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growing medium


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Old 03-15-2010, 09:41 AM
BIGCREW BIGCREW is offline
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Default growing medium

newbi here and I am just getting started in hydroponics,so I have many questions.so my first question is has anyone ever used fish tank gravel as a growing medium,I cant find hydroton in my area and shipping is to exspensive.the gravel I have was used in a fish tank it is natual with no color,it looks just like river rock but is about a 1/4 to 1/2 inches in diameter thanks in advance

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Old 03-15-2010, 10:12 AM
driver594 driver594 is offline
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Default river rock

Yes gravel works well, I use river rock (dime size) from my local feed/ seed but Wally world has same just about $1 a bag more. Be sure to wash well to remove dirt before adding to your system.
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Old 03-15-2010, 04:43 PM
GpsFrontier GpsFrontier is offline
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the gravel I have was used in a fish tank it is natual with no color,it looks just like river rock but is about a 1/4 to 1/2 inches in diameter
Ya, you can use almost anything for growing medium as long as it does not affect the pH or add nutrients to the solution. Each type of growing medium has its own set of pros and cons. The big con with rock is it's not porous, so it cant absorb air or water. Depending on the size, the air probably wont be a factor because there will be enough space (but not too much) between the rocks for air. But because the rocks cant hold moisture you will probably need to water more frequently (but not for long periods), mostly depending on your setup, type of plants and temperatures. In the case of drip systems, you may want a continuous (rather than on/off) flow dripping because the water does not submerge the roots like in a flood and drain system. That would likely suffocate the roots if submerged for long periods of time. It will probably take you a little time to observe everything and to dial it all in just right, but should not be a problem.

P.S. After washing the rock, I would also sanitize it by soaking it in bleach water for an hour (or boiling water for 20 min). Then wash off the bleach water thoroughly.
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Old 03-23-2010, 11:41 AM
sh4dowman sh4dowman is offline
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Another newbie question here

Are (any of) the following grow / starter media reusable? (after sanitizing the media with bleach/water solution)

- Coconut Coir
- LECA (Hydroton or clay balls)
- Perlite
- Rockwool
- Oasis

How about disposing of the media?
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Old 03-23-2010, 03:32 PM
GpsFrontier GpsFrontier is offline
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Originally Posted by sh4dowman View Post
Another newbie question here

Are (any of) the following grow / starter media reusable? (after sanitizing the media with bleach/water solution)

- Coconut Coir
- LECA (Hydroton or clay balls)
- Perlite
- Rockwool
- Oasis

How about disposing of the media?
The only reusable one on this list is the "Hydroton", everything else will be two hard to separate the organic material (roots) from. If any dead organic material is left in it, it will decompose in your system. Bleach water will sanitize, but it wont get rid of the dead organic material. As far as disposing of the media any trash can will do, or if you have one your compost pile. The roots will decompose, the growing media wont. The growing medium wont hurt anything, it will just add aeration (like peat moss) to the soil.
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Old 03-23-2010, 10:11 PM
Luches Luches is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sh4dowman View Post
Another newbie question here

Are (any of) the following grow / starter media reusable? (after sanitizing the media with bleach/water solution)

- Coconut Coir
- LECA (Hydroton or clay balls)
- Perlite
- Rockwool
- Oasis

How about disposing of the media?
Coconut Coir (which actually is a general term) decomposes slowly but surely and completely, depending on it's fiber content. Coconut coir is not reusable for conventional hydroponics but a good aditive for compost or organic substrates. It is actually and perfectly reusable in "drip to waste" hydroponics, though.

Hydroton has the main advantage to be reusable in any way.

Oasis cubes are from synthetic material and (obviously) said by the manufacturer to not be reusable or compostable.

Perlite can be reused, especially when used for seedlings and easy to clean. Perlite can also be a great substrate additive with potting ground.

Rockwool is recommended by most manufacturers to be thoroughly rinsed of any organic material and to be reused.

I have used all of them - and as far as I am concerned and in my practice, none of them except synthetic material will go into any trash can. Btw: I only use rock wool for cloning ,and any synthetic material is used very sparingly, - in fact for occasional testing purposes only.

PS: for some people hydroponics is seen and practiced as a clean or even "sterile art". But that is only one way of seeing and doing it. I am doing hydroponics with semi-organic media and high bacterial activity (even inoculation), organic decomposition, even room for some algae and use and build-up of organic material since years and am rather successful. If doing so, slightly different roles and ways of doing apply for sure, but I believe they are closer to nature and have less of that "lab atmosphere" many hydroponic setups and their respective owners reflect.

Last edited by Luches; 03-23-2010 at 10:14 PM.
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Old 03-23-2010, 10:38 PM
GpsFrontier GpsFrontier is offline
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Oasis cubes are from synthetic material and (obviously) said by the manufacturer to not be reusable or compostable.
Ya, I forgot that oasis is supposed to be a type of foam, that wouldn't decompose in a compost pile.

As far as perlite, unless they are small tiny plants that the entire root system comes out when you pull it up, leaving nothing behind, good luck cleaning it. I also have no idea how you are supposes to rinse the root systems out of rockwool. Unless you shred it up into tiny pieces, but even then you'll never be able to completely separate the rockwool from the roots. Just not worth the time and effort to me to even try. Oasis and rockwool have the same type of structure, and if you were able to wash/rinse the roots out of roockwool, you should be able to do the same with oasis.
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Old 03-23-2010, 11:16 PM
Luches Luches is offline
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I believe this is not a matter of argumentation or rhetorical comparisons but of simple facts:

Rockwool slabs and bricks ARE successfully used several times by many professional growers. Simply let them dry out and sterilize them as they are with hydrogen peroxide and dry again - then reuse.

As for Perlite you also dry out the whole clod with everything. The roots will shrink when drying. When completely dry, shake well and there you have it separated much easier. Do not separate all micro particles of organic matter and fibers from Perlite but only sieve the dusty and fine parts out - then sterilize it all with hydrogen peroxide and reuse (preferably for seedlings or fast growing crops, may indeed be a hint here).To whom ever this still seems troublesome, simply use Perlite in your potting substrate or in drip to waste. It's anyways a good idea to have some robust and forgiving plants growing in "drip to waste" to be fed with used nutrients, instead of depleting them.

And here you have got an ecological, fully functional, practicable and plausible way to go.
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Old 03-24-2010, 12:12 AM
GpsFrontier GpsFrontier is offline
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I believe this is not a matter of argumentation or rhetorical comparisons but of simple facts:
There is no argumentation or rhetorical comparisons.
Quote:
Rockwool slabs and bricks ARE successfully used several times by many professional growers. Simply let them dry out and sterilize them as they are with hydrogen peroxide and dry again - then reuse.
Sure that would keep the slabs in tact, and sterilize the rockwool, but it still wont dissolve and wash away all the roots that are embedded in it. Also the cost of the Hydrogen Peroxide needed, using full strength (3%) to saturate a lot of rockwool could be costly, bleach would likely be more cost effective for sterilization. Not that it can't be done, but it wont be a fresh clean product again no mater how you try. Just a simple fact. And again, you should be able to use the same process with oasis.
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As for Perlite you also dry out the whole clod with everything. The roots will shrink when drying. When completely dry, shake well and there you have it separated much easier. Do not separate all micro particles of organic matter and fibers from Perlite but only sieve the dusty and fine parts out - then sterilize it all with hydrogen peroxide and reuse (preferably for seedlings or fast growing crops, may indeed be a hint here).
Sure if you don't mind a lot of as you say "micro particles of organic matter" left mixed in. I was referring to cleaning the material. If you wanted you could do the same with coco chips/fiber also. I am not saying that it's 100% not reusable, just not 100% cleanable without too much labor.
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Old 03-24-2010, 03:01 AM
Luches Luches is offline
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The question was if, and how to reuse these growing mediums. I guess I gave explanations and advice if and how to do so with each of them. I believe the explanations are correct, plausible and helpful as they are and don't need any hairsplitting like that.
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Old 03-24-2010, 04:08 AM
GpsFrontier GpsFrontier is offline
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Originally Posted by Luches View Post
The question was if, and how to reuse these growing mediums. I guess I gave explanations and advice if and how to do so with each of them. I believe the explanations are correct, plausible and helpful as they are and don't need any hairsplitting like that.
Well you understand the question a little different than I do, and I understand that your not real concerned with practicing the as you say "clean or even "sterile art"" and that you look at hydroponics with "semi-organic" practice. That's fine, there is always room for other points of view in my book, I may even practice that in the future. I'm not saying the info is incorrect, just that there is both good and bad about it.

Someone asking that question is new to hydroponics, and they will likely want to eliminate as many problems as they can. I am not trying to argue, I just want to make sure that anyone reading the thread will have all the facts, not just one side of them. Then they can make the best decision for their situation. Also keep in mind that many people read the threads, NOT just the ones posting in it, or even registered as users in the forum. More people read the threads than are even registered on the site, and most of those people are just looking into hydroponics. They should be able to be aware of both sides of the coin, so they can make the best decision for them. And that goes for any thread in this forum.
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Old 03-24-2010, 04:23 AM
Luches Luches is offline
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No thanks - let it be!
I have been clearly differentiating between clean and dirty. And every single hint I have suggested can be used as stand alone, ONE by ONE either by pros or newbies, without any of your accessory comments. Full stop!
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Old 03-24-2010, 04:27 AM
GpsFrontier GpsFrontier is offline
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No thanks - let it be!
I have been clearly differentiating between clean and dirty. And every single hint I have suggested can be used as stand alone, ONE by ONE either by pros or newbies, without any of your accessory comments. Full stop!
I don't agree, and I wasn't asking permission from your highness.

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Last edited by GpsFrontier; 03-24-2010 at 07:12 AM.
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