Cleaning Hydroton

[lkline300]

This is really starting to" Mt.Dew" (not my words) me off!!!!!!!!!!!!! Does anyone have a good way to clean this stuff that doesn't take up half the day.

 

I love using it in the bottom of my soil pots but cleaning the dirt off is crazy. If it was a matter of just flushing them out it would not be so bad. I've tryed the screen,(dirt gets stuck) Used the bath tub ounce (almost slept alone that night)

 

If anyone has something better to clean or replace the hydroton in my buckets pleeeeeze share.

 

thanks....................

[Grow Thread]

lmao.... this is a wonderful topic to start.... i have often considered it myself.

 

i don't normally have tons of it to clean all at once, so it's not quite as painstaking if i stay on top of it. i use my kitchen strainer (spaghetti strainer---whatever you wanna call it) throw the hydroton in there and put some bleach and dish soap over top of them...... mix them around a little, and then spray the crap out of them with the kitchen sink sprayer with the hottest water my sink will put out. then i dump them into a big pot and fill it with clean hot water.... mix them around again, and dump back into the strainer to dry and they are ready.... always worked fine for me.

 

yeah this is a good topic.... since it really isnt THAT costly, i would just buy new everytime..... but then you have to rinse it real good when its new anyway to get all that darn "dust" out of it..... so grrrrrr..... we are damned if we do and damned if we dont.

 

i'm curious to see how other folks clean theirs.

[vender]

I bought some chicken wire with 3/8 squares. I made a wood framed strainer with it. I wash with bleach and soapy water then spray it good with the garden hose. All the little hydroton that falls through the screen ends up in my pumpkin garden soil. Then I spread it out on a towel to dry in the sun.

[lkline300]

I bought some chicken wire with 3/8 squares. I made a wood framed strainer with it. I wash with bleach and soapy water then spray it good with the garden hose. All the little hydroton that falls through the screen ends up in my pumpkin garden soil. Then I spread it out on a towel to dry in the sun.

 

Yes, I was thinking it may work better with a bigger mesh screen. I will get & try the 3/8.

 

tried the colander, got in trouble for that too...lol........................................

 

thanks..........................

 

[BDR]

I have found that a 5 gal. bucket with a few scattered 1/4 in holes drilled in the sides and bottom works pretty darn good. Then spread them out in the sun to dry. Yeah, I got into trouble a couple of times for this as well... kitchen sink...colander...yep.. so I installed a hot water spicket on the side of my house...works great and I don't have to sleep in the barn...well for that reason anyway... Peace...

[herb green]

Do you use a layer of root cloth or screen between the soil and rocks?

 

I have just used volcanic rock in the bottom of pots without a layer of screen or root cloth but I dont use liquid nutrients so not worried about the build up on rocks ect.

 

Thoughs volcanic rocks are available this time of year

 

pretty awesome

[lkline300]

Do you use a layer of root cloth or screen between the soil and rocks?

 

I have just used volcanic rock in the bottom of pots without a layer of screen or root cloth but I dont use liquid nutrients so not worried about the build up on rocks ect.

 

Thoughs volcanic rocks are available this time of year

 

pretty awesome

 

No, and now I feel stupid. I will get some...

 

Do lava rocks supply any micro nutes or other benefits.....?

 

I like the idea of the rocks. I grow as organically as I can, I do use ff grow & bloom occasionally & only when needed, and have heard that the hydroton will hold some of the chemicals & is hard to wash clean.

[herb green]

Dont know abot micro nutrients from lavas rock

 

 

But I do know You can pick up a big bag a Lowes and no doubt elsewhere inexpensive

 

I do know plants like it

 

soma in his book talks about using hydroton rock layer, plastic coated chicken wire, then root cloth, then soil with some pvc tubes down to the hydroton in his grow beds that he makes for air to roots

 

I dont know much about pvc...but it may be toxic?

 

Dont like to involve too much plastic...rubermaid binds perhaps with rock then soil...perhaps fiberglass widowscreen to keep the rocks from being enveloped by the roots

 

 

The hydroton might be better because it can be sanatized...but who wants to do it?!

 

As youve pointed out...not too much fun...dirt would make it even worse

 

I think ...yeah lava rock is like the ultimate porous material...something cannabis digs ...use it!

 

Sand...bat guano...worm castings...powdered dolomite lime...kelp meal...20-30% perlite

 

Good drainage is what the plant craves...BIGTIME!

[BDR]

Yeah I don't know about the micro nutrients in lava rock either, sounds nice though. Instead of pvc use a piece of 3/4in pex tubing to get some air down there. Pex is a stable material and will not bleed anything into the soil or rock from what I have read. I have a f.. ton of scrap pieces if any one wants... seems to work pretty good. I definitely like the idea of the porous rock but it is sort of disposable were you can reuse hydroton. But if it works... Hmmm....options.. options..

[TheFlyingBuddha]

No one seems to have mentioned it yet, so i will.

 

Hydroton is also known for storing certain components of nurtient mixtures. This is especially important for the non-organic growers which use it. In my case, i use soil, but i use the full FF line, which is non-organic because of trace minerals. Normally this would not be a problem,but because i also like to line the bottom of my buckets with hydroton it could be.

 

Some of the nutrients in FF use have large amounts of sodium as a transportation mechanism. I mention this because i believe that sodium is one of the quickest things to build up in hydroton pellets, and i have read in other grow journals of it affecting future crops when reused.

 

One last thing, depending on what kind of nute mix your using, there are certain components that the pellets will absorb that will modify your PH level when re-using hydroton as well.

 

Its all kinds of variables like these that can make a little problem hard to track down in a grow room that's well dialed in. This is why i don't really mess around with re-using the stuff. However, i'm sure if at one point i decided to go with a complete soil-less medium, and i use hydroton, i'll probably re-consider trying to re-use some of the stuff!

 

TFB

[grandmasgreenman]

i wonder what would happen if you put the hydroton in a washing machine .ill try it i have an old washer.

and maybe take hydroton to car wash use high pressure hose.

[BDR]

Washing Machine!! That might have a interesting out come, you should video it!! Hmmmm... I kind of like the power washer idea.... yeah... I have one of those.... I am going to try it soon. I will post my findings. Thanks for the idea... Peace

[lkline300]

i wonder what would happen if you put the hydroton in a washing machine .ill try it i have an old washer.

and maybe take hydroton to car wash use high pressure hose.

 

washing machine.................. I'm just picturing explaining that one to you know who.............................

[BDR]

washing machine.................. I'm just picturing explaining that one to you know who.............................

 

Yeah....... That would definitely wind you up in the doghouse for sure... or at least you may end up spending the night (or few) out of her direct sight. Now that's some bad JUJU..... if Moma's not happy nobody's happy!!

[grandmasgreenman]

Yeah....... That would definitely wind you up in the doghouse for sure... or at least you may end up spending the night (or few) out of her direct sight. Now that's some bad JUJU..... if Moma's not happy nobody's happy!!

 

 

no dont worry it is a junker (extra one) well i did try it and it cleaned the hell out of it,down fall was i should

have maybe put them in some sort of bag to make it easier to retrieve and i think smaller particles may go thru wash tub openings ,took pump apart -no debris,however pre filter was clogged as hell.sorry i didn't take any pictures