MANUFACTURERS AND EXPORTERS OF COCO PEAT
Before the blocks are transported out from the factory , the following tests are done :
EC Test :
1:1.5 Dutch method is used for testing. The coco peat is mixed with little water to make it wet. 100 ml of compressed coco peat is mixed with 150 ml of water. It is allowed undisturbed for around 20 minutes. It is then Filtered. The solution is tested using an EC tester. EC is ensured to be below 0.5ms / cm. The EC tester is calibrated using a 1413 micro Siemens potassium chloride solution to ensure that the EC tester is working fine. Around 6 samples are taken for every 10 tonnes of coco peat for EC test.
pH Testing :
pH is tested using similar procedure as used for EC testing. 1:1.5 method. A pH neutral distilled water (ph 7) is used for this testing. Before every tests ,the instrument is calibrated using ph 4 and ph 7 buffer Solutions . Our pH is around 6. pH can also be tested using calcium chloride (CaCl2) solution based on customer requirements.
Sand Test :
Sand gets added in the coir factory or in the drying beds because of heavy winds.1 kg of coco peat is taken in a Bucket full of water. We mix the coco peat and water thoroughly and the solution is allowed to settle down for 5 minutes. Sand is heavier and it settles down. Coco peat is lighter and it floats on top. The coco peat is taken out carefully and the water is drained. The sand is taken out and is dried using an oven @ 105 degrees celcius and the resultant dry sand is weighed. We keep very low levels of sand in coco peat. Around 5 samples are taken for sand test / 10 tonnes of coco peat.
Expansion Volume :
1 kg of coco peat is taken in a vessel. It is mixed with 5 liters of water slowly. The coco peat expands. It is then measured using a liter scale. Our coco peat expands from 17 to 19 liters.
Moisture Test :
Loss in weight method is used. 50 grams of the sample is weighed. Moisture is reduced by placing the sample in an oven for 90 seconds and the resultant coco peat is weighed (w1). Again the coco peat is heated in the oven for 30 seconds and is weighed(w2). If (w1==w2) then Moisture is ((50-w1)/50)*100 % . If w1 and w2 are not equal , the coco peat sample is heated for 30 seconds again and the procedure is repeated until two successive weights are equal. If Wf is the final weight then moisture is ((50-Wf)/50)*100 % . Moisture is ensured to be < 15 % . Care is taken to ensure that the blocks are not sticking to each other.
Weed Testing :
weed testing is done for every container shipment as follows :-
per weed test uses 10 litres of moisturized coco peat (80 % moisture)
Mix the 10 litres of moisturized coco peat with 10 grams of NPK fertilizer
Put the material in 2 testing trays
Put the testing trays in locked room with enough light and temperature
check the weed testing trays for weed germination Total test duration is 4 weeks and this test is used to control the coco peat coming from Fiber mills and also the beds are altered for protecting them from weeds