what is your easiest way to wash hydroton?
- Thread starter flyer
- Start date
A lot of folks say you should let your 'ton dry out after a grow before you clean it, but I don't think this is the best method. It's what I usually do, in fact I just finished doing a few buckets worth, but I think I'm going to do it in stages next time. When the root masses have dried out, they fall apart making them a PITA to separate from the 'ton. When they're wet, they separate easily. I haven't noticed the root penetration into the balls the way someone pointed out above, but assuming that's true, it's still easier to do the initial separation right after harvest. Then you just have a small fraction of the mass to deal with later once they've dried. Once they've dried, you can shake most of the remaining mass out.
flyer
Member
i dont know where you at, probably in the uk where there is not much shipping and tossing around the bag to shake up any sands.. but the one i buy here, at the end of the every bag, there is at least one hand full of chipped, red/ black small rocks like sands.
Agree, i used to let it sit after cuts and wait for everything to dry out. but then.. they seem to be so hard and pointless hours to separate the roots and clean the bottom half of the bucket of tons' attaching roots i just toss the whole thing away.
thats why i think DWC using wayyy less tons' are a easier way to grow. but that has its down side also...
G
greenmatter
i have been growing in the same hydroton for years. remove roots, rinse and sterilize with h2o2 every cycle. works great. BUT nutrients do precipitate. one of the books i have says these form "essentially as a combination of calcium phosphate and calcium sulphate,which can also trap other elements, mainly the micronutrients." the book goes on to say that, " although this precipitate is essentially insoluble, portions can become soluble, which will then contribute to the essential element supply being delivered to the roots." my concern would be that Ca and K can lock each other out at high concentration ( i don't know the exact numbers on that). the books i have read say this precipitate can be washed out with acid solutions but they do not get any more specific than that.
does anyone have any more info, or better yet first hand experience with this ? has anyone found another thread that gets deeper into this subject ?
does anyone have any more info, or better yet first hand experience with this ? has anyone found another thread that gets deeper into this subject ?
flyer
Member
interesting green, i have some h202 solutions too and i did not know it can be use like that.
i always thought using physan20 was the way.. wonder if anyone on here has any 1st hang experience......
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greenmatter
i actually use physan to sterilize just about everything else in the grow room. never thought to use it on rocks. DUH! on my part. thanks for the mental shove flyer it may save me a mad dash to the grow store next time i run out of peroxide. sharing ideas helps us all gain a little altitude. PEACE.
that's my way tooI wash them a lot of times in the bathtub and the last one using pH'ed water.Then let them soak in dwc bucket for a day or two,and then they're ready to use.
Next time,after cleaned from the roots,just wash with h2o2 and then with pH'ed water.
Let me say that hydroton are good if you're going to grow big plants,because they oppose more resistance than rockwool when plants move.If you grow big plant in RW probably it will bend itself...and then you need to fix it.With hydroton this is not a real problem,plants move a little but they remain stable.
However this is only what I saw in different growroom...I never used RW as main medium.
use too get herbs from a guy that ran BIG...batches of Hydroton......
he took the wifes old washing machine............
and filled w/ hydro........1/4 c bleach......and washes on delicate cycle twice............
then spins on low.......for one extra cycle........followed by one more rinse and spin........workz G8t......
scuffs up the inside of the machine BUT.....who cares itz a old machine....in the barn...............
works well for BIG volume.........................
he took the wifes old washing machine............
and filled w/ hydro........1/4 c bleach......and washes on delicate cycle twice............
then spins on low.......for one extra cycle........followed by one more rinse and spin........workz G8t......
scuffs up the inside of the machine BUT.....who cares itz a old machine....in the barn...............
works well for BIG volume.........................
Been using the same hydroton for 15+ years. Much success using old laundry baskets with small holes in the sides. Fill it, put it in the shower....let uber hot water do the job. I'll also agitate periodically and spray the hydroton with bleach and peroxide alternatingly. I'll keep hitting the stuff until there's no more roots, nasties or other suspicious matter. Afterwards I let it dry in the same container and re-use as necessary.
Hydroton is the only medium I use (unless starting seeds). If my yields are hypothetically supposed to be lower because of salt accumulation, I haven't seen evidence of that. Nor have I seen evidence of disease or other problems resulting from the continued use.
Hydroton is the only medium I use (unless starting seeds). If my yields are hypothetically supposed to be lower because of salt accumulation, I haven't seen evidence of that. Nor have I seen evidence of disease or other problems resulting from the continued use.
D
darkhorse
get a 44 gallon garbage bin at home depot fill it up with water and pour pellets in there... keep mixing em and re do it with fresh water if need it.. till water is clean
hope this helps.. lit as shit.. first smoke of my black widow haven't smoked good home grown in forever.
hope this helps.. lit as shit.. first smoke of my black widow haven't smoked good home grown in forever.
I have been using my hydroton for as long a as I can remember growing, started in 96'. All I do is put it in the washing machine and add some hydrogen peroxide(30%). If for some reason the pellets are extra scuzzy, Just throw it on for another 10 minute agitation. Seriously folks this IS the easiest way to deal with em. This also makes the beginning problem of have to rinse the hydroton of the clay dust much easier, a couple quick 5 minute runs and they're ready to roll.
Good luck, peace
Good luck, peace
I used clay pebs for years pain in the ass, its not so bad if you only have a few pots to clean every 8-10 weeks, but for SOG where you have a table full of the shit its a lot of work.
I now use rockwool it costs a few pence a cube, 64 x 3" cubes are delivered in a small box thats about 12inches x 12" the cost per cube is 23p
I soke cubes in PH 5 water for an hour then plant = simple no messing about sterile right out the box! once the grow is done let them dry out put them in the box they come in and throw them out. NO big bags of pebbles to clean anymore
23p x 64cubes= saves your back + more time on your hands to do other things
I now use rockwool it costs a few pence a cube, 64 x 3" cubes are delivered in a small box thats about 12inches x 12" the cost per cube is 23p
I soke cubes in PH 5 water for an hour then plant = simple no messing about sterile right out the box! once the grow is done let them dry out put them in the box they come in and throw them out. NO big bags of pebbles to clean anymore
23p x 64cubes= saves your back + more time on your hands to do other things
are you using the same washing machine you do for laundry?
Dump 12 10" net pots worth of hydroton into a 27 gallon tote
cover with water and add 150 ml bleach
stir it up and let it sit overnight
Next day scoop onto 1/4" screen that fits into a 27 gallon tote that drains
Use hose with nozzle to blast away any remaining root material
Final rinse as you scoop back into 10" net pots ready for the next run.
The alternate process to the above is to put George on the payroll...
he loves cleaning the hydroton
Be kind to the planet. Recycle your hydroton !
cover with water and add 150 ml bleach
stir it up and let it sit overnight
Next day scoop onto 1/4" screen that fits into a 27 gallon tote that drains
Use hose with nozzle to blast away any remaining root material
Final rinse as you scoop back into 10" net pots ready for the next run.
The alternate process to the above is to put George on the payroll...
he loves cleaning the hydroton
Be kind to the planet. Recycle your hydroton !
