How does hydroton take before it becomes waterlogged?

[poohbear]

Just got a 50L bag. Using a little to sample some stuff in 2L bottles before I start my plans for AP. It's a slow long process over a year right now reading and collecting items.

Need to know how long it takes for the hydroton to be waterlogged so they can sink?

[GaryD]

Hi Pooh Bear,

Put the hydroton in a tub with some water and it will settle down witihin a couple of days.


Gary

[poohbear]

Gary,

You know those plastic trays you get when you buy a already cooked hot BBQ chicken in the grocery store? Yah I've got 2 of those and one handful of hydroton. I washed it, filled it with water, put the other tray on top of it to keep it down. I've got about 4 that sank but the rest are still floating after well pretty almost a week now (wed is a week since I tested his stuff).

I'm curious now if you're drying hydroton how long do you need to dry it for before sayputting into a sealed bag or tub if I was storing used but washed media? Don't want to open it up months later or if I give it to someone else and have a face full of white fluff (mould) or something like that.

[Jagungal]

Gary,
You know those plastic trays you get when you buy a already cooked hot BBQ chicken in the grocery store? Yah I've got 2 of those and one handful of hydroton. I washed it, filled it with water, put the other tray on top of it to keep it down. I've got about 4 that sank but the rest are still floating after well pretty almost a week now (wed is a week since I tested his stuff).

That sounds unusual but may have to do with quantities. I put 5 bags into a grow bed the other week. I had some in a bucket doing a similar thing to you for a couple of days as I put all the media in the grow bed and then took most of it back out again. I kind of saw the same thing, it didn't seem to want to sink right away. Things were different as it went into the grow bed though.

I think it took mine about 4 days to settle down. One thing to consider though is I am flooding just under the surface, so there is always a bit of weight on the top keeping things down.

[GaryD]

Hi Pooh Bear,

I'm curious now if you're drying hydroton how long do you need to dry it for before sayputting into a sealed bag or tub if I was storing used but washed media? Don't want to open it up months later or if I give it to someone else and have a face full of white fluff (mould) or something like that.

I just store spare clay pebbles in plastic drums.......and it never develops mould. Even better, keep it working growing plants.

Gary