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Hydroton sucks!!!!
- Thread starter Smokeone1
- Start date
lava rock works just fine, ...or 3/4 inch gravel, and i mean the 3/4 inch, anything finer and you'll clog things up.
...my local growshop has replaced hydroton with growrocks which look to me just like 3/4 inch gravel but it's lighter when you heft it, like it's rock that's been baked under high heat.
anyway, like i said, lava rock or gravel work just fine and you can pick that shit up anywhere, and for pennies too.
bozo
...my local growshop has replaced hydroton with growrocks which look to me just like 3/4 inch gravel but it's lighter when you heft it, like it's rock that's been baked under high heat.
anyway, like i said, lava rock or gravel work just fine and you can pick that shit up anywhere, and for pennies too.
bozo
Can not be washed off?? What, first time use? Out of the bag new? Yeah, there is a SHIT TON of brown/red dust that needs to be dealt with. Lots of info on here about how to deal with it the first time. It's a bitch for sure. But once you get it going....a couple of rounds in, it's super easy to deal with.
I just picked up a bag of those growstones...made from recycled glass. Light as air in comparison...but out of the bag dusty also. I think it's hard to get around that!! Upon break down I found them a bit harder to separate from the roots than the hydroton. And overall not a big improvement. As I said still very dusty on first use.
Once you get by the initial cleaning...and possibly the first round with the hydroton. I don't think you will find anything easier in terms of reuse and longevity. Last time I bought a bag was so long ago...years, not sure how many, but MANY! In full disclosure I have not done gravel (seems like it would weigh a TON), nor have I checked out lava rocks.
I have a shit load of hydroton from over the years with different systems running a varying amount of rock under the plants and now just run 5.5" net pots all the way. I LOVE hydroton!! Once you get by the initial shitty job of cleaning anyway.
What other material can you recycle 100% (or damn close to it) and clean up in a 5 gal bucket with straight water mixed with H2O2 and a kitchen strainer to remove the remaining roots!! It doesn't take that long and I throw NOTHING out except water!!
Good Luck, hope you figure it out....Keep Goin
B
BasementGrower
ur right its easier .. but if u use coco .. u can take out the rootball or just rip the stem out.. use some enzymes and reuse the coco too lol.. i reuse promix soiless.. i lose maybe 10 gallons of soil per 60 1 gallon bags of soil ? .. iunno i rather soil .. i dont wana rely on power to keep my shit alive.. pumps and shit.
Hydroton is really a nearly ideal medium for plants and easy to use imo. It is highly areated and reusable for 10 plus runs. It is also heavy enough to give good support. I have used in big grows 100's of pounds at a time. Just take a bucket or barrel if your using a lot and drill a bunch of holes in the bottom. Fill with hydorton and set under a hose, in a shower, or in a bath tub and crank the water while stirring untill the water runs clear. Pre soak in ph 4.5 water(I like to use .3 ec of my nutrients as well) Add to your pots and it's ready to go. Repeat this sequence when reusing but I add a disinfection step . The only issue I've had with hydroton is slipping on the frigging ball bearings when they get spilled and I once spilled a 5 gallon bucket in a warehouse. I swear It made it to every corner of the 30x50 warehouse. Lucky it is small and light enough to suck up with a shop vac. It really does not suck...Good growing my friend.
HM
No but I like to. It limits initial ph swings in your system imo. I have done it both ways. To each his own.
HM
"hydroton sux" ,
poor tradesman blame their tools,.....
get a mixing padel for drill , and mix the shit outta it, with h20 running through it , should tcb , or use drip clean when u run hydro will prevent salt build up ,.....
TS
poor tradesman blame their tools,.....
get a mixing padel for drill , and mix the shit outta it, with h20 running through it , should tcb , or use drip clean when u run hydro will prevent salt build up ,.....
TS
EL1M1N80R
Member
I'm using GL and I amhaving nothing but problems with PH soaring.
I have washed up numerous times and it's still dirty.
Soaking it for day 2 in a water and vinegar solution, with a water pump for agitation.
Looking on the forums for advice.
I haven't used hydroton for ages but a lot of guys recommend putting it in the washing machine on a gentle cycle. If you soak it in ph neutral water what does the water test at after a couple of days?
EL1M1N80R
Member
Not to kreen running it in a washing machine. The friction will cause more residual dust and I don't want to break or clog my machine.
I ph'd at 5.8 and after one flood and 3 hours later its up a 7.0.
I washed numerous times thinking it was clean but after a vinegar soak for 24 hours obviously not. Loads of silt at the bottom.
Day 2 in a fresh vinegar soak and the water is brown. Initial PH 3.4 rising to 5.4.
I'll keep running it till the rise slows and gets smaller
Yeah, and lava rock is not much better
2 years ago I switched to polished ornamental stones from Dollar Store
Easy to remove roots, clean and reuse forever
View attachment 403166
2 years ago I switched to polished ornamental stones from Dollar Store
Easy to remove roots, clean and reuse forever
View attachment 403166
lava rock kicks ass for me. and lava adds silica to the grow helping strengthen cell walls making the plants better to fight off attacks. I use both red and black lava for different minerals they add to the grow
cm
cm
clown baby
Active member
+1 on lava rock. I think I use 5/8". Wasn't able to pick up hydroton locally so I sourced a 1/4 yard of lavarock for $25 at a landscaping place.
Heavier than hydroton, but at least it doesn't float.
Heavier than hydroton, but at least it doesn't float.
Pea gravel works fine. I used it for a while. I ran hydrotron for a while, no issues. I rinsed it in plain tap water, reused it, no problem. My only bitch was those friggin little balls ended up everywhere. Then I went medium-less and never looked back. Still finding little balls now and then after 10 years.
I heard that Dan. Over a decade since I used them and they pop up all the time. I see them in planters at a lot of public places around here too.
