I’m actually going to replace perlite with rice hulls for one plant to see if there’s any difference between the perliteRemember tho ... for those following along , try different variations. This what works for me ... for you maybe something tweaked differently or better. Feel free to input your grows , experiments , etc.
Right now I’m using more volcanic pumice ( small ) instead of perlite , heard that mycrobial like likes to fill the nooks and crannies of it .
It was because local nursery was out of large bag perlite and I didn’t want to drive all over town looking for some so I grabbed the pumice. Some pieces were smashed small prior to use but so far so good , great drainage.
Hydroguard is another option for keeping the micro life purring along ... which I use mostly for my Hempy bucket runs ( which I will start a thread on after the new year ) and does work with soil too.