So I just received a bottle of Armor Si for a new CoCo grow today and actually also just purchased a bag of DE for the local creepy crawlies today. Then somehow happened by an article about DE being a Silica itself. So has anybody used it, the powder form food grade, in a CoCo/Perlite medium? Can it be used in that medium? And if so, at what ratios and how would I apply it? Is it as good as the Armor Si and other talked about silicic additives? I know it’s waaay cheaper. I’m googling it and not coming up with anything other than for soil and living soil so probably can’t use it with CoCo, but I just want to make sure. Also not as a bug killer but as a silicon. Thanks!
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I use the DE sprinkled over the coco surface once a week and on the stems, but that’s for crawly control. I don’t think DE is available as a nutrient in that form of Silica. Potassium Silicate is readily available when mixed with your water and nutrient ( well the one I use is… )
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I’ve never had to use DE in Coco Grow Sis, hopefully you won’t either. PH and pest are why i moved from soil to coco 
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@Hogbud That was what I was looking to find out was about the readily available part. Although idky people are using it in soil? Maybe they just never asked and don’t know.
@OGIncognito I use it outside and in my basement… And anywhere else I see a creeper whether a good or bad one, I just don’t want them in my bed or running across my feet. Lol! But I was asking about it as a source for the silicic acid.
Have either of you used the Power Si or any other brand for a silica supplement? Or know if it does what all the hype says it does?
Thanks you both for responding. It’s much appreciated.
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I use the TPS brand of silica
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I’ll look into it. Thanks.
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I’m on another continent so I doubt we would have the same brands lol.
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Ooops! Ooops! And Ooops!!!
Armor si is fine as a form of silica. Mix it well. DE , works as well. But as a pest control, not really effective at all if its wet. If you have not mixed it all up, i would skip the perlite as well unless your bottom feeding. You will only need to water more often, once a day is still needed without perlite.
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Yes, I do already have it all mixed up. I am top feeding. The bottle, I think, said to add the Armor Si 1st and let it set for an hour. That’s going to become a pain in my ass for sure. Have had the mix ready for days. Just finished making sure the RO is consistent with what I gave at the last feeding. That was after I finished cleaning up a can if Pepsi that went absolutely EVERYwhere. I’m trying to get rid of ants, not bring more in. Smh.
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10 plants with coco…oh boy…strap in thats going to be sick! Im going to go back to my organic ways on the next grow. Ive got a clone ive kept around of gdp for quite some time now. Multiple harvest from same lady. Cant wait to compare coco with synthetics to organics in everyway, especially with same clone. Check this gal out, harvested during the winter…coco and jacks. Nothing fancy with extras other then microbes and bud candy.
Only one gal…coco is a wonderful thing. Crazy weight when done right. Regardless of what people say, organic…taste better then hydro/synthetics. Looking forward to putting that to bed on the next journal. Any questions ever…feel free. Good luck!
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Og I been using the bloom city. Like the results there. I was reading and it also has humid acid? @OGIncognito
What I can say to the thread starter is that silica makes a huge difference!!
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Dude those are gorgeous. I do tend to bite off more than I can chew at times. But with the last one being such a failure I have to make up that time. At least that’s how I see it. Of course now that I’ve started 10 the last grow is finally taking off. Go figure. I’m already out of rain water almost and seems we are in a drought or my barrel isn’t filling anyway. I can’t figure why. I’m gonna test the water in my freakin dehumidifiers and see what’s up there cause I get 2 gallon a day from those. Lol! Never know till you test it. Good luck with your ‘experiment’. Do you have some kind of an idea how it’s going to turn out?
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If you don’t use the DE and it’s food grade……it’ll really clean out your digestive track 
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