Hydroton or Lava Rock

[Guest]

I guess the bottom line is, how you prep your substrate prior to using it... As for PH and other variables, it's up to us as growers to keep an eye on our gardens fluctuations [the Devil's always in the details Especially when Murphy comes a callin'].

Paz y mas

 

[Guest]

Anybody tried mixing both hydroton and lava? Krusty claims the lava holds in nutes better than hydroton, and I'm thinking about mixin' the two in my buckets...

cg

 

[guineapig]

i want to check out that higromite too.....i hear it is good stuff....

i filled a cup with that Sunleaves Silica Stone and poured water on it just to experiment and it kept making this "snap crackle pop" sound like Rice Krispies in milk. Those rocks absorbed water like a sponge!! When i drained the water it kept turning the water cloudy and this persisted even though i washed the rocks several times. So I used these rocks at the bottom like TK says to do with lava rocks even though the packaging and directions seem to advise using them as a top dressing.....not sure about pH shifts with these Sunleaves Silica Stones......

Nobody has thought about Zeolites and Zeoponix?
http://www.cycletrol.com/tech.html
The physical structure and ion-adsorption properties of Zeolites
prevent pH shifts and problems with nutrient-availability.........

-gp out

 

[00420]

hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm]

sounds like we need a 4 way test..........

i have allways used 100% perlite......

the past month i been veging with hydroton and been debating on lava or hydroton...............


maybe all brake this this 48 bucket system ( 2 rez's ) n go 4.

let me see if i can get Higromite. if so

all do
1 Higromite
2 hydroton
3 lava
4 50/50 lava/hydrotone

if not all keep to n do a lava vs. hydroton

then the winner put up on a 50/50 mix

 

[Skunkmasterflex]

Hi all,

I've been using Hydroton pain in the ass pebbles for a few grow's and been thinking about using a coco coir/pebble mix (70/30) ,does any one have any experience with coco in a re-circulating drip sysytem?

 

[00420]

Hi all,

I've been using Hydroton pain in the ass pebbles for a few grow's and been thinking about using a coco coir/pebble mix (70/30) ,does any one have any experience with coco in a re-circulating drip sysytem?

no i dont but i was thinking it might be in thre runner up for my test cuz i can get it and dont think i can get the Higromite. ( at lest not right away)

 

[GeZys]

In terms of height and weight, how big of a plant can you grow using lava rock in a bucket with an 8" or 10" net pot? I would appreciate anyone's input. Thanks.

 

[KEM]

Skunkmaster- yup.. I just finished a run of coir/rock. Its more forgiving than the lava, but the growth rates cannot compare. Its back to lava this run for me. The key with coir/rock is geting the feed times down, as it can easily be overwatered.
GeZys- You can grow huge plants in them net pots filled with lava if you tie them up before they start getting heavy. I have grown 5 foot trees in 10" net pots of lava, but they definitely need some top support.
peace

 

[GeZys]

KEM,
Don't mean to sound stupid, but, tie them up how? What did you yield on a 5ft. tree?

 

[Guest]

I've been thinkin of doing a coco/hydroton mix. Any truth in that some of the finer particle coco such as Botanicare's holds lots of water and don't drain well while other brands with larger particles drain waaaay faster?

I would think that this would be a big factor in how often you would water

 

[Skunkmasterflex]

Just found this, CoCo Coir Husk Chips

http://www.greeneem.com/neembiopots.htm


The Husk of the CoConut is shredded in to small pieces to obtain CoCo Coir husk Chips. It can be used as growing medium, potting medium, soil conditioner, and as mulch.
The CoCo Coir husks are available in different sizes .
The CoCo Coir husk chips are shipped in slightly compressed Bales.

This stuff look's good for outdoor use aswell

GreeNeem Coir has remarkable water retention values (up to 700%)

It's pre-treated with neem oil.

GreeNeem Coir compost is very slow to disintegrate, where as peat breaks down within two years of application to soil, GreeNeem coir compost only begins to break down when it is 8 years old. This alone makes it attractive as a soil conditioner.

GreeNeem Coir is a rapidly renewable product, whereas peat takes many centuries to form out of organic waste. Remove peat and you produce an environmental problem.

GreeNeem Coir compost has high nutrient retain capacity. Pot grown tomatoes (75% soil and 25% GreeNeem Coir) yielded 65% more than tomatoes potted in 100% soil. GreeNeem Coir can be effectively recycled as a potting medium for vegetables and flower cultivation.

GreeNeem Coir Eliminates or reduces the need to use harmful pesticide sprays.

GreeNeem Coir has its own Systematic pesticide.

GreeNeem Coir Contains slow release Organic Fertilizer (GreeNeem Cakes).

GreeNeem Coir has remarkable powers of porosity (up to 75%)

GreeNeem Coir has remarkable water retention values (up to 700%)

GreeNeem Coir reduces watering schedules by up to (65%)

GreeNeem Coir pH is neutral (6- 7), and has a natural low CF value

GreeNeem Coir is rapidly renewable and yet very slow to breakdown (Eco Friendly)

GreeNeem Coir has tremendous potential for improving survival, increasing growth and considerably reducing the cost of raising all plants, vegetables, shrubs and trees.

GreeNeem-Coir is free from pathogens, weed seeds and toxins.

http://www.greeneem.com/neemcoir.htm.

 

[highonthechroni]

hydroton definately. add perlite to hydroton/coir mixes.

peace

 

[KEM]

geZys- By tieing them up, I mean that once you have a large plant... say 3-4' tall when u flip.. they stretch so your plant is now 5-6'when finished. After about 2 weeks of 12/12 the bud sites will have set in and the branches will begin to droop. this is when you want to tie the branches up to prevent the weight of the large colas from snapping a stalk. Tieing keeps stress off your plant and will allow the plant to grow larger buds, while keeping it upright. 2-3lbs off a single plant is not unheard of if enviromental conditions are in check and you have the right strain.
peace

 

[Guest]

Lots of info in that post skunkmaster. That Geen Neem sounds like it would hold too much water for a drip hydro set up. A faster draining, less water retention coir would allow for more frequent waterings... a good thing. I've heard that b'cuzz is a good one. Also Royal Gold but I have not found a lot of info on this one.

 

[BluntItUp]

For tree growing I would use lava rocks. Dont know why, but they have explosive growth. I know a few people that used hydroton and coco mix and are switching back to lava rock. (This is for growing tree)

 

[Guest]

I've heard and seen for myself the same results Blunt. Lava rocks do work alot better for trees. I plan on using the large rocks for my bucket system with trees.
Great Thread

 

[Mad HattersWrld]

coco\ big perlite can't see a how anything can match it

 

[OgreSeeker]

The threads I like...Oldie but goodie.
One thing that no one has mentioned in the debate between Hydroton and Lava rock is

1. Ease of access.

2. Cost difference.

I think the consensus is that Lava rocks are just as good as Hydroton to use as a medium.
If this is the case then Lava rock wins hands down because unlike Hydroton,
lava rock is easy to get, is less than half the price of Hydroton and can support any size plant (from small plants to trees).

Cost of Hydroton at my local hydro store : $29.95 for a 50 liter bag.
Cost of Lava rock at my local home improvement store: $3.38 per 14 liter bag.


Total cost for 50 liters

Hydroton: $29.95
Lava Rock - $12.00

 

[ureapwhatusow]

hydroton...because the sharp edges of the lava can damage fine roots.

took the words right out of my mouth

 

[humble1]

higromite/dyna-rok/whatever
is really the best solution.
it is the most expensive, however.
no damaging fragile root system
no rolling cornballs to step on
it absorbs liquid and gets heavy as a mother
if you keep the top layer dry you'll never get any root or water-borne pests.

peace, love & coco