Has anyone tried HygroStone? - Page 3 - Orchid Board

alternety · #21 10-09-2009, 02:31 AM

Does anyone have a sample of the material? If someone could send me a little bit I could take some close up pictures and measure density. Then I could try that information on some manufacturers with similar looking stuff. The picture on the web site gives an overall idea of the appearance.

I have this tenacious thing when I find an optimal solution and need to find the materials for implementation.

Ray · #22 10-09-2009, 10:03 AM

Jesse (GrowInHydro) was a PrimeAgra reseller at one time, but apparently didn't do enough business to keep up with it.

He later found a local source of calcined clay that he dubbed "Hygrostone", and tried to give that a "go", but apparently had a similar lack of success.

To set the record straight, the original PrimeAgra (marketed to horticulture, but made for concrete) was very irregular in shape, had very fine pores at the surface, and coarse pores in the interior of the pellet. It worked well, but over time, the manufacturer started having major issues with his firing and classification processes, and the particle size distribution got worse and worse (that's really where the similarity to Hygrostone was). That manufacturer went out of business, but a couple of the principles bought into another company, and approached growers with the intention to engineer a product specifically for horticulture.

That led to:

More uniform particle size
a smoother surface (allowing better pellet-to-pellet contact for better wicking)
finer, more uniform porosity throughout the body, which means thinner, more porous walls between the pores to enhance absorption and release.

That's PrimeAgra now.

alternety · #23 10-09-2009, 03:51 PM

Thanks Ray. That explains why he would own a primeagra domain.

What interested me about the material was that it appeared to be a bit denser and likely to pack better. I have used several expanded clay/? media over the years. I have had issues in the material providing sufficient support/retention of the plant because they were too light and did not pack. An early medium was essentially nothing but small crushed stone. They held plants very well. Nothing floated, but they had very little wiking activity. That is what I have been shooting for.

Floating when you soak things is also an annoyance.

jayman8117 · #24 10-09-2009, 04:26 PM

this sounds like something I would like to use.
I checked the repotme.com site, and sent them an email if this was available, it was not on their site

Ray · #25 10-10-2009, 11:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alternety

Thanks Ray. That explains why he would own a primeagra domain.

Actually, his registering of the primeagra.com domain is in violation of the trademark licensing agreement he and I executed, and of the ICANN guidelines, as it uses my trademark to try to deceitfully redirect folks to his site, where he does not sell PrimeAgra. He stopped selling it before registering the domain.

I have notified both he and the domain host of the violation and pending legal action if it is not remedied immediately.

Connie Star · #26 10-10-2009, 10:45 PM

Oh dear,
I'm sorry to hear you're having trouble with trademark infringement, Ray. I've been trying S/H with stuff I bought from you because you seemed so knowledgeable and I thought I could get help if needed which you have been very generous with. I'm a complete neophyte and having a ball with orchids. I keep increasing my "limit" on the number of plants I plan to have, though.