How long to soak clay pebbles

I've done a small experiment to find out what is causing my PH to drop from 6. The experiment consisted of three food grade plastic buckets: 1 with no air stone 2 with air stone 3 with air stone and 10" net-pot full of clay pebbles.

The starting PH of the RO water was 6. After 36 hours only the bucket with the clay pebbles had a changed PH and is down to 4.

It's supposed to be inert. Very odd. Maybe try washing it really well. Is it used? How much P are you using? Is white powder precipitating and falling to the bottom of your tank? You just gotta wash the shit out of it. When you think its clean keep washing it some more. There isn't much more you need to do. Whatever you do, dont wash the stuff in your tub. Slotted gardening trays work great for shaking used pebbles since dirt and old roots fall through the holes.

Dump the pebbles into a large colander or strainer so that water drains freely as the pebbles are being rinsed. To increase the effectiveness of this rinse, shake and stir the pebbles well. In a large pot, boil clay pebbles in water for minutes. This will kill any bacteria or fungus growing on or in the pebbles.

A colander or strainer that fits inside the pot makes the process easier. Rinse the pebbles one more time to remove any additional debris that was dislodged while boiling. Allow the hydroton time to dry out. They will dry out faster if you spread them across a large tray, such as a garden tray. The pebbles are now ready to be reintroduced into your system. Once the pebbles have dried, soak them in a half-strength nutrient solution before placing them back into use in a system.

Why let pebbles dry out after cleaning? One thing we love about LECA pebbles is their ability to wick moisture. Keep in mind there is only so much moisture they can hold within their pores. Would you prefer to place them in a hydroponic system filled with water from cleaning, or would you rather them wick up the nutrients which they then deliver to plant roots?

Water drainage The biggest appeal seems to be the way that it helps to drain excess water, though they also keep enough nourishment for constant delivery of it to the roots.

Easy for harvest and transplantation Because hydroton is a form of pellets, it does not stick. Downsides of Hydroton Costly for large growers Hydroton is such a very easy-to-use material for hobbyists and small growers, but it is not cost-effective for commercial productions or large-scale growing.

Drainage issue The most discernible advantage of hydrotongrow rocks is also its own cons. Dust from the clay Unless you clean and completely soak these pellets, dust from this material can float.

Hydroton and Hydroponics Without doubt, hydrotonis one of the most popular growing media chosen by hydroponic and aquaponic growers. Hydroton and Soil When using the expanded clay pellets in gardening, you need to figure out exactly what your plants need for growth in the first place.

You can also try adding this material at the bottom of your growing container below the soil layer to improve the drainage Some plants need to retain water, rather than aerate the soil and roots. You can order in varying amounts from a liter bag, liter bag to a liter bag GROW! Key Specifications Weight: 3. Table of Contents.

Benefits of Hydroton Over Other Sources. Water drainage. Easy for harvest and transplantation. Downsides of Hydroton. Costly for large growers. Drainage issue. Dust from the clay. Hydroton and Hydroponics. Hydroton and Soil. Where to buy Hydroton. Crushing Hydroton or not? Seed Germination. Media Bed Systems and Dutch Bucket. What you should not do with Hydroton. I heard PH of 5 or something can anyone verify that?

Hi Mate I fill up my pots with the clay pebbles, wash them through under the bath tap until all the shit has been flushed out and the water runs clear. Then I fill the bath, PH the water to 5 and then leave the filled pots to sit in it for 24 hours.

Job done Bigbongs. Ideally the longer you can soak the better, as it will become more stable. Cheers for the info guys, I'm going to fill the pots and give them a final rinse then as you said soak them in ph 5 water, is it best just to keep water cold or does warmer water work better?

I can keep them in the bath for atleast 24 hours idealy I'd do it for 48 but thats a long time without a bath lol Cheers. Total Awards : Yeti Sports Pentathlon Champion! Chicken Champion!

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