Hydroton Question

[HydroLife]

Hi Everyone!

This is my first time using hydroton. I got some used stuff from a friend, and I have cleaned it, soaked it, and baked it, and now I am wondering if I should soak it again before using it, or if I should just put the freshly baked hydroton into my pots as is. I let it cool for a while, so it is now at room temp, but it is completely dry.

My instincts tell me that I should probably soak it again in pH neutral water, but I'm not sure.

Can anybody give me some guidance on this issue?

Thanks in advance for any advice!

Ohh.. Also, if I should soak it before use, would it be better to soak it in a nutrient solution (similar to, or the same as the mix I plan to use)?

AND.. I soaked the hydroton in isopropyl alcohol the rinsed throughly before i baked it in the oven at 350 for an hour. The hydroton still has the slightest sent of alcohol on it (barely noticeable). Is this a problem? Should I continue to rinse it?

__________________________________________________ _______________

All posts by this user are strictly for novelty purposes

HydroLife Reviewed by HydroLife on 10-14-2010. Hydroton Question Hi Everyone! This is my first time using hydroton. I got some used stuff from a friend, and I have cleaned it, soaked it, and baked it, and now I am wondering if I should soak it again before using it, or if I should just put the freshly baked hydroton into my pots as is. I let it cool for a while, so it is now at room temp, but it is completely dry. My instincts tell me that I should probably soak it again in pH neutral water, but I'm not sure. Can anybody give me some guidance on Rating: 5

[keylime]

You're fine with using it as is. I've been using hydroton for years, and all I do is rinse it in water with some bleach. That kills everything you don't want. Then rinse well, and rinse again.... and its ready to go.

keylime

[HydroLife]

So do you let it dry before you put it in your system, or do you just put it in when its still wet from the rinse?

[drudown11]

So do you let it dry before you put it in your system, or do you just put it in when its still wet from the rinse?

wet is fine, the main thing is that you want to rinse them off and make sure theyre clean.

[tinytoon]

Hell we just boil ours :thumbsup:
Yes it should be soaked to PH'd water, no nutes. Fill bucket with hydrotron and soak in PH water for a few hours and check PH. If more than a couple points from your starting PH then dump water and repeat until PH water in with Tron stabilizes.

[keylime]

Hell we just boil ours :thumbsup:
Yes it should be soaked to PH'd water, no nutes. Fill bucket with hydrotron and soak in PH water for a few hours and check PH. If more than a couple points from your starting PH then dump water and repeat until PH water in with Tron stabilizes.

I'm sure it does no harm to PH the water after cleaning your hydroton, but unless there are unusual reasons it will not affect anything. Hydroton has very little moisture retention, very much unlike rockwool. It makes no sense to soak the hydroton in PH'd water.


keylime

[GetThisOrDie]

From my experience NOT soaking the tron will give ph fluctuations that will drive you crazy trying to figure out. Once I started washing then soaking in phd water (due to suggestion) I started having alot less fluctuations.

[therealOG]

I soak in PH water if not your chasing your a$$ everyday trying to get back to 5.7-6.0. And for what the cost of PH up/down is why the hell not but it seriously seems to be eaiser and more stable to keep water ph'ed

[HydroLife]

Thanks guys.. I really appreciate the input. I soaked it in ph'd water and kept repeating until the ph was stable. I know this is a total newbie question but, every time I drained the water out it was discolored from the hydroton. I assume this will never end (right?), so my question is... Does this effect the longevity of my reservoir?

Currently, I change my res every week (completely empty it and refill with fresh water and nutes). Can I just continue in this fashion, or should I be changing more often because of some effect the hydroton runoff might cause?

Thanks!


___________________________


all posts by this user are just for shits and giggles! I like to pretend
Sometimes I pretend to be high, but really I'm to scared to do pot!

[leftreartire]

i recommend that you save some money a get some pea gravel. its 3 bucks for a 50lb bag at home depot and it is heavier and it gives you plants roots a little more stability as it grows. and when it comes to cleaning it very easy with a teaspoon of bleach to 5 gallons of water and wash and dry and good to go....i find alot of draw backs to hydroton as some floats some stink. it is light weight and just seems to get all over if a plant begins to lean. try a conparison using the gravel in one pot next to your hydroton and soon you will be a gravel fan....it last forever and i just love love it