Sunleaves Rocks vs Hydroton

[Str8Dank]

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Sunleaves Rocks are a reusable growing medium with serious H20-holding power for use in any kind of garden. They're made by superheating shale to temperatures up to 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit, rendering them pH-neutral and chemically inert. Gardeners can make their lives a little easier, take care of their plants, and take it easy on the planet when they grow with the rock that doesn't roll! Mined and manufactured in the United States.


anyone tired these? how do they compare to hydroton?

here are the benefits i can see although i have not tried them yet but a buddy just put them in his Ebb and Grow.

• heavier! a bag is over 60lbs. more weight means plants stand up without support better.
• Cheaper
• the shape and porus exterior makes me think they will retain more solution after a drain
• CHEAPER!
• cleaner - very easy to clean for the first time unlike hydroton, also reported by store owner to be easier to clean after a cycle
• dont roll around when you spill a few!

just looking for some feedback from someone who has used them especially in a ebb and flow setup. any input from guru's who have not used them is always welcomed as well but please state if you have used them or not!

i've posted this on every board already and not a single user report! someone has to have used these damn things!

 

[Str8Dank]

come on no one? man i have this same thread up on like a million sites and a few people have said they are interested as well but i have yet to find a single person say they have used these. dude at the store said they have been out like a year and that he has ran with them and talked a buddy into running them instead of hydroton. they look promising to me so i'm just looking for a little feedback before i risk my entire harvest to them lol. i know they will work just wondering any pros or cons.

 

[Cutty]

On a million sites, and this is the first I have heard of this product.

wow

 

[Young Pumpkin]

Well I got a thought, if its inert, it ought to work. I run pea gravel my self tho someone just gave me some Hydroton (?) I started with some recently but it gave me a strange feeling so I started mixing in some pea gravel to give the roots a bit more something to hold on to. I just cant pay for that H stuff, its too expensive. Pea gravel is heavy too but seems easier to clean up. Just looked..............this stuff is expensive too, guess I'll pass. Oh, I'm an old dirt guy just trying out DWC side by side. Still trying new things for a change, getting tired of soil less.....

 

[Mile Hi Dave]

I use em...check my E&G llink in my signature...

 

[Mile Hi Dave]

The rocks are great....I think better than Hydroton. I have used it...here's what I noticed:

Hydroton is round and has no place for water to "pool". Yes it's clay and holds moisture - not the same.

I don't clean my medium anymore...I throw it away. My back just can't handle fucking with it. I have cleaned both and they are both a PIA.

You can definately run amultiple strains on the same system...Make sure ea of the varying strains are under their own lites (for canopy purposes). I don't think the system can handle more than 30-36 at a time, especially our wonderful plant, as they drink alot in flower.

Don't hesitate to ask any questions you may have about the system or the medium...

 

[Str8Dank]

dave i really appreciate the feedback! I've been running the ebb and grow for some time and i have actually setup others for people as well. helped lots of people online make the decision to pick one up and troubleshoot for people as well. i appreciate the offer of assistance and actually do have a question regarding the system no one has successfully answered.

with 12 pots and 24 i had no fill issues. now with mu current configuration of 30 pots 5 on each of the six outlets of the controller the furthest ones never seem to fill up more then about 1/2 as much as the closest ones.

floor is level
tried elevating the controller to the point of flood for experimenting purposes
increased fill time to 45 minutes for experimenting purposes.

does it just take too long to ever balance out the furthest buckets due to the restriction of the hose size, feet of hose and number of buckets? all brand new fittings and hoses cut to exact length stretched tight with zero clogs or kinks and since day one I've noticed this. furthest bucket is no more then 25 feet away from controller taking all hose and buckets between controller and furthest bucket into consideration.

 

[Str8Dank]

Well I got a thought, if its inert, it ought to work. I run pea gravel my self tho someone just gave me some Hydroton (?) I started with some recently but it gave me a strange feeling so I started mixing in some pea gravel to give the roots a bit more something to hold on to. I just cant pay for that H stuff, its too expensive. Pea gravel is heavy too but seems easier to clean up. Just looked..............this stuff is expensive too, guess I'll pass. Oh, I'm an old dirt guy just trying out DWC side by side. Still trying new things for a change, getting tired of soil less.....

yeah it's obvious to me it will work this is hydroponics the mediums main function is to retain some solution, provide darkness, and create a anchor for the plant. the main factors listed are obvious without even touching these things

• they will retain some solution
• light will not penetrate them, they are rocks
• they will create a place for the roots to anchor thus holding up the plant

being inert inst even relevant rockwool and coco are not inert and not only do they work they are HIGHLY popular with many successful grows! i just want to know who has used it and any pros or cons over hydroton. with my whole crop on the line i over analyze EVERYTHING and everything is a big deal to me lol.

thanks for the input

 

[BigForest]

are those the big rocks your using in your 3k thread now MHD?

 

[Mile Hi Dave]

dave i really appreciate the feedback! I've been running the ebb and grow for some time and i have actually setup others for people as well. helped lots of people online make the decision to pick one up and troubleshoot for people as well. i appreciate the offer of assistance and actually do have a question regarding the system no one has successfully answered.

with 12 pots and 24 i had no fill issues. now with mu current configuration of 30 pots 5 on each of the six outlets of the controller the furthest ones never seem to fill up more then about 1/2 as much as the closest ones.

floor is level
tried elevating the controller to the point of flood for experimenting purposes
increased fill time to 45 minutes for experimenting purposes.

does it just take too long to ever balance out the furthest buckets due to the restriction of the hose size, feet of hose and number of buckets? all brand new fittings and hoses cut to exact length stretched tight with zero clogs or kinks and since day one I've noticed this. furthest bucket is no more then 25 feet away from controller taking all hose and buckets between controller and furthest bucket into consideration.

I haven't had issues of this typ...however I am only running 24 pots. However, I do run the system on a 1/2 hr on 2 1/2 off schedule and I have had no issues whatsoever....it takes them longer to fill and longer to drain....

are those the big rocks your using in your 3k thread now MHD?

Yes...I am currently using the rocks...

 

[aligee]

just recently picked some up for a single dwc bucket for kicks want to see if it can provide a haven for beneficials aka biobucket of sort these are very porous from my understanding seems perfect for the occasion... good luck !!!

 

[Iron Lungs]

i use the rocks myself and really like them! the good thing about the rocks over hydroton is they have natural nutes in them where as the hydroton dosent

 

[Mile Hi Dave]

i use the rocks myself and really like them! the good thing about the rocks over hydroton is they have natural nutes in them where as the hydroton dosent

"Natural" nutes??? No...they are inert and have no "nutritional" value....not even minerals

You want a medium that YOU control...the closer you can get to a medium that has absolutely 0 value, the better off you are...no different than water...RO is also known as "dead" water...it PH's at 7 (neutral) and, if you have a good system, has .05PPM or less...no minerals etc...

This is actually why people have to use CalMag when using RO'd water.