Coco Fiber Growing Medium? Opinions please.

[Bob Vento]

What can anyone tell me about using Coco Fiber Growing Medium instead of Hydroton, Leca or Stalite in a aquaponic system?

The cost is reasonable and shipping costs on multiple quantities are free. I am still deciding what to use in my grow bed.

I would appreciate everyone's opinions and comments.

Thanks,
Bob

[Carey Ma]

IMO: Coco is a good medium depending on your method. It is not good in flood and drain or constant flow systems because it retains too much water vs air and can compact. It is wonderful in raised bed systems with perlite etc (30%)mixed in and acts as a conduit for beneficial fungi. Coco is a good replacement for moss (for water retention) and makes great (carbon) additive for compost or vermiculture (raising worms) but I would not use it as a sole medium. You might try pea gravel instead for flood and drain.

[Bob Vento]

Thanks for that info, it is very helpful.

Carey Ma said:

IMO: Coco is a good medium depending on your method. It is not good in flood and drain or constant flow systems because it retains too much water vs air and can compact. It is wonderful in raised bed systems with perlite etc (30%)mixed in and acts as a conduit for beneficial fungi. Coco is a good replacement for moss (for water retention) and makes great (carbon) additive for compost or vermiculture (raising worms) but I would not use it as a sole medium. You might try pea gravel instead for flood and drain.

[Jon Parr]

Coco too wet and dense, I agree. It can be used in wicking beds, though, or in wicking pots placed on top of media, to get a dual-root zone like Vlad does.

[TCLynx]

Coir is not really good as media for flood and drain or constant flood aquaponics as Carey said.  It will rot, break down, stay to wet and turn your water dark in addition to possibly lowering pH as well as perhaps adding salt.

And to what extent it will do any of those above things will depend.  Coir is a very variable product and not all are created equal.  Some places will actually wash the product in sea water which would add to the saltiness.  Others don't really wash the product at all and you get lots of tinting of the water as well as really low pH.  Some coir is really more like peat, while other coir is more like bark chips.

If you decide to try it, do so in a controlled situation on a small scale so it won't be too hard for you to replace it if you decide you don't like it.