When sourcing coco peat growing media, growers have more choices than just substrate quality—they also choose the physical format in which the substrate is delivered and used. The format determines how the substrate is prepared, installed, irrigated, and disposed of at end-of-cycle. The right format for one operation may be impractical for another.
This guide covers the main coco peat formats available from Rise Substrates and when each one makes sense.
The Formats at a Glance
| Format | Typical Size | Best For | Installation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5KG Block | 30×30×13 cm (compressed) | Bulk growers, substrate mixing, redistribution | Hydrate and fill containers |
| 650G Brick | ~20×10×6 cm (compressed) | Small-scale growers, retail, grow bags | Hydrate directly in pot or tray |
| Grow Slab | 100×15×7.5 cm typical | Tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers in gutter systems | Place slab, cut slits, plant direct |
| Open Top Bag | 30×12×12 cm to 40×18×16 cm | Strawberries, cannabis, herbs, vertical farms | Fill in gutter or on bench, plant direct |
5KG Blocks
The 5KG block is the highest-density compressed format, designed for bulk distribution. One 5KG block typically expands to 70–75 litres of hydrated substrate when treated with water. This makes it extremely efficient for shipping—significantly reducing volume and freight cost compared to pre-expanded substrate.
Ideal for:
- Wholesale distributors and retailers who repackage into smaller units
- Growers who mix their own substrate ratios (adding perlite, chips, or other amendments)
- Operations with on-site substrate preparation infrastructure
- Export to markets where freight cost per litre of finished substrate is a primary concern
The block format requires hydration time (typically 1–3 hours depending on water volume and temperature) before use. It is not a ready-to-plant format—it is a raw substrate delivery format.
650G Bricks
The 650G brick is the consumer and small-scale commercial equivalent of the 5KG block. It expands to approximately 9–10 litres and is sized to hydrate in a single pot, tray, or small container. The brick format allows growers to buy precise quantities per planting cycle without over-ordering and storing large volumes of expanded substrate.
Ideal for:
- Home growers, hobbyist hydroponic setups, and small commercial operations
- Plug nurseries and propagation facilities with variable run sizes
- Regions where pallet-sized orders are not practical
- Trials and testing of new substrate batches before committing to slab or bag orders
Grow Slabs / Bags (Closed)
Grow slabs are ready-to-use substrate units designed for gutter-based or on-floor growing systems. The substrate is pre-filled into a UV-stabilised polyethylene sleeve, compressed, and delivered ready to place. Installation involves cutting drainage slits in the underside, cutting planting holes on top, and connecting drip irrigation before or immediately after planting.
Grow slabs are the dominant format in large-scale commercial hydroponic production of tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers worldwide. They provide consistent substrate volume per plant position, controlled drainage through pre-slit positioning, and minimal labour per plant unit at installation.
Ideal for:
- Commercial greenhouses with drip irrigation on fixed gutter systems
- Indeterminate tomato, cucumber, and sweet pepper production
- Operations where substrate uniformity across rows is critical for irrigation management
- Growers who need a single-season, crop-out substrate with minimal waste handling
Open Top Bags
Open top bags are stand-alone substrate containers—essentially pre-filled grow bags with the top open for planting and the base perforated for drainage. Unlike slabs, which are designed to lie flat in gutters, open top bags are three-dimensional containers that can be placed on benches, in vertical systems, or directly on the floor.
The open top format allows the root zone to be in a contained, defined volume with fully accessible drainage. It is particularly well-suited to crops where the individual plant unit matters more than row-to-row consistency—cannabis, strawberries, and herbs, for example.
Ideal for:
- Strawberry tabletop and gutter systems
- Cannabis cultivation in licensed indoor facilities
- Vertical farming towers and bench systems where slab format is impractical
- Herb and specialty crop production with variable plant spacing
- Operations that want easy inspection of drainage and root zone access
Which Format for Which Crop?
| Crop | Recommended Format | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Indeterminate tomato | Grow Slab | Row spacing and drip efficiency in gutter systems |
| Cucumber | Grow Slab | High water demand; slab drainage profile well-matched |
| Sweet pepper | Grow Slab | Long crop cycle; slab structural stability over season |
| Strawberry (tabletop) | Open Top Bag | Individual plant unit in gutter; root zone visibility |
| Cannabis | Open Top Bag | Defined per-plant volume; drainage control; regulatory compliance |
| Lettuce / leafy greens | 5KG Block (expanded) | Bulk fill for trays; lowest cost per litre |
| Herbs | 650G Brick or Open Top Bag | Small quantities per batch; flexible per-run sizing |
| Propagation | 650G Brick | Precise small volumes; fine pith mix for delicate roots |
Choosing Based on Your Logistics
Beyond agronomics, the format choice affects freight cost, storage footprint, and labour. Compressed blocks and bricks ship at 10–15% of the volume of the equivalent expanded substrate—a decisive advantage when importing across long distances. Grow slabs and open top bags ship pre-filled and arrive ready to use, reducing on-site preparation but at a higher freight volume per litre of substrate.
For operations importing large volumes from India or Sri Lanka, blocks are typically the most cost-efficient format per litre of substrate delivered. For operations closer to the manufacturer, or with limited on-site preparation capability, grow slabs and open top bags provide the ready-to-plant convenience that justifies the additional freight cost.
If you are unsure which format best matches your facility, contact Rise Substrates with your crop, system type, and total annual substrate volume. We can recommend the most practical format based on your production model and shipping destination.