hydroton vs. prime agra?

[Ranchnanny]

Hi Orchidjunky, when ever I water or run water through the pots the s/h medium does float to a degree but once the water starts to run out it settles back down. I have not noticed any adverse affect on the orchids.

Sheridan

[terryros]

When I am conditioning the medium in a batch some of it floats and some doesn't. In pots it doesn't matter to me because I have each pot with holes sitting in a saucer of fertilizer solution so watering from the top runs right through. If I were using the pot itself as reservoir with only the 2 drain holes at 1 inch I think there would be an issue with floating medium with Hydroton.

[Ranchnanny]

Irrka, This is what I use for my 'chids' in the S/H medium. I get them at the local Cash and Carry grocers or even a resturant supply. They are 32 oz. deli containers and they are clear so I can see everything growing. They are large enough and similar in size to the two I recieved from First's Rays. I got 25 of them for under $10 . Check out the They are working great for me and I don't have a problem with them tipping over.:

TTFN - Sheridan

[orchidjunky]

Originally Posted by Ranchnanny

Irrka, This is what I use for my 'chids' in the S/H medium. I get them at the local Cash and Carry grocers or even a resturant supply. They are 32 oz. deli containers and they are clear so I can see everything growing. They are large enough and similar in size to the two I recieved from First's Rays. I got 25 of them for under $10 . Check out the They are working great for me and I don't have a problem with them tipping over.:

TTFN - Sheridan

These kinda look like the party cups you get at any regular store? Are they bigger than those?

[Ranchnanny]

Orchidjunky, I use two sizes of containers one is a 32oz deli container and the other is a 16oz clear plastic cup. The larger ones I get at the cash and carry and the smaller ones you can get at any grocery. Its true that they may get brittle and crack but that's an inexpensive fix. I use the smaller ones for my mini catts. I did order Firsts Rays larger containers for my large Phal. Right now I am trying to conserve $$$ if you know what I mean.

Sheridan

[orchidjunky]

Originally Posted by Ranchnanny

Orchidjunky, I use two sizes of containers one is a 32oz deli container and the other is a 16oz clear plastic cup. The larger ones I get at the cash and carry and the smaller ones you can get at any grocery. Its true that they may get brittle and crack but that's an inexpensive fix. I use the smaller ones for my mini catts. I did order Firsts Rays larger containers for my large Phal. Right now I am trying to conserve $$$ if you know what I mean.

Sheridan

Cool! so I found the cups at smart and final and have already pre-soaked my hydroton.. im just curious.. so as for watering my orchids.. do you fertilize every watering.. and how exactly do i know when to water.. is it when the reservoir looks low or when the balls on top look dry? or both??!

Can you plant orchids with pseudobulbs/canes in s/h? Im just wondering cause these plants need to dry between waterings if im correct? so if the balls are always moist won't that affect the plants that have natural water storage? Maybe Ray can answer this one for me?

[Ranchnanny]

Orchidjunky don't forget to add some SuperThrive or KLN to stimulate root growth.

Sheridan

[Ray]

Actually, whether it floats or not is an indicator of how well the interior porosity communicates with the surface.

A "sinker" has absorbed a lot more water than has a "floater", in which the air pockets still keep it buoyant.

[irrka]

I've been using water bottles of different sorts for pots--gatorade, seltzer, whatever, just cut the top off with a box cutter knife and poke holes with the same and voila. I did find that i needed to land the taller plastic pots in come sort of a decorative (read HEAVY) pot so it doesn't tip over as easily, especially once it's top heavy with a spike and flowers and whatnot (and then you're running like a mad person collecting rolling hydroton pebbles on the floor... not a pretty picture)

[Ray]

Two things to keep in mind:

1. the virgin PETE or PS may not be very good against UV, so might become brittle fairly quickly, so watch out for that, and
2. because you're being cheap, you are taking jobs out of the hands of the mentally handicapped that drill the pots for me. Just "busting you" a bit.