Raw coir naturally holds sodium and potassium and has cation-exchange sites that can lock up calcium and magnesium. Washing and buffering remove that risk, so your nutrient feed — not the substrate — controls the root-zone chemistry.
What buffering does
Buffering pre-loads the coir's exchange sites with calcium and magnesium, so the substrate won't strip Ca/Mg from your feed during the critical early weeks. Washing first lowers sodium, potassium and chloride for a low, stable EC.
- Lowers and stabilises EC
- Prevents early calcium/magnesium lock-up
- Gives clean, predictable nutrition control
Washed vs extra-washed
Standard washing suits most crops; extra-washed grades target the lowest EC for sensitive or high-value hydroponic production.
How we control it
Every batch is washed and, where specified, buffered with calcium and magnesium, then EC/pH tested with a Certificate of Analysis.