I hate hydroton!!

[snowkitty]

After i washed em repeatedly I found that i still get some minute sand lookin stuff off em in my table grooves though. I wonder if this is just the hydroton breaking down or is it not washed good enough?

THat's the same question I always had with hydroton. Do I keep jostling it or at some point am I just eroding it into sand by jostling it more?

I definitely did not clean my hydroton well enough when I first gardened with it in rubbermaid buckets. Don't do it in the bathtub or you will ruin your plumbing. Now I think if I ever used it again I would use a large Rubbermaid trashcan or else the rope handled totes you use for beer at parties. I've been told to let the sediment fall to the bottom by letting it sit overnight in water and that makes sense. I'd jostle it, let it sit, and then scoop my clean hydroton off the top of the trashcan.

And then I would probably rinse it again and find more red dust and cry, but whatever.

 

[bdawgburner]

Heres how I ended up doing it. Worked great for me.

First I did the hose in the bag method. Cut holes in the bottom and ran a hose in it for 10 minutes. Then I drained all the excess water out and dumped the hydroton into roughneck totes. Filled them up about half way with the rocks and then filled with water until the rocks were floating above the bottom. I jostled them around for about 5 minutes per tub with my hands and then I soaked them for 48 hours in the water agitating 2-3 times each day. I then scooped them out into dry totes with a big collander (sp) strainer into my net pots. The water comming out of the netpots was clear. All the dust and sand was at the bottom of the totes with water.

I checked the ph of the water and it only rose to about 6.0 over the 48 hrs which was better than I expected. This method was pretty easy I'd say or atleast a lot easier than I had inticipated. Note that this was for NEW hydroton not used.

 

[crom]

Read my mind

^^ This is how I do it and it works great. :yes

Poke a ton of holes in the bottom of the bag and run a hose through the top. Agitate well.

This is the method i was gonna write but it looks like you beat me to it!:icon_stick man:

 

[H3AD_CAS3]

THROW OUT THE HYDROTON!

As many people have already said hydroton is a pain in the ass to wash. Even after a thorough wash, over time, the clay sediment begins to slowly dissolve off and into itself causing a huge loss of porosity. Essentially the hydroton clogs itself rendering it useless as a water retentive grow medium.

For all those still using hydroton I would definitely dump the sh*$ and look into a product called HIGROMITE . It is pH nuetral, contains high amounts of silica essential in strengthening cell walls and plant tissue and is much better at water retention than anything else on the market.

 

[sparky421]

It's a pain in the ass....but I know a guy who gets around 9oz a plant from 4 plants using hydroton f&d.....it's the blue cheese man (aka the guru) and I think only ukcheesehead gets near as far as I've seen....I guess what I'm saying is, it's a pain in the ass but if you get it right it can be soooo worth it....

Nice Signature.
Joe Rogan Rocks!

 

[2broke2smoke]

I'm running a test grow on sure to grow inserts in hempy style buckets. So far it beats any other medium i have tried. There is no mess there is no soaking there is no cleaning it takes 5 secondt to do a transplant. I just love the sure to grow inserts.

2b2s

 

[Heliophyte]

Hydroton really is a pain in the ass to wash clean. I still use it as a top "mulch" for my organic soil pots though - it really helps my soil retain a bit of moisture in my very dry grow room. All my used cannabis soil is then recycled into my veggie beds outside, Hydroton and all. My tomatoes don't mind it at all.

 

[downdon]

poke a bunch of small holes in the bottom of the bag with something like a nail. Stand the bag up and run water through the top and out the bottom. This is can be done outdoors or in the bath tub.

 

[420hydro]

THROW OUT THE HYDROTON!

For all those still using hydroton I would definitely dump the sh*$ and look into a product called HIGROMITE . It is pH nuetral, contains high amounts of silica essential in strengthening cell walls and plant tissue and is much better at water retention than anything else on the market.

I have had a recent experience with hygromite. It is just as hard to clean the first time. It is granular and will generate sediment just rubbing together anytime you move it.

Good stuff, but has the same problems as leca...

 

[Rolln J]

cannazyme is supposed to eat the dead roots and turn it into plant food... not tried it yet myself...

is that the same as hygrozyme?

 

[snowkitty]

Heres how I ended up doing it. Worked great for me.

First I did the hose in the bag method. Cut holes in the bottom and ran a hose in it for 10 minutes. Then I drained all the excess water out and dumped the hydroton into roughneck totes. Filled them up about half way with the rocks and then filled with water until the rocks were floating above the bottom. I jostled them around for about 5 minutes per tub with my hands and then I soaked them for 48 hours in the water agitating 2-3 times each day. I then scooped them out into dry totes with a big collander (sp) strainer into my net pots. The water comming out of the netpots was clear. All the dust and sand was at the bottom of the totes with water.

I checked the ph of the water and it only rose to about 6.0 over the 48 hrs which was better than I expected. This method was pretty easy I'd say or atleast a lot easier than I had inticipated. Note that this was for NEW hydroton not used.

Bdawg, this is pretty much the routine I settled on, too, after reading from you. Filling up Rubbermaid rope handled totes with bags of Hydroton, letting it sit for 24 hours, stirring with a big stick every few hours, then change the water and do it all over again. I used a collander to move the Hydroton from one Rubbermaid tote to another. I also drilled holes around the neck of one Rubbermaid tote so I can let the water just rush over the batch of hydroton if I want.

What is your technique for cleaning used hydroton?

 

[bdawgburner]

I havent had to clean any used hydroton....yet. Ask me in a few weeks, Ill be cleaning all of mine. I'm planning on just soaking them in hygrozyme solution for 24 hours and then doing the process I stated before.

 

[mysophilia]

Drill holes in a heavey duty garbage can and use that as your method of rinsing them off..

 

[2fast4u2]

right on, forget who posted, but the trash can method with holes works well, personally i like the 5 gallon buckets, as i only have a few flood tables.

once you get it clean, sure there will be residual, but nothing that will hurt the pumps.

After 2 of 3 pumps failing with lava rocks the first time i tried it, im permanently stuck on hydroton. (could have prob prevented pump failure with filters, but thats just more crap to buy, lol)

 

[wantaknow]

the best way to clean hydroton is with a portland cement mixer ,from harbor freight ,its the cats azz

 

[Highagain]

I would Gladly pay more for Hydroton that comes already cleaned. But I you can find it, I been using the B'cuzz hydroton and compared to others the sediment is not to bad, and cleans up real quick. I find it at my local hydro store so I dont know if its available online, but the cleanup is super quick.

 

[Rolln J]

the best way to clean hydroton is with a portland cement mixer ,from harbor freight ,its the cats azz

thats a pretty good idea...

the cats ass is you avatar! nice ride!

 

[Jalisco Kid]

A cement mixer damages the hydroton. We used one to clean lava which works great. I soaked my used medium in an enzyme which cleaned it well. If your tired of getting screwed buying products made for herb you can buy a qt of pond Protector for 34 bucks it does 67,000 gal. A pt would be a better buy.

 

[biggs]

whats the best way to clean clay pebbles. hydrogen peroxide(H2O2)?

 

[Damen]

Boil them things as well

Not only do they roll around do to the boiling they get sanitized.