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NightPuma1
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Explain this to me... 1
#27041477 - 11/16/20 12:54 AM (3 years, 2 months ago) |
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Standard substrate recipe:
1 brick coco coir 8 cups verm 16 cups water
Can someone PLEASE explain to me why I keep making my substrate with 12 cups of water (NOT 16) and STILL it looks way too wet?
Note: I live in one of the driest deserts in North America so it is certainly not due to ambient humidity.
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Gnidrolog
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Re: Explain this to me... [Re: NightPuma1]
#27041487 - 11/16/20 01:06 AM (3 years, 2 months ago) |
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Quote:
NightPuma1 said: Can someone PLEASE explain to me why I keep making my substrate with 12 cups of water (NOT 16) and STILL it looks way too wet?
What type (brand) of coir are you using? Did you weigh it? This recipe generally works well with 650g bricks. Different coir consistencies can affect hydration.
Did you test field capacity?
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NightPuma1
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Re: Explain this to me... [Re: Gnidrolog]
#27041499 - 11/16/20 01:30 AM (3 years, 2 months ago) |
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This was literally my only guess.
*They are sold as 650g bricks
However, to double check like I ought to I can't weigh it at the moment but I will later.
Yes it seemed more or less okay (but maybe on the wetter side, sure) but I was just surprised having only given it 75% as much water.
Even crazier? This has happened with two totally different brands of cocoa bricks.
Edited by NightPuma1 (11/16/20 01:31 AM)
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Josex
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Re: Explain this to me... [Re: NightPuma1]
#27041502 - 11/16/20 01:37 AM (3 years, 2 months ago) |
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It's good practice to weigh the brick and adjust accordingly. Weight can and will vary (sometimes a lot) from brick to brick.
If you want other users to give you a more accurate opinion on the moisture content of your sub, you can make a GIf squeezing a handful of substrate like the bald guy below.
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Zakkery



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Re: Explain this to me... [Re: NightPuma1]
#27041505 - 11/16/20 01:43 AM (3 years, 2 months ago) |
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Just ring it out/add less water or more verm. Bod's substrate tek breaks the way to hydrate it down nicely. This way you add water based off the actual weight of the coir. Bricks can vary in weight.
But sometimes it's just like cooking dude. Recipes are guidelines, you gotta tweak shit to work with your preferences or situation. Don't even use verm myself. Less clean up woo.
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NightPuma1
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Re: Explain this to me... [Re: Zakkery]
#27041507 - 11/16/20 01:46 AM (3 years, 2 months ago) |
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Yes but damn...25% less and still it's very wet seems like a lot. 2 different manufacturers both started shorting people I guess.
Even Bod's says to use 3.25L which is 13 cups and I am using 12 (although again maybe my brick is too small).
Edited by NightPuma1 (11/16/20 01:50 AM)
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Gnidrolog
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Re: Explain this to me... [Re: NightPuma1]
#27041527 - 11/16/20 02:22 AM (3 years, 2 months ago) |
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Some coir has a stringier consistency, which doesn't absorb water very well. I tend to avoid this kind. Whatever ratio you use, just test for field capacity and adjust accordingly. When we whip up the equivalent of 50 bricks worth of substrate, we just go easy on the water, adding more as necessary. If it gets a lil too wet, we toss in some verm.
G'luck
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vsdlmao
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Re: Explain this to me... [Re: Gnidrolog]
#27041595 - 11/16/20 04:52 AM (3 years, 2 months ago) |
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1:5 coir to water ratio works fine for me, how much exactly is 1 cup of water?
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Greens21
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Re: Explain this to me... [Re: vsdlmao]
#27041740 - 11/16/20 07:36 AM (3 years, 2 months ago) |
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8oz exactly
-------------------- I've been trying to justify you In the end I will just defy you
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tedoro
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Re: Explain this to me... [Re: Greens21]
#27041866 - 11/16/20 08:57 AM (3 years, 2 months ago) |
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Coir prep seems to be a topic that has much differing info on here. Lots of Teks show 3.5-4.5 quarts for what you are doing and then there is Caps... who routinely adds 2Q to his tubs (Albeit without verm)
Do not underestimate how much coir varies. And how clean it is. I recently had a huge brick be filled with large pebbles. Weighing out your 650 with rocks obviously makes you end up with far less coir.
I've had a 650g brick sit like mud in my bucket after only taking 2.25 quarts of water. And other coir have zero drops squeezable with 3.25 quarts.
I have also recently discovered that it is possible to overcook ones coir, thereby lessening its water retention. I now refrain from adding boiling water, I add 180f water, and I remove my bucket's insulation after an hour, hastening its cooldown.
and others are right... you should measure (bricks weigh from 500-800g), but also, there are variables that you can't control, unless you buy a coconut farm.
-------------------- -------------------- Deep pour soft agar plates-->bags of WBS-->Low Profile Monos Clean spawn thread | Put a thermometer on your PC
Edited by tedoro (11/16/20 09:08 AM)
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maxmush
Always learning...

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Re: Explain this to me... [Re: tedoro]
#27041939 - 11/16/20 09:35 AM (3 years, 2 months ago) |
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Simple explanation: not all coir is created equally. Moisture absorption can vary brand to brand and even within the same brand. Formulas are only guides. Start off drier and adjust to field capacity afterwards. I generally recommend using only 50% of the recommended water in a formula to start.
-------------------- 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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Yumyumyumyum
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Re: Explain this to me... [Re: maxmush]
#27041950 - 11/16/20 09:41 AM (3 years, 2 months ago) |
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Those bricks are a pain to break apart I just eye it! Boil the coco coir, stain it add the verm gypsum. Add water back in the make it moist but not wet.
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Greens21
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Am I the only one here who just adds an arbitrary amount of (too much) water and then just squeezes the substrate out to field capacity as I’m transferring it to my pasteurizing container? Done it that way for 13 years, seems like some people put way too much thought and effort into it. Weighing coir bricks absolutely seems unnecessary
-------------------- I've been trying to justify you In the end I will just defy you
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Yumyumyumyum
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Re: Explain this to me... [Re: Greens21]
#27041983 - 11/16/20 10:03 AM (3 years, 2 months ago) |
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As I said, I just eye it. I break chunks off a brick until I think I have enough for 6-8 jars. I boil that until its nice and saturated. Drain out the excess water add dry gypsum and verm. Mix that up adding water from the boil. Put that into jars PC it for 1:05 works great for my boxes. I messed up one time putting coffee into the mix stuff still grew but the coffee did not bring anything to the table other than a weird tinge.
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