Went to my closest grow shop today, the plan was to get chunky perlite and a few other supplies. I'm kind of limited to what I can get locally out here in the sticks, this time of year. Does anybody with any experience using growstones have anything to say, positive or negative? Seems about the same as perlite, texture wise.
Its 100% recycled glass, so the bag mentions how no mining is involved as with other aeration amendments. Supposedly it doesn't float to the top of containers like perlite. On the bag it talks about how its good for sphagnum peat, coco coir and such. I'll be using it in peat and the grow shop guy gave a discount that only made it a few more dollars more then perlite.
I have never used it but it looks the same as perlite. That's an interesting claim on the bag "70% more aeration than perlite". I can't see that myself but I suspect it's at least equal. It must work in the same way
It also says less compaction and that the chunks don't fall apart like perlite. When i snapped a couple in half they didn't disintegrate nearly as bad. They are considerably larger pieces, even then the chunky perlite and seem more porous, larger pores anyway. Maybe that's where the claim of 70% more aeration comes from. I would say on average they're 70% larger then perlite. Guess all I can do is check them out.
You could be right there, perlite can break up, and when it does it is definitely less effective. So if this doesn't fall to bits like perlite it must be an advantage I'd like to see someone use this stuff in a hempy bucket set up. It looks like a compromise between perlite and hydroton. It may need watering more often though
The shop owner had a bunch of random plants in different "decrative hydro planters", I guess you would call them. He had replaced all the perlite he was previously using in them with growstones and said he liked it better so far. Talked about how it didn't clog up the pumps like perlite.