FoxFarm 2cf Cultivation Nation 70/30 (48.PL)

FoxFarm Cultivation Nation 70/30 is a pre-blended growing medium combining 70% buffered coconut coir with 30% perlite — the standard ratio chosen by commercial and hobbyist growers who want a substrate ready to accept a fully custom nutrient program. Each 2 cu ft bag is designed for indoor and outdoor container growing where predictable water retention and reliable drainage both matter.

Cultivation Nation 70/30 Specifications

Key specifications sourced from the canonical product record. Volume is listed as 2 cu ft on the retail label (SKU FXF690068); the supplier attribute records 1.332 cu ft net compressed weight equivalent.

Specification	Value
Brand	Fox Farms (Cultivation Nation line)
Mix Ratio	70% coconut coir / 30% perlite
Bag Volume (retail label)	2 cu ft
Coir Treatment	Buffered (pre-treated to reduce sodium and balance EC)
Perlite Function	Air-space creation, facilitating aeration and drainage
Suitable Container Types	Indoor and outdoor containers
Supplier SKU	FXF690068
Pallet Count	48 bags per pallet (48.PL)

Why Choose Cultivation Nation 70/30

Cultivation Nation 70/30 is built around the principle that a grower’s substrate should stay out of the way of their feeding program. By handling the buffering and blending ahead of time, FoxFarm’s Cultivation Nation line lets you focus on dialing in nutrients rather than correcting media chemistry before every run.

• Pre-buffered coconut coir: Raw coco coir can bind calcium and magnesium early in a crop cycle, throwing off nutrient uptake before plants are established. Buffering treats the coir to reduce that effect, so growers can apply their standard calcium-magnesium and base nutrient inputs without chasing deficiencies in week one.
• Classic 70/30 ratio: The 70% coir to 30% perlite proportion is a widely tested benchmark in hydroponic and soilless container growing. It retains enough moisture to reduce watering frequency while the perlite fraction keeps air pockets open at the root zone to prevent anaerobic conditions.
• Ready for customized feeding schedules: Because the medium carries no base nutrients of its own, it works cleanly with whatever nutrient line a grower prefers. You set the EC, pH, and feed interval — the media does not impose its own chemical agenda on the crop.
• Consistent bag-to-bag quality: Commercial runs that source through pallet quantities (48 bags per pallet) benefit from the batch consistency of a blended product. Filling multiple containers from the same blend means the same physical structure and drainage characteristics across every pot in the room.
• Indoor and outdoor versatility: The mix is appropriate for containers in controlled indoor environments as well as outdoor container setups, where weather-driven variation in watering frequency makes a well-draining substrate more forgiving.

Best Uses for Cultivation Nation 70/30

This substrate is best suited to growers who want a clean soilless medium and are bringing their own complete nutrient program.

• Hydroponic container systems: Drip-to-waste, hand-watered coco, and top-feed recirculating setups all work well with a 70/30 blend. The perlite fraction supports rapid drainage so roots receive repeated wet/dry cycles that promote oxygen uptake and vigorous growth.
• Fabric pots and smart pots: Fabric containers encourage air-pruning of roots at the pot wall. A 70/30 medium in a fabric pot like the Smart Pot Black creates a system with exceptional root-zone aeration because both the container and the medium promote airflow. For larger containers, the Smart Pot Black 20-gallon pairs well for vegetative runs where root volume matters.
• Customized feed-schedule grows: Growers running precise nutrient programs — measuring EC at both input and runoff, adjusting weekly per growth stage — get the most from this medium because there is no background nutrient load to account for. The medium responds predictably to feed adjustments.
• Multi-cycle commercial rooms: Pallet-quantity purchasing (48 bags per pallet) makes this product practical for facilities running multiple grow rooms or needing to refill containers between crop cycles. Consistent blend quality means less troubleshooting per cycle.
• Seed-to-harvest soilless runs: From transplant through the end of flower, a 70/30 coco-perlite mix can carry a crop through its full life cycle when paired with a complete base nutrient and supplement program. Unlike peat-based mixes, coco is a renewable, sustainably sourced material.

Cultivation Nation 70/30 vs Pure Coco Coir

Growers sometimes choose between a pre-blended 70/30 medium and purchasing straight coco coir to blend themselves. Both approaches can produce good results, but they involve different trade-offs.

Pure coco coir — sold compressed in bricks or loose in bags — offers maximum flexibility. A grower can dial in their own ratio of coir to perlite based on their irrigation frequency, container size, and environmental humidity. Lower-humidity rooms or growers who water infrequently may push toward a 60/40 or even 50/50 ratio for faster drying. In contrast, Cultivation Nation 70/30 is a fixed blend. If the standard ratio works for your setup, the convenience of a ready-to-use, pre-buffered blend removes a prep step from your workflow.

Buffering is the other meaningful distinction. Raw coco coir typically needs to be soaked and flushed before use to remove excess potassium and sodium that are naturally present from the coconut husk processing. Cultivation Nation’s coir component is pre-buffered, which means this step is already handled. For growers setting up on a tight turnaround or filling a large number of containers at once, that pre-treatment translates to real time savings.

For growers who want a comparison in the peat-based category, Premier Pro-Mix HP with Mycorrhizae is a perlite-amended peat-based substrate that takes a different approach — it includes mycorrhizal inoculants and an organic base rather than a neutral coco starting point. Choose 70/30 if you want an inert coco platform for nutrient-program precision; choose Pro-Mix HP if you prefer an amended peat substrate with biological support built in.

Compatibility

Cultivation Nation 70/30 is a substrate, not a nutrient source, which means it is compatible with virtually any liquid nutrient program designed for coco or soilless growing. A few practical notes on what works well with it:

• Nutrient lines: Any two-part or three-part liquid base nutrient system formulated for coco or hydroponics is appropriate. Because the medium has no native nutrient charge, nutrients must be provided from the first watering after transplant.
• Calcium and magnesium supplementation: Coco coir, even when buffered, has a moderate cation exchange capacity that can sequester calcium. Supplementing with a calcium-magnesium product throughout the crop cycle is standard practice with coco-based media.
• Container types: Works in plastic nursery containers, fabric pots, and rigid grow pots. For large containers, confirm the container can drain freely — slow drainage in a deep pot undermines the aeration benefits of the perlite fraction.
• Irrigation systems: Compatible with drip systems, hand-watering, and flood-and-drain tables when containers are used on the table surface. Not suited to deep water culture (DWC) or nutrient film technique (NFT) where the medium does not circulate.
• pH range: Target irrigation water pH of 5.8–6.2 for coco-based media. This keeps key nutrients available and prevents lock-out at the root zone.

Usage Guidelines

Cultivation Nation 70/30 is designed for use in container growing with a customized feeding schedule. The following guidelines reflect standard practice for coco-perlite substrates; adjust based on your environment, container size, and crop requirements.

• Watering frequency: Coco-perlite blends dry faster than soil and benefit from more frequent irrigation. Many growers in controlled indoor environments water one to four times per day depending on plant size, environmental vapor pressure deficit (VPD), and container volume. Monitor runoff EC to judge feed uptake.
• Runoff target: Aim for 10–20% runoff at each watering to prevent salt accumulation in the medium. Check runoff EC periodically — if it reads significantly higher than your input EC, the medium may need a plain-water flush.
• Transplant and first watering: After filling containers, water in transplants with a dilute nutrient solution at your standard coco feeding EC for the vegetative stage. Do not let the medium dry completely in the first 72 hours after transplant to encourage root establishment.
• Nutrient program start: Begin feeding a complete nutrient program (including calcium-magnesium supplement) from the first watering. The medium contains no background nutrition.
• Container size guidance: Smaller containers (1–5 gallon) dry faster and require more frequent watering. Larger containers (10–20 gallon) hold more moisture and may need less frequent irrigation. Adjust your schedule to the container, not just the crop.

How to Prepare and Fill Containers

1. Open and inspect: Open the bag and check for any unusual odor or visible contamination. Cultivation Nation 70/30 should have the neutral, slightly earthy smell of clean coco fiber. The perlite should be visibly distributed throughout.
2. Pre-wet if desired: While the coir in Cultivation Nation 70/30 is pre-buffered, some growers prefer to pre-wet the medium before filling containers. Mix a dilute nutrient solution at your target vegetative EC and moisten the blend until it clumps slightly without dripping water when squeezed. This is optional — filling dry and watering in after transplant is also acceptable.
3. Fill containers: Fill your containers loosely. Do not compact the medium — the perlite fraction needs to retain its structure to maintain air pockets. Leave 1–2 inches of headspace at the top of each container to allow for watering without overflow.
4. Transplant: Make a hole in the center of the medium sized to your starter plug or root ball. Set the transplant in place and gently firm the medium around the stem base without packing tightly.
5. Water in: Water with a dilute nutrient solution immediately after transplant. Ensure the medium is evenly moist and that water drains freely from the bottom of the container. Slow drainage at this stage may indicate the container bottom is blocked or the medium was over-compacted during filling.
6. Begin regular feed schedule: After the first watering, establish your standard feed schedule based on the crop’s growth stage, container size, and environmental conditions. Monitor runoff EC at each watering to track nutrient uptake and adjust feed concentration as needed.

Sources & Further Reading