Silica gel beads

Maddabs710 · Sep 3, 2019

Quick question, can I use Silica gel to feed my plants?

az2000 · Sep 3, 2019

Maddabs710 said:
Quick question, can I use Silica gel to feed my plants?

Does it have a product name? Do you have a link?

I've read about people composting the desiccant packets that come packed with products you buy. I don't know anything about that. But, I've also seen potting mixes named "moisture control" which have siliga gel beads. That usually causes people problems. Although, the problems could be more in the realm of too much nutrients in the potting mix too.

Typically, retaining moisture is the wrong way to go with cannabis. People usually have problems with the soil staying too wet too long. There can be times when vermiculite (or, presumably "beads") would be beneficial. But, I'd say 90% of people shouldn't go that direction. It would depend on the soil, the climate, the lighting (often people who grow under HPS light will use vermiculite because the radiant heat of HPS will dry soil faster. At least they do that with faster-drying medium like Pro-Mix HP. They'll use Pro-Mix BX instead, which has less perlite and includes vermiculite for water retention.).

Maybe you're talking about something else?

Dirtbag · Sep 3, 2019

I used to use a product called swell gel for my potted outdoor plants when I grew geuriila style and could only check them once a week. Pretty sure it was just silica beads. I could be wrong though.

Jimster · Sep 3, 2019

A lot of water conserving potting soils, like Miracle Grow, mix it in with their mix to retain water. It works well, but if you have drainage issues, I wouldn't recommend it. If you have a dry environment, then it probably won't hurt. The stuff they use is typically much smaller in size than std silica gel packets.

Maddabs710 · Sep 3, 2019

Jimster said:
A lot of water conserving potting soils, like Miracle Grow, mix it in with their mix to retain water. It works well, but if you have drainage issues, I wouldn't recommend it. If you have a dry environment, then it probably won't hurt. The stuff they use is typically much smaller in size than std silica gel packets.

I was more refering to using the silica as a nutrient

LoganatorDude · Jan 8, 2021

LoganatorDude said:
Hey, so to revive an old thread, I’m looking at the Silica Gel Desiccant packs because of my understanding with silicon for plants. So clearly I don’t want Silica Gel, but right now I’m trying to figure out how to make silicon dioxide (SiO2) from Silica Gel, if the process isn’t too hard, I could save money buying Silica for my plants if I can convert/use the Silica gel desiccant packs. Just putting it out there if anyone has an idea. My first inclination was to just soak them! Ahah, I know that’s only gonna cause problems. But yeah, would be cool if anyone had any thoughts on how to convert the Silica.

Am I trippin?

Should I try to dissolve a few pure Silica gel desiccant beads into some water and feed the plants with it or foliar spray with it?

Edit: Not that easy, Some of the beads popped in half but all remain solid pieces of Silica gel regardless of soaking in hot water. Maybe removing the gel bit by cooking it down or I haven’t gotten that far yet.

LoganatorDude · Jan 8, 2021

LoganatorDude said:
Am I trippin?
View attachment 1077057 View attachment 1077056
Should I try to dissolve a few pure Silica gel desiccant beads into some water and feed the plants with it or foliar spray with it?

Edit: Not that easy, Some of the beads popped in half but all remain solid pieces of Silica gel regardless of soaking in hot water. Maybe removing the gel bit by cooking it down or I haven’t gotten that far yet. View attachment 1077075

I don’t know how many of you already knew this, but apparently diatomaceous earth is an excellent source of SiO2 that will increase available monosilicic acid!

Link:

The Effects of Foliar Sprays with Different Silicon Compounds

The use of foliar sprays with silicon compounds is relatively new. Initially (in 1990) foliar sprays with silicates were used. In 2003, foliar sprays with (stabilized) silicic acid were introduced, and more recently foliar sprays with silica nanoparticles ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

While this has nothing to do with Silica Gel Desiccant Beads, it is slightly relevant towards OP’s inquiry into using available items to fertilize with Si. I’m still trying to figure out how to best use the Si Gel as a fertilizer if I can.

ezenzyme · Jan 8, 2021

I buy my silica in dry form from KIS organics Agsil 16 pure salt form; Potassium silicate, but just converted to the Volcanic Duff from montana, very cheap and very useable just mix it in and call it a day.

BigCube · Jan 8, 2021

The answer is yes.

If the chemical name is the same, you can use it. However exercise caution, many products have additives. I would only trust products that list the ingredients to be sure.

SiO2 is SiO2

LoganatorDude · Jan 9, 2021

BigCube said:
The answer is yes.

If the chemical name is the same, you can use it. However exercise caution, many products have additives. I would only trust products that list the ingredients to be sure.

SiO2 is SiO2

yeah, I forget which source I read this from, but it was explaining somewhat the process of how they make the gel and it involved heating it to something crazy like 900 C* and then filling it with this “xerogel” and whatever else for the blue gels and color changing ones I guess. So I’m not sure how exactly to break it down. I save them because they have many uses, and they keep coming every time I buy something that would benefit from such. So it would be so cool to figure out a simple step to prepare it into a bioavailable form. Like I can’t dissolve the beads, they soak up water but remain hard solid beads, except some break on first contact in the water.

BigCube · Jan 9, 2021

LoganatorDude said:
yeah, I forget which source I read this from, but it was explaining somewhat the process of how they make the gel and it involved heating it to something crazy like 900 C* and then filling it with this “xerogel” and whatever else for the blue gels and color changing ones I guess. So I’m not sure how exactly to break it down. I save them because they have many uses, and they keep coming every time I buy something that would benefit from such. So it would be so cool to figure out a simple step to prepare it into a bioavailable form. Like I can’t dissolve the beads, they soak up water but remain hard solid beads, except some break on first contact in the water.

I'm sure you would have to mill them down to a powder. Creating a dust that is most likely lethal if inhaled.

I save them too, but as you said for other reasons. I mean it's worth a shot, if you have the means to do it. What could it hurt to try it out?

LoganatorDude · Jan 10, 2021

BigCube said:
I'm sure you would have to mill them down to a powder. Creating a dust that is most likely lethal if inhaled.

I save them too, but as you said for other reasons. I mean it's worth a shot, if you have the means to do it. What could it hurt to try it out?

True. Good point, I can always search the internet for some easy or fancy answer. However, thanks to flu, I can wear one of my already available masks and go outside or in a well ventilated area and conduct some experiments with some clones or something. I’d be interested to see the results. I’ll keep all y’all posted on any of my findings. Then again I wouldn’t mind just having a few extra desiccant packs laying around if it’s too much trouble.

Silica gel beads

Silica gel beads

Maddabs710

az2000

Dirtbag

Jimster

Maddabs710

LoganatorDude

LoganatorDude

The Effects of Foliar Sprays with Different Silicon Compounds

ezenzyme

BigCube

LoganatorDude

BigCube

LoganatorDude

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency