true, perlite is close to inert, its a gas it does provide oxygen mostly. it has tiny nutrient value.would you care to tell me how what is basically a rock gets absorbed by a a plant?? if you've ever looked at any old soil that's been used, you will still see huge chunks of perlite in it.. it's not getting absorbed by the plant, christ, usually i don't get into idiotic debates with you, but jesus, perlite is not used by the plants, people only put it in the soil to add oxygen to the root zone, not as a nutrient..
how about this, next grow, add only perlite to your grow and only water, and get back to me and let me know how well it went..
other rocks get broken down by chelation. lemon is a good ph down and a chelator of a lot of minerals.
i heard adding perxoide to the soil can restart to soil and add oxygen. its a debriber, and when it kills i guess it turns it into oxygen or something?