perlite for hydroponic medium?

it holds alot of water per lb of perlite. alot more than sumthing like clay balls.

u want ur system to have dry cycle and perlite would not let that happen.

 

where can clay balls be bought?

 

they can be had at any hydro store.

http://www.bghydro.com/BGH/Itemdesc.asp?ic=GMROCK10&eq=&Tp=

i think the proper name for them is sumthing like Lightweight Expanded clay aggregate.

the hold water while providing enough O2 to benefit the roots.

this is such a good product that i wouldnt go with anything else for my hydro setup.

 

what about rockwool?? could i use that in a hydro grow? because when i buy my clones they come in a little square of rockwool

 

im not sure if i would use rockwool in anything other than an ebb and flow. E&F dry out inbetween flows (that is what an ebb is). i could imagine rockwool holds too much for a bubble bucket or other 'constant' watering systems.

maybe im wrong and someone will correct me. tho, i must say that ive seen ALOT of highly sucessful clay ball hydro's.

 

Rockwool is all I use...I germinate the seeds in the small cubes and when the roots show thru I simply put that cube into a 6 inch square cube...works great...rockwool also holds air so it is almost impossible to overwater...It can be used with ebb & flow, drip(what I use)...anything really except the trough...

clay balls work good too but rockwool is the ticket imo..

 

ok, i have another question: can i put my clone(which will be in a rockwool cube) into the basket and then add some clay balls too?(for support)

the baskets i bought are 5 1/2" so to me, thats kinda big for a lil clone

 

That would work...or you could put the small rockwool in larger cubes and put clay around that...either way would be good....I just love rockwool...

 

i just bought my baskets yesterday from a local hydroponics store (try hydro stores...maybe home depot or nurseries(sp))

and is a bubble stick the same thing as a air stone?? (i didnt buy a bubble stick, but i bought airstones.....i hope it's the same thing)

 

It is...you can by a rockwool conditioner or soak them in very low ph water overnight...that is what I do...get the net baskets from any garden store...

 

air stones are fine

 

Will this wrk??????




What my hydro set consists of



1) coffie jug ( for the water)
2) ari pump
3)red party cup(holes at the boteem)
4)sponges, and airsoft bb's it what is in the red sup for it 2 grow in
5) 50/60 watt plant light


anything i should add 2 this... or just throw it away?

 

No that wont work.

A coffee jug wont be big enough and youll run out of root space

And sponges and airsoft bbs? Nope. Go for the clay aggragate.

 

All of the net pots that I have seen have slits for the roots to grow through. Perlite would fall through these slits and into your reservoir. Unless you can get some really course perlite.
You can order grow rocks from any online hydro store or buy locally. I soak my rockwool in water at about 5.8 pH.

Pigailia

 

what is the perlite ? help me ?

 

We don't have a hydroponic store here in my city, but I went to one of the more popular tattoo shops, and they had everything. So if you're having trouble finding your supplies locally, check places like that.