Quote Originally Posted by BlueDragonSmoke
This is the method I use...but I use 2 $30 air pumps for a fish tank with 2 air stones connected to each pump.....it is to splash on net pots and cause humidity under lid for root system....but in my method I didnt use net pots ....im poor in all so I used disposable plastic cups and I put 6 cups together and drilled holes in all at one time...lol and I didnt use Hydroton either...member i am poor...lol I used lava rock 20lb $2.49..bring them home smack the bag with a hammer a few times cause I thought they was a little big...lol and wash them ...no soap ...test the water you r using then soak the lava rock in the same water over night and test ph again to see if the rosks you got are ph nuteral... any way this is about the cheapest way to grow and it REALLY works well....I do 4-6 plants every time I grow depending on the good clones I have and no problems ... or even with that set up add a little water pump and some drippers on a timer and you have best of both worlds ....(drip/bubble) WOW watch them grow...lol hope this helped some
this is a great method.
I do this also...as far as the lava rocks, great stuff. and suggesting breaking them up is good advice.

another note on cheap rock grow medium...pea gravel was the 1st, hydro grow medium and is still used in certain areas, today. You can use any Inert rock/substance, Including a variety of 5-6 at wally's.
the difference is, some are heavier than others and harder for the roots to move, but they work...Other choice such as lava rock are lighter and retain more moisture.

that is why the market of large perlite, hydroton, coco*, and others is growing, with new products all the time.
* I learned something new yesterday. coco is treated like soil; In respect to nutrients and PH...didn't know that. lw