How much perlite is too much perlite?

PhoenixFlower · Nov 9, 2022

I'm thinking about using some perlite in my next grow, but I'm not sure how much. Is there a limit to how much perlite can be used in your grow?

BehindEnemyLines · Nov 9, 2022

I like around 1/3 perlite, 2/3 soil personally.

I’m sure others will vary and it really depends on your climate/indoor setup.

Anthem · Nov 9, 2022

PhoenixFlower said:
I'm thinking about using some perlite in my next grow, but I'm not sure how much. Is there a limit to how much perlite can be used in your grow?

What is your goal with more perlite?

PhoenixFlower · Nov 9, 2022

Anthem said:
What is your goal with more perlite?

Better airflow/more drainage.

I'm just about done my first grow, and many mistakes were made. Primarily my chosen medium. I intend to rectify the mistakes I made for the next grow.

I used PROMIX herb and veg. mix and the soil stayed wet for an extremely long period of time and I feel like it prolonged my growing time. I don't want to make this mistake again so I'm going to use a different PROMIX this time around and supplement it with additional perlite.

ComfortablyNumb · Nov 9, 2022

I like about 15% perlite.
The real question here is how are you watering? If you have the proper drainage in your pots it should not stay wet long enough to cause issues.

PhoenixFlower · Nov 9, 2022

ComfortablyNumb said:
I like about 15% perlite.
The real question here is how are you watering? If you have the proper drainage in your pots it should not stay wet long enough to cause issues.

Trust me, it stays wet. It's not a very good medium lol.

I water until runoff, 5gallon fabric pots usually takes about a gallon to runoff. And the runoff isn't even an issue, I'll leave it in the tray and come back in an hour and the pot sucks it back up. I won't need to re-water for about 4 days in veg, over a week in flower.

Observationist · Nov 9, 2022

Depends how often you want to water lol.

Dirtbag · Nov 9, 2022

101% is too much. I've seen folks use Dutch buckets, hempys with nothing but perlite, fed hydroponic nutrients. I wouldn't do that personally.
The more perlite you use in your soiless mix, the more often you need to feed it is all. It dries up quicker. If you're using peat or coco mix and hand feeding them I think its best to keep it 20-30% perlite tops. Much more than that and you will need to feed so often that small mistakes can cost you big, like not being there one afternoon when it suddenly dries up earlier than normal and wilts.. that can really derail the grow quickly. You're better off having both good aeration and adequate, consistent water content. The slower it dries the more time you have to catch it in time when it actually does need water. But you don't want it drying too slowly either. It's finding that sweet spot between managable drybacks.

Dirtbag · Nov 9, 2022

How long is a long time to you? when you say it stayed wet a long time.
Pics would help a lot.

PhoenixFlower · Nov 10, 2022

Dirtbag said:
How long is a long time to you? when you say it stayed wet a long time.
Pics would help a lot.

Don't have pics. I'm like a day or two away from harvest, I might chop these things down tomorrow lol.

I added a gallon of water on Monday of last week and there was still water in the bottom of my medium yesterday afternoon. I checked with the 3in1 gauge. Hygrometer said the area was dry tho. You gotta constantly add water to the pot to ensure the top stays hydrated but then the bottom ends up drowning, stunting growth and development. I've been growing since May of this year, way too long.

Here's a video in which another grower uses the same medium and corroborates the same thing in the comments: product holds too much water. Ideally I'd like to water every couple of days. Like you said, it's about finding that sweet spot and I think perlite could help me with my next adventure.

biggerbud420 · Nov 10, 2022

PhoenixFlower said:
Better airflow/more drainage.

I'm just about done my first grow, and many mistakes were made. Primarily my chosen medium. I intend to rectify the mistakes I made for the next grow.

I used PROMIX herb and veg. mix and the soil stayed wet for an extremely long period of time and I feel like it prolonged my growing time. I don't want to make this mistake again so I'm going to use a different PROMIX this time around and supplement it with additional perlite.

having that same problem with promix premium moisture control

biggerbud420 · Nov 10, 2022

PhoenixFlower said:
Don't have pics. I'm like a day or two away from harvest, I might chop these things down tomorrow lol.

I added a gallon of water on Monday of last week and there was still water in the bottom of my medium yesterday afternoon. I checked with the 3in1 gauge. Hygrometer said the area was dry tho. You gotta constantly add water to the pot to ensure the top stays hydrated but then the bottom ends up drowning, stunting growth and development. I've been growing since May of this year, way too long.

Here's a video in which another grower uses the same medium and corroborates the same thing in the comments: product holds too much water. Ideally I'd like to water every couple of days. Like you said, it's about finding that sweet spot and I think perlite could help me with my next adventure.

i'm in 5th week of flower i am in 3 gallon plastic pots i water with 1/2 gallon of water and 10 days later still wet all they keep telling me is im watering to much

PhoenixFlower · Nov 10, 2022

biggerbud420 said:
having that same problem with promix premium moisture control

biggerbud420 said:
i'm in 5th week of flower i am in 3 gallon plastic pots i water with 1/2 gallon of water and 10 days later still wet all they keep telling me is im watering to much

I am going to use this product for my next grow https://www.pthorticulture.com/en/products/pro-mix-hp-mycorrhizae/

You should consider doing the same, the bagged shit from the department store is completely ass lol. I'd make my own soil and swap to Gaia Green, but I still have 3 bags left of these PROMIX nutes to use up.

Only thing is, I might overdo it by adding too much perlite. If anyone reading this can take a look at the product composition and advise me on whether or not additional perlite might be a good idea, that'd be swell :)

biggerbud420 · Nov 10, 2022

PhoenixFlower said:
I am going to use this product for my next grow https://www.pthorticulture.com/en/products/pro-mix-hp-mycorrhizae/

You should consider doing the same, the bagged shit from the department store is completely ass lol. I'd make my own soil and swap to Gaia Green, but I still have 3 bags left of these PROMIX nutes to use up.

Only thing is, I might overdo it by adding too much perlite. If anyone reading this can take a look at the product composition and advise me on whether or not additional perlite might be a good idea, that'd be swell :)

i just started a new grow i did use pro mix on it only because i already had some will be the last time i will be going back to fox farm ocean forest i took 15 gallons of pro mix and added 6 gallons of perlite i am using gaia green nutes i will see what happpens this time

PhoenixFlower · Nov 10, 2022

biggerbud420 said:
i just started a new grow i did use pro mix on it only because i already had some will be the last time i will be going back to fox farm ocean forest i took 15 gallons of pro mix and added 6 gallons of perlite i am using gaia green nutes i will see what happpens this time

I looked at the stuff you're using, you can get it from the American Home Depot. Garbage stuff imo, it's specifically designed to hold onto moisture. I think it's made for grandma's perennials. Probably not very good for what we're aiming to do.

I personally don't like Fox Farm. I've never used it, but I refuse to pay a premium for what's essentially a month's worth of food. If I had a better setup I'd opt to make my own premium soil, but I don't and I'm still learning so shitty medium it is until I learn to be a better horticulturalist.

Dirtbag · Nov 10, 2022

PhoenixFlower said:
I am going to use this product for my next grow https://www.pthorticulture.com/en/products/pro-mix-hp-mycorrhizae/

You should consider doing the same, the bagged shit from the department store is completely ass lol. I'd make my own soil and swap to Gaia Green, but I still have 3 bags left of these PROMIX nutes to use up.

Only thing is, I might overdo it by adding too much perlite. If anyone reading this can take a look at the product composition and advise me on whether or not additional perlite might be a good idea, that'd be swell :)

That's good stuff on its own, but I've also mixed a little extra chunky perlite into it too. About a gallon of chunky perlite added to every 6 - 8 gallons of promix HP or so is plenty.
But I wouldn't hesitate to use it on its own either. I did for over a decade.

ComfortablyNumb · Nov 10, 2022

It sounds like you don't have adequate drainage. Standing water in your pot leads to root rot.
How about some pix of your setup, top to bottom?

Edinburg · Nov 10, 2022

Add 1/3 Pearlite.

Sunasun · Nov 10, 2022

Pro mix works great, stop over watering during veg so your poor tortured plants can grow roots. This causes a whole shitstorm of fuckery whilst you progress through flowering mistaking their death throes from drowning as various deficiencies and toxicities.

2Bad · Nov 10, 2022

Sunasun said:
Pro mix works great, stop over watering during veg so your poor tortured plants can grow roots. This causes a whole shitstorm of fuckery whilst you progress through flowering mistaking their death throes from drowning as various deficiencies and toxicities.

Yea I find it odd that it's taking 7 days to dry in flower @PhoenixFlower how high do you have your exhaust fan on. If it's taking a week you may want to put a fan facing the pots. Or up your exhaust.

How much perlite is too much perlite?

How much perlite is too much perlite?

PhoenixFlower

BehindEnemyLines

Anthem

PhoenixFlower

ComfortablyNumb

PhoenixFlower

Observationist

Dirtbag

Dirtbag

PhoenixFlower

biggerbud420

biggerbud420

PhoenixFlower

biggerbud420

PhoenixFlower

Dirtbag

ComfortablyNumb

Edinburg

Sunasun

2Bad

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