Alternate sources for Calcined Clay (Turface, ProChoice, etc)

[EclipseFour20]

As most of us clay users know, calcined clay sourced from Montmorillonite is the preferred choice...but difficult/pricey to obtain. The next best alternative to Montmorillonite is Bentonite, which happens to be more available and real affordable--if you know where to look.

For the past several years, my source for calcined Bentonite clay was an oil absorbent (Oil-Dri) sold at Wal-Mart for less than $5 for 25 pounds. Well, this past week I discovered that Wal-Mart will not be carrying Oil-Dri anymore....and I don't need a pallet of Turface or ProChoice (minimum order $500) so I researched a new source for calcined clay...and found one, at Walmart (lol).

In addition to oil absorbent, Oil-Dri also packages calcined clay for kitty litter (100% calcined Bentonite clay) sold under the brands: Johnny Cat, Cat's Pride and Walmart's private label "Special Kitty".

I bought a bag of Walmart Special Kitty Natural Cat Litter http://www.walmart.com/ip/Special-Kitty-Natural-Cat-Litter-25-Lb-Cats/10293705 for $3.87 (cheaper than Oil-Dri) and compared the clay with Oil-Dri; it is identical and confirmed with Oil-Dri (owned by EP Minerals) that the kitty litter is 100% calcined Bentonite clay.

I add calcined clay to my custom grow medium at the rate of around 6% or so.

Hope this helps. Cheers!

 

[growingcrazy]

You should be able to pick this up at just about any auto parts store. I was getting mine from a local O'reillys.

I would pick up a small bag to find out which one you prefer the best for your mix.

I currently use the supplier that brings it in bulk to a local machine shop. I get bags for 3.50 now through them. There are a ton of places that supply it just about everywhere, you just have to find it.

It doesn't hurt to ask some of you local industry shops where they get it from.

Peace
GC

 

[EclipseFour20]

O'reillys is special order (name, address, prepayment etc)...and it seems most oil absorbents are now a mix of clay and diatomacious earth (DE)--not 100% clay (which is used in fracking too).

Advantage of Walmart for me is....they are open 24/7 and no special order game (go to the store, buy it then come home--vs order today and pick it up next week)--and no stink eye from the auto counter guy (I am guessing that in our white neighborhood--oil absorbent is not a big mover, lol).

But auto parts stores and drilling suppliers are good sources for Bentonite clay too.

 

[VerdantGreen]

in the UK the Sophisticat Pink kitty litter is also calcined clay

 

[DixonCox]

Napa Auto Parts #8822

 

[Pangea]

There exists sodium bentonite and calcium bentonite.

Im pretty sure all kitty litter bentonite is c.bentonite, but well drillers use s.bentonite.

Not sure if there would be a difference in their effect or not, but just a heads up...

Anyone adding non-calcined clay to their soil as well?

 

[bigshrimp]

I feed some local clay in little sprinkles to the worms.

Anbody have leads on zeolite clinoptilolite?

 

[Pangea]

I purchased some zeolite from A.C. Carbone in Canada, it was called Zeosorb-1440, a googling gave this result, http://www.zeosorb.com/ but not sure if its the same. It was pricey, $70/50lb's I do not have the records of what % I used it at.

 

[captinahab]

Thanks for the tip. I went and picked up a bag to add per 100 gallon smart pot . Saved me $20 off what i had picked out to use.

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[captinahab]

I just used it as a top dress and added some gypsum. I put it under the leaves. It should melt in in a few waterings.

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[captinahab]

After i used 6 gallons to water each plant i had to use another 4 gallons to make sure all the clay was moist and diddnt suck out moisture to the plant. If i was smart i would have let it soak overnight before adding. I added 1/3 cup gypsum on top of the leaves that will get watered in over the next few waterings too.

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[captinahab]

Church and AMS i hope they enjoy the clay

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[xxxstr8edgexxx]

what about the fresh scent aspect. thats pretty sick but maybe it just rinses out. whats your experience with the fragrance.

 

[EclipseFour20]

Scentless is the best! That god for walmart, steady supply of kitty litter 24/7.

 

[xxxstr8edgexxx]

i find cats and their litter repulsive.

 

[EclipseFour20]

Yep, but when you discover that a company (Oil-Dri, one of the kings in the clay industry) packages the IDENTICAL product in two bags...one says "Oil Absorbent" and the other says "Kitty Litter", you say hmmmm. Then when you discover the "kitty Litter" is much cheaper and easier to obtain than "Oil Absorbent"...you say hmmmm. Then when you remember, 100% clay is 100% clay....you say hmmmm.

http://oildri.com/consumer/index.html

BTW, I called the company and they verified they have been the packager of Walmart's Special Kitty for over a dozen years.

 

[Mikell]

Hmmmm

 

[Miraculous Meds]

Yep, but when you discover that a company (Oil-Dri, one of the kings in the clay industry) packages the IDENTICAL product in two bags...one says "Oil Absorbent" and the other says "Kitty Litter", you say hmmmm. Then when you discover the "kitty Litter" is much cheaper and easier to obtain than "Oil Absorbent"...you say hmmmm. Then when you remember, 100% clay is 100% clay....you say hmmmm.

http://oildri.com/consumer/index.html

BTW, I called the company and they verified they have been the packager of Walmart's Special Kitty for over a dozen years.

That's weird, I thought that kitty litter was more expensive than oil dry? Any way looks like u guys are using this for an amendment?

I used it as a 100% of my medium in place of turface or napa 8822 which I believe is basically DE. I found that using it only, it breaks down too much, causing no or low aeration by itself, and the plants did poorly and I culled them. One plant I added rice hulls to, to aerate it and it worked well till half way through harvest and then started to fail cause I believe it broke down too much causing roots to drown.

 

[Miraculous Meds]

By the way almost every store around me that sells oil and things like that, sells a bag of oil dry. they are usually 4 to 7 bucks a bag, and most say they are fullers earth from that same mont? company.

 

[stoned-trout]

good find... I need some to build my soil ...thanks its on my list now...