Hydroton too expensive, any cheap alternatives?

J

jjohns93

Well-Known Member
Trying to finish setting up large ebb and flow SOG table and was counting on buying hydroton until I realized it would cost about 600$ without the cost of shipping. No hydro stores near me at all. I a mloking for an alternative but cant find any better than perlite that is fairly inexpensive. Need help. Thanks
 
tom__420

tom__420

Well-Known Member
jjohns93 said:
Trying to finish setting up large ebb and flow SOG table and was counting on buying hydroton until I realized it would cost about 600$ without the cost of shipping. No hydro stores near me at all. I a mloking for an alternative but cant find any better than perlite that is fairly inexpensive. Need help. Thanks
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Can you please link to the site you are looking at? 600 dollars for hydroton is unreal, unless you are getting like 200 pounds of it or something
 
smppro

smppro

Well-Known Member
hydroton is expensive to ship, probably more than the hydroton itself, the red lava rock should work but weighs a lot more.
 
J

jjohns93

Well-Known Member
smppro said:
hydroton is expensive to ship, probably more than the hydroton itself, the red lava rock should work but weighs a lot more.
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I said a LARGE table, from my understanding the hydroton takes 2 liters to fill a q gallon pot 3/4 of the way. Shipping is outrageous.
 
Huh??

Huh??

Well-Known Member
Hydroton is pretty expensive but you can reuse it again and again.I dunno anything about shipping prices though.
 
MrBlanco

MrBlanco

Active Member
I've read that red lava rock works and they should have big bags of it at HomeDepot or Lowes for landscaping.
 
tom__420

tom__420

Well-Known Member
OP don't you have a hydro store nearby? Give them a call and they should be able to help you out
Hydroton is worth the money, you won't get the same results with lava rock
 
MrBlanco

MrBlanco

Active Member
tom__420 said:
OP don't you have a hydro store nearby? Give them a call and they should be able to help you out
Hydroton is worth the money, you won't get the same results with lava rock
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He said he doesn't have one near him.

jjohns93 said:
Trying to finish setting up large ebb and flow SOG table and was counting on buying hydroton until I realized it would cost about 600$ without the cost of shipping. No hydro stores near me at all. I a mloking for an alternative but cant find any better than perlite that is fairly inexpensive. Need help. Thanks
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smppro

smppro

Well-Known Member
For a grow of this scale maybe you should look into aeroponics, i guessing your looking at around 1000liters of hydroton for that price?
 
J

jjohns93

Well-Known Member
smppro said:
For a grow of this scale maybe you should look into aeroponics, i guessing your looking at around 1000liters of hydroton for that price?
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Im looking for about 1300 liters. No local stores that carry it and Im kinda paranoid about buying that large of a shipment online. From what I see HTG is the cheapest and it comes to 45$ for 50 liters including shipping. Hopefully they will cut me a deal because I will be buying lighting ( a lot) from them too. I am really worried about buying all the stuff together becasue of the red flags of spending 2k+ at a hydro store. Im just trying to figure out how to keep my name out of the transaction.
 
Woomeister

Woomeister

Well-Known Member
$600?????????? for a metric ton maybe sent by limousine.... I have used gravel before, it works just fine.
 
hwy420

hwy420

Well-Known Member
jjohns93 said:
Im looking for about 1300 liters. No local stores that carry it and Im kinda paranoid about buying that large of a shipment online. From what I see HTG is the cheapest and it comes to 45$ for 50 liters including shipping. Hopefully they will cut me a deal because I will be buying lighting ( a lot) from them too. I am really worried about buying all the stuff together becasue of the red flags of spending 2k+ at a hydro store. Im just trying to figure out how to keep my name out of the transaction.
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Hey bro; I would only worry about a 5 thousand dollar order or more. Keep in mind that the store you use should have a good rep, and have a privacy policy with their customers. If you were making 150 thousand dollars a year owning/operating a hydroponic shop, would you report someone who placed a 2 thousand dollar order? That's their income; the way they make money; it would be absurd for a hydro shop owner to report his customers that puts food on the table for him. 2 G's at a hydroponic store doesn't go as far as it used to. Damn dollar
 
tom__420

tom__420

Well-Known Member
aknight3 said:
1. go aero,better growth and less expensive. 2.dont buy anything from htg you will be disapointed
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I bought my first light, 250 watt HPS, from htgsupply and didn't have one problem with it. Care to explain why you are against htgsupply?
 
biggun

biggun

Active Member
dude for that kind of money I say a road trip to the closest hydro store could be fun and you will save a ton of doe.. In so cal we have a place called discount hydroponics in Riverside California. I payed about $ 24.00 for a fifty pound bag.. Check out their web site.... PEACE
 
I'mSimplyStoned

I'mSimplyStoned

Active Member
I'm using "river rock" decorative stones for an aquarium. Works like a charm. All stones are about 2 in long and oblong. They provide GREAT aeration, and hold my plant in place!
 
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