best type of leca, leca brands, irregular leca better?

[orchidphile]

Hi, all.

I have a question about the relative merits of various types of leca. I have a collection of about 100 orchids and about 150 other house plants of various kinds, most doing very well in self-watering with leca. (like regular semihydroponics, except with an external reservoir and microfiber wicks.)

I've been using a brand called HydroCrunch for the last three years. Recently, the price went way up, and I decided to try a different brand called Geolite. HydroCrunch is very smooth, round, and mostly uniform pieces, while Geolite is very irregularly shaped lumps. For years, I've hear that uniform pieces are best, but lately I've seen claims that the lumpy stuff is actually better, especially for encouraging the growth of beneficial microorganisms. Both brands claim to be pH stable.

I'm wondering if anyone has tried both types and has an opinion. The irregular stuff is definitely easier to keep in the pot and less likely to roll all over the place.