So I got a small bag of basalt rock dust for my next mix and this is what came in the mail: I have only used Azomite thus far, which has been a complete powder. So I'm a bit surprised that what was advertised as "rock dust" seems like more of a mix of dust and gravel. Is this what I should expect from rock dusts that aren't Azomite?
I think it is micro fines. Not 100% sure even so Brit blend shouldn’t look like it was shoveled from my drive way
That is not rock DUST. Rock dust should have the consistency of flour with no discernable particles bigger than a grain of dust. If this was sold as "rock dust" its a scam. Edit: it does look like basalt though, basalt is a uniform gray in color.
Here is a mound of basalt rock dust and what it should look like. This is where I get mine, from a basalt quarry in my area. Notice how the particles are small enough to blow in the wind.
In all fairness, the picture in the Amazon listing shows pretty close to what you got. Try to find the basaltic rock dust manufactured by Cascade Minerals if you can.
While I agree, Chunk, I made the assumption that what I got would be more dust, less gravel. And as someone whose never ordered this before I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect! Lesson learned... Sent from my iPhone using Grasscity Forum
If I could make a suggestion, when you order next, try a small bag of Greensand. Used granite for years since the whole region seems to be solid granite. But it weathers so slowly as does basalt. Jersey Greensand is more of a sandstone and weathers much faster, relatively. No RD is really fast, except, perhaps Azomite (which is actually a clay), but, being marine based it is very rich in K and compliments kelp meal as a slow release. Google Greensand and get way more information than I can provide, especially the benefits it brings to the table. HTH Wet
Thanks for the advice, Wet! Is greensand a good substitute for rock dust, in your opinion? Or do you still recommend rock dust in addition? I like the idea of “small bags” as I do not have a large grow and the 30-50lb bags of rock dust are SO much more than I need!!! Sent from my iPhone using Grasscity Forum
@Cthulhu23 I'm sorry to hear you weren't satisfied with your purchase. We do offer multiple grades of basalt from multiple manufactures to suit everyone's needs. We carry the basalt you purchased for two reasons. One, it's local and two this texture works best when building soil due to the different particle sizes. We do offer the brix blend basalt from Rock Dust Local and a glacial rock dust, both of which are powdered. Customer service is always a priority for us so please send us an email at support@buildasoil.com and we can switch you out to a different product or provide a refund.