it spiked the room temps one day we had to run out and get a new one to keep that room at 19 Celsius. i try not to let it get above 21 in that room
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dothedew69
Relearning



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Re: not all coco coir is the same [Re: swinghigh]
#26877557 - 08/12/20 09:13 PM (3 years, 5 months ago) |
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I too have purchased canna bricks in bulk to save a few bucks. Pricey stuff but from what I’ve seen it looks amazing. Buy half a skid you save some money and you don’t have to buy it for a long time! Lol
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brad81684
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Re: not all coco coir is the same [Re: swinghigh] 1
#26877577 - 08/12/20 09:21 PM (3 years, 5 months ago) |
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I use Coco Bliss off amazon. 250g bricks or 650g bricks, depending on whats in stock. for the 250's i just do 3 at a time. 0 contam issues.
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CrashTest
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Registered: 06/21/20
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Re: not all coco coir is the same [Re: brad81684]
#26877590 - 08/12/20 09:27 PM (3 years, 5 months ago) |
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Quote:
brad81684 said: I use Coco Bliss off amazon. 250g bricks or 650g bricks, depending on whats in stock. for the 250's i just do 3 at a time. 0 contam issues.
I use the same stuff, no contams so far. I also unbucket tek. I don’t even boil water, just really hot tap water
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this account is automated, any posts related to activities or advice thereof are strictly opinions from numerous online sites and are for informational purposes only - CrashTest2020
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swinghigh
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Re: not all coco coir is the same [Re: dothedew69]
#26877700 - 08/12/20 11:29 PM (3 years, 5 months ago) |
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Ya it can get expensive for the canna I've luckily got a hydroponics store that can order it for me cheap and always have it in stock. I go threw about 9 of the big bricks a month (40Litre expanded)
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david.jones52

Registered: 04/22/21
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Re: not all coco coir is the same [Re: swinghigh]
#27325119 - 05/27/21 11:45 AM (2 years, 7 months ago) |
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good to know about potential for salt residue .. seems crazy, most plants don't like much salt
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r0kovski
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Registered: 09/24/23
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Hi, i already bought coco coir for "plants" after that i found that thread. its specified that coco coir not containing any harmful organisms and agrochemicals. That is tricky, because trich is not harmful to plants. Can i try to put a piece of coir on agar and wait if trichoderma will deploy? Or just pasteurize or pc coir and will be fine?
Edited by r0kovski (10/16/23 02:56 PM)
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Stipe-n Cap


Registered: 08/04/12
Posts: 7,623
Loc: Canada
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Re: not all coco coir is the same [Re: r0kovski]
#28507200 - 10/16/23 05:43 PM (3 months, 11 days ago) |
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This thread is mostly a shit show, poorly written, researched, and executed. I'm sure they meant well, but if you're a noob with contamination issues, the last place to look will be your brand of coir.
The OP said "lone be hold"...
Anywhoo...don't worry aboot it, brew. No need to pasteurize coir, Canna brand is gtg, it's what I use; many folks seem to dig it. Hydrate your coir with either piping hot water, or with boiled water from a kettle, pot, er whatever you have. Molds including Trichoderma are very intolerant to heat.
If you have any further questions,please don't necro old posts. The OP was "last seen" over a year ago...Please make use of our general discussion thread, or the ask quick questions thread.
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Stipe-n Cap


Registered: 08/04/12
Posts: 7,623
Loc: Canada
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Re: not all coco coir is the same [Re: swinghigh]
#28507224 - 10/16/23 05:44 PM (3 months, 11 days ago) |
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This thread has been closed.
Reason: Old and inaccurate. Nothing to be added, nothing to be redeemed by continuing.
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