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Microbes and Coco DTW

by | Mar 9, 2020 | Grower Questions | 2 comments

Hey DGC,

I feel I understood better how microbes work in soil, but I switched to 70/30 coco/perlite soilless grow this time using bottled nutes, and I’m wondering about the efficacy of adding microbes.

I have an automatic feeding system where I water up to 5x during lights on, and I’ve been having really good results, but I’m thinking about adding microbes into the mix, specifically Recharge and Mammoth P. But how do the microbes stay in the coco when I’m watering to some runoff 5x a day? In soil, I never watered to runoff for the purpose of not washing away the microbes. In coco, it seems all I would be doing is washing away the microbes each watering cycle.

Could someone help me understand how the microbes work in a coco DTW system compared to soil and if it’s just as beneficial?

Another thing is the application of these microbes in a DTW system.  Would I just dose the microbes per the bottle’s instructions and fill my reservoir? Or better to hand water these in once a week or something like that, keeping them out of the reservoir?

Thanks

2 Comments

  1. JustCoolin
    JustCoolin on March 10, 2020 at 7:28 am

    Some will add earthworm castings to the mix to add to the capacity for the mix to hold microbes. Coco is a great place for microbes to live. Arbuscular mychorrhizae live in the root itself. Some bacteria can live on or in the roots as well. The microbes often produce a glue like substance that helps with soil structure and can keep them in place. They will persist as they do in nature, they are strong and resilient. I would just water in once a week after a feeding to give them time to grab hold and adjust to conditions. Microbes in a rez is not a good idea.

  2. yesimhigh
    yesimhigh on March 10, 2020 at 12:51 pm

    Thanks, JustCoolin! Sounds like a plan. Also, I’m thinking about on my next run using the Royal Gold Tupur coco which also has some organic material in there, so that should help as well.

    Currently, I do put Hydroguard microbes in my res, but I think that’s the purpose of those microbes — to out-compete any bad microbes that may want to colonize in the res. But I won’t add Recharge or Mammoth P; I’ll hand water those once a week as you suggest.

    Thanks again

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