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Kitty litter as hydroponic grow media?
non odorous and non clumping kitty litter as media
The argument is that the cheap stuff is just plain clay
So I wonder if you bake the kitty litter would it end up like growrox? Maybe ya have to nuke it instead? I am going to buy some tomorrow and experiment. Also has anyone ever heard of using crushed coral (aquarium grade) as a medium? I would think it would hold oxygen well with all those holes. It runs 6 bucks for 30 lb. 60 bucks for 50 liters of growrox is just a bit much for all I want. I checked the yellow pages online and the closest Hydro store listed is 78 miles away. I havnt called them yet to see if they even stock it. I tried the home depot route with orchid rocks per Tailwheels tip. They say they cant get(order)that item any longer. There is a similar product at the depot called orchid mix that has grow rocks and charcoal and some other ingredients in it. I am not sure about using that. I have sifted 5 gallons of smaller gravel out of a load of regular granite gravel and as soon as your hydro mix reaches me my sprouts are going in my 2 liter garden... Ready to hydro in Ga.
Grow rocks are clay fired in a kiln and that's pretty
hot. Not your basic household oven. Coral or any inert substance can be used as
a medium. All you have to do is make sure that it doesn't brake down to quick
(like vermiculite) and it doesn't leach undesirable substance into your system
thus harming your plants.
I promise to set up test gardens this spring to see which mediums work
best.
For co2 enrichment methods go to
http://www.hydrofarm.com/content/articles/co2.html
So I go here and it says: When organic matter decomposes due to bacterial action, carbon dioxide is generated. Plants grow lush and vigorously on a tropical jungle floor as a result of this natural decay of dead plant and animal matter. This can increase the available CO2 content from the normal 300 PPM amount to over 1,000 parts per million. This can also be done indoors, for little cost, but is odorous and unsanitary. For these and other reasons, it is not highly recommended. The sterile conditions of a well-set-up hydroponic grow room or greenhouse could be disrupted and adverse bacteria, bugs and disease induced with detrimental effects on your plants.
I have to say that composting does not stink if its done right. Also the bacteria that get introduced to the greenhouse are the helpful types that destroy harmful critters. I would say that this company wants to sell you high priced co2 generators that could be replaced by scraps from your kitchen and 2 plastic trashcans. Tom
where in the world could i find a ph meter for hydro solution i live in gainesville florida
Amigo Ron:
I just started with my 25, two-liter-bottle garden and I had a hell of a time trying to
come up with the right amount of fertilizer and so on. My system works with a sumergable
pump (2100 lt/hr) and the reservoir has an 80 lt capacity and I'm using triple 14 as
fertilizer and 80 cc of folial fertilizer, too. The Ph level was too high and I used
hydrogen peroxide (9% v) to make it go down to about 6.8.
What I would like to know, besides the rigth proportions of fertilizer, is what products
can I use to rise or lower the Ph without ruinnig the
plants and ,of course, the fertilizer mixture? Can I use the same products people use to
adjust the Ph in swimming pools? If so, I will appreciate a list of what i can and cannot
used and the amounts in grams, please.
Thank you and best regards
Saludos
Julian Pena D Venezuela
Kitty litter as hydroponic grow media?
I have been reading on various pond sites that some people use non odorous and non clumping kitty litter as media in slotted pots to grow various water plants. The argument is that the cheap stuff is just plain clay. There seems to be some agreement that the clay may bind phosphorous and thus limit undesirable algae growth. They also recommend adding potassium so that the plants may better utilize the phosphorus directly (potassium as a cofactor). What are your thoughts on these topics?
You have sparked my curiosity and I will pick up a bag and give it a try and post the results.
Ron, I am working on a new system; it is a sub-level hydroponic grow hole for production of tomatoes, basically. My plans are for a 14x70 ft. 6 ft. below ground level to use geo therm temps. after looking at all the systems, your pipe dream is really impressive. Is it possible to get more info from , and about your system ?
what kind of info? everything I know about hydroponics is on this web site. what else do you need to know?
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