hydroton vs. prime agra?

[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.

[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.

[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

[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)

[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

[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.

[(..._...)]

Originally Posted by 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.

haha that made me laugh

-I have a question about hydrotron-- if I were to use this as a medium, but not use it for s/h, could I still water often, and not rot the roots?

[AHAB]

Hey Ray I still have some floaters, even after soaking/rincing for several weeks.
Should I throw the floaters away or break them in half?
Some boxes have more floaters than others...

[Ray]

AHAB - I simply don't worry about it.

"..._..." It isn't the medium that determines the roots' tolerance to moisture, it the degree of adaptation of the roots.

[AHAB]

Thank you!