If you do....do you: Use it out of the bag or mix perlite with it? Transplant new clones into it? (If so have you had any issues)
Either I'm confused, or you are my friend .. Promix is a peat-based medium i.e: it doesn't qualify as hydroponic.. Btw: Yes I have added extra perlite to some promix grows before.. Although it isn't mandatory..
Any medium can be used in a hydroponic situation. It's not the medium but the nutrient delivery system that determines that. From Miriam Webster dictionary: Full Definition of HYDROPONICS : the growing of plants in nutrient solutions with or without an inert medium (as soil) to provide mechanical support I happen to use a peat based medium, just as others use coco or hydroton etc. and feed with a nutrient solution that top feeds from a reservoir every two to three hours. The issue I am looking into is the high PPMs of the product right out of the bag due to the "starter fertilizer" added by the manufacturer (I think) I've tested runoff from a potful of Promix and found PPMs over 1000. This of course is way too strong for young clones
You're confused bud.. "(as soil)" means in place of soil.. Hydroponics: "a method of growing plants in water rather than in soil" Merriam-Webster Hydroponics: the cultivation of plants by placing the roots in liquid nutrient solutions rather than in soil; soilless growth of plants. Dictionary.reference.com Inert medias do qualify as hydroponics, such as: perlite, vermiculite, hydroton, glass growstones, even coco .. But a peat based soil does not - it impacts the environment (cation exchange) and buffers the nutrient solution. You're not going to get accurate readings from testing the run off of a peat-based soil. No, plain Promix will not burn a seedling or clone; just the opposite - you'd have deficiencies in less than a month if you didn't feed them.. There are many different types of Promix (not sure which you have), some have mycorrhizae fungi, some biofungicides/stimulants but none with major nutrients (to my knowledge). They also include lime (to counteract the peat's acidity); something with no business in a hydroponic grow.. It's counter-productive. Top feeding promix every 2-3 hours is a recipe for disaster, and will cause a lack of O2 while promoting root rot.. One purpose of hydroponics is to eliminate the dynamics involved in soils - CEC, PH Buffering etccc, and give the grower full control; along with the ability to provide large amounts of O2 and Nutrients directly to the root system. You're complicating things for yourself.. You'd be better off with hempy buckets if you're interested in passive hydroponics. I had great results with straight perlite grows.. Perlite/vermiculite is ok, but the vermiculite complicates things in terms of ph control and stability. If you need some direction I'd be happy to give you a hand...