Perlite mix or perlite alone
- Thread starter Jmerc
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BobThe420Builder
Well-Known Member
Perlite alone is fine
I tried with vermiculite but never saw a benefit
I tried with vermiculite but never saw a benefit
Jmerc
Active Member
Thanks, originally I thought perlite by itself, but seen a few people using it with a mix or people using clay pebbles
MickFoster
Well-Known Member
I agree with your assessment of perlite and vermiculite.
However, they can be used together.
The original Hempy bucket was perlite and vermiculite.
BobThe420Builder
Well-Known Member
I used them together, I'm on the surface of the sun so was thinking I needed the extra water retention
But once the roots hit the rezz, the vermiculite is pointless
But once the roots hit the rezz, the vermiculite is pointless
BobThe420Builder
Well-Known Member
Anyone need a 10# bag of vermiculite....lol
Renfro
Well-Known Member
The only reason to add vermiculite is to retain more water do you can go longer between watering. A little goes a LONG way. I recently started playing with a mix that has 3 parts coco, 3 parts perlite and only 1 part vermiculite. This vermiculite addition allows me to go much longer between watering. The downside to adding too much vermiculite is root rot due to prolonged periods of saturation.
If you can water frequently, like with an auto watering system then don't use vermiculite at all. Straight perlite works great if you can keep it dry getting too dry.
When growing in a medium like the mix I mentioned, the plants grow the fastest during the time the soil is almost dry, there is still enough moisture but there is also lots of oxygen at the roots. So the more often you can have this occur, the more growth you will get. Thus in a system with LECA and watering every 4 hours with flood and drain, the plants get this growth spike multiple times each day. If you were to use a medium that retains more water you have a longer period of saturation / slow growth and the plants don't grow as aggressively.
Hope all this helps in your endeavor to grow good medicine.
If you can water frequently, like with an auto watering system then don't use vermiculite at all. Straight perlite works great if you can keep it dry getting too dry.
When growing in a medium like the mix I mentioned, the plants grow the fastest during the time the soil is almost dry, there is still enough moisture but there is also lots of oxygen at the roots. So the more often you can have this occur, the more growth you will get. Thus in a system with LECA and watering every 4 hours with flood and drain, the plants get this growth spike multiple times each day. If you were to use a medium that retains more water you have a longer period of saturation / slow growth and the plants don't grow as aggressively.
Hope all this helps in your endeavor to grow good medicine.
I use 3 and 5 gallon hempys with hydroton up to the drain hole and then 100% Perlite the rest of the way.
They work great. Depending on plant size I usually water every second day. But I did have a Green Crack that was vegged 12weeks. Would suck a 5gal dry in one day.
They work great. Depending on plant size I usually water every second day. But I did have a Green Crack that was vegged 12weeks. Would suck a 5gal dry in one day.
Jmerc
Active Member
Nice... so what would you say would be the best medium mix or medium for optimal growth or yield?
Renfro
Well-Known Member
Well no medium at all is one approach, DWC lol.
If you have auto watering setup then LECA balls, straight perlite offer the hydroponic grower a medium with little water retention. This allows you to feed more frequently / achieve more wet/dry cycles in a given period.
If you want something in the middle that is forgiving if you water it a little too often, go with coco. Just don't ever let it dry out.
If you want something that has more water retention you could look at peat based mixes like sunshine or pro mix.
Adding a little vermiculite does goa long way. I made mixes to test ratio is Coco
erlite:Vermiculite. I tried a 3:3:1, 3:2:1, 3:2:2 and the 3:3:1 was the only one that performed well. Basically think of adding vermiculite as a bad thing really, I just wanted enough so that I could go a little bit longer between watering as it was getting excessive with straight coco, even in 10 gallon pots I was having to water every 4 - 6 hours at peak drink. I have learned the 3:3:1 holds a lot more water than the straight coco or coco/perlite and might be a bit excessive so I am going to try something like a 6:6:1 cutting the vermiculite in half.There isn't one "best" as different mediums each have their pros and cons but if you can water often then go with something that holds little water like the LECA or perlite and get the watering frequency right so you get those wet / dry cycles. Stay too wet all the time = root rot.
Jmerc
Active Member
Do you think I’d have to water more than twice a day with 5 gallon hempy buckets filled with perlite only or should I add just enough vermiculite to let it last a the whole day?Well no medium at all is one approach, DWC lol.
If you have auto watering setup then LECA balls, straight perlite offer the hydroponic grower a medium with little water retention. This allows you to feed more frequently / achieve more wet/dry cycles in a given period.
If you want something in the middle that is forgiving if you water it a little too often, go with coco. Just don't ever let it dry out.
If you want something that has more water retention you could look at peat based mixes like sunshine or pro mix.
Adding a little vermiculite does goa long way. I made mixes to test ratio is Coco
There isn't one "best" as different mediums each have their pros and cons but if you can water often then go with something that holds little water like the LECA or perlite and get the watering frequency right so you get those wet / dry cycles. Stay too wet all the time = root rot.
Renfro
Well-Known Member
That all depends on many factors like how big the plants are, what stage of growth, intensity of the lighting just to name the bigger ones. Might work great if you only veg a certain period but if you veg longer then maybe you'll have to water more often. Like if the plants are small you might only have to water once a day. Just have to give it a go and tune your mix to your plant size and grow.
Jumpin Jimmy
Well-Known Member
Perlite and peanut butter. You’ll thank me later. Goobers works well too
Jmerc
Active Member
Ah okay, so basically if I stick with the perlite only, don’t veg for more than 5 weeks, and if I ever decide to veg for longer than That, mix in some vermiculite or some coco coir.... That’s what I’m trying to do, veg 4 weeks, fim, and then flip at week 5, usually 8-9 week flower time
