[Smokeone1]

anything else I can use in its place? This stuff can not be washed off

[loyalty7]

growstones.....the new hydroton that is being sourced is supposedly poor quality...with alot of salts.

[Yikesy]

Gold label>>>

[justanotherbozo]

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

[Yikesy]

Hydrocorn needs to be washed too, but it is made out of heated glass, rather than volcanic material. It is a little more expensive, but that's life.

[Keep goin]

Originally Posted by Smokeone1

anything else I can use in its place? This stuff can not be washed off

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

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.

[highonmt]

Originally Posted by Smokeone1

anything else I can use in its place? This stuff can not be washed off

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

[Yikesy]

You definitely don't have to pre-soak hydroton in any PH'd corrected water. Rinse, rinse, rinse, use it.

[highonmt]

Originally Posted by Yikesy

You definitely don't have to pre-soak hydroton in any PH'd corrected water. Rinse, rinse, rinse, use it.

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