Cocopeat

Cocopeat is a by-product produced from the extraction process of coconut fiber. It is also often referred to as peat coir or coir dust. The color of the cocopeat is light brown. It quickly absorbs and holds water where one kilogram of cocopeat can hold up to 16 liters of water. Cocopeat’s PH is 5.8 up to 6.5. The use of cocopeat is often good for the alternative of planting media, especially hydroponics. The drawback is that there are not enough nutrients, so adding compost or other plant fertilizers is necessary. Apart from being a growing medium, cocopeat has other benefits. One of which is a substitute for better quality coconut coir because it is free of bacteria and fungal spores

The hydrophilic (water-loving) nature of cocopeat makes this material have an absorption capacity of 8-9 times its weight and can hold water about 73% of the given water. Better than the ability of sphagnum media, which can only have 41% water. Cocopeat can also bind and store oxygen in the air up to 50%, better than the soil, only 2-3%. However, avoid giving excess water because if the cocopeat is too moist, it can cause root rot.

Cocopeat acts as an excellent water retainer. This material can quickly re-wet when added to water even though it has been dry. In addition, cocopeat is able to hold air (oxygen) approximately 1,000 times more than soil media. The ability of cocopeat is very good for hydroponic methods that use water as the primary growing medium.

Cocopeat is generally packaged in the form of bulk powder packaging or compressed packaging (compressed and solid) in the form of blocks (briquettes), slabs of boards, and slabs of discs. Cocopeat as a growing medium is usually by adding water to decompose, develop, and aerate it. Cocopeat can be reused up to three times

Cocopeat weighing one kilogram can decompose into 15 liters of wet cocopeat. The structure of the cocopeat, which is packaged in the form of a compress, can make the cocopeat decompose within ten years of use

Bulk cocopeat is sold for IDR 900 to IDR 1,200 per kilogram in the market. At the same time, cocopeat beams range from IDR 2,000 to IDR 3,000 per kilogram (the weight of the beam is approximately five kilograms with a size of 30 x 30 x 15 – 20 centimeters. Therefore, prices may be varied according to the market. As additional information, one kilogram of cocopeat in the form of blocks is equivalent to 1.5 kilograms of cocopeat in bulk (granules)