Advanced Nutrients Coco Cultivator Mix 50/30/20 50 Litres - Fast-Draining Coco Blend for Automated Systems
Best for: Growers running drippers, flood and drain, or bottom-fed systems who want a coco blend that drains fast and never sits waterlogged.
Our thoughts
This is the "wide open" end of the Cultivator range - more perlite and clay pebbles than the Plus or Pure versions, which means more air at the roots but more frequent watering to keep up. If you're hand-watering pots on a tight schedule it can catch you out, but paired with an automated feed it's a solid, low-drama substrate. Proper kit at a price that makes sense.
Coco Cultivator Mix 50/30/20 is a substrate blend of 50% coco coir, 30% perlite and 20% clay pebbles, sold in a 50 litre bag. The coco coir holds moisture and nutrient around the root, the perlite opens up drainage and oxygen flow, and the clay pebbles add structure so the mix doesn't compact down over a grow cycle. Advanced Nutrients' Coco Cultivator line is RHP certified, meaning the coco is washed, buffered and tested for consistency and low EC before it's bagged.
Because this particular blend has less coco coir than the Plus (70/30) or Pure (100%) versions in the same range, it holds less water and dries out faster. That's the trade-off for the extra aeration - it suits growers who are feeding little and often through an automated system rather than hand-watering once or twice a day.
How it compares
Sits at the fast-draining end of the pre-mixed coco market.
- More open than straight coco coir products like Canna Coco Professional Plus or Gold Label Coco, which hold more water for longer between waterings
- Ready-mixed with perlite and clay pebbles, so there's no need to buy and blend your own amendments like some growers do with plain coco bricks
- RHP certification puts it in the same quality bracket as Canna and Plagron's coco ranges, rather than budget unbranded coco
You're paying for a pre-blended, certified substrate that's built for frequent automated feeding rather than a traditional hand-water schedule.
Usage guidance
Get the watering frequency right and this mix performs well from clone to harvest.
Automated feeding
Set drippers or a flood and drain cycle to run little and often - this blend won't hold water like a heavier coco or soil mix, so infrequent, large feeds can leave the root zone drying out between cycles.
Hand watering
If you are hand watering, expect to feed more often than with standard coco - check runoff and top up before the mix fully dries rather than waiting for visible wilting.
Buffering
RHP-certified coco is pre-buffered, so you shouldn't need to cal-mag treat it before first use the way you would with unbuffered coco coir.
Technical specifications
- Composition: 50% coco coir / 30% perlite / 20% clay pebbles
- Bag volume: 50 litres
- Certification: RHP certified
- Buffering: Pre-buffered for low EC
- Drainage profile: Fast-draining
- Recommended systems: Drippers, flood and drain, bottom-fed systems
- Also available in: Coco Cultivator Plus 70/30, Coco Cultivator Pure (100% coco)
Who this is for
- Growers running automated drip or flood and drain systems
- Anyone who wants a pre-blended, certified coco substrate rather than mixing their own
- Growers who've had drainage or compaction problems with heavier soil or coco mixes
- Not ideal for growers who can only hand water once a day - the Plus or Pure blends hold water for longer
Our take
If your system feeds automatically and often, this is a sensible, well-certified substrate that won't give you drainage headaches. It's the more technical end of the Cultivator range, so it rewards a proper feed schedule rather than a casual one.
Worth picking up if your setup already waters little and often - just don't put it under a system that only feeds once a day. One we sell a lot of for growers running driven, automated setups.
