No hydroponics grower should take the decision of his or her growing medium lightly. Because, while one could argue that every choice, you make in regard to your hydroponics garden will have a profound impact on the success of your garden, the hydroponics systems growing medium is arguably one of the most important. Choose a growing medium which is well suited to both, you and your plants, and your growing experience can be both high yielding and fairly easy. Choose one that does not suit your needs well, and you can find yourself wasting a lot of time and not enjoying the full benefits of your hydroponic garden.
This is why you should consider hydroton as a growing medium. Hydroton is simply expanded clay pebbles. This material is manufactured almost exclusively in Germany. While you can usually find it in floral hydroponic gardens, many hydroponic growers that grow all sorts of plants in their hydroponics systems have found a great deal off the success with hydroton.
Here are some of the main reasons why hydroponic growers might choose hydroton over a different medium.
Durable - Probably one of the major reasons why people choose hydroton over other hydroponic media is because it is a big-money saver. You don't really have to worry about it falling apart or otherwise becoming unusable after only a couple growing seasons. You can safely use it a year after year, and it can work just as well if you take care of them. After each growing season, you should wash the hydroton thoroughly with the help of isopropyl alcohol, and then rinse with pH balance water. This does not only cut away a lot of hassles normally associated with hydroponic growing. It can also allow you to invest extra money in your garden.
It holds Moisture and Nutrients - Usually the downside to very durable and reusable hydroponic media, like perlite, is that they just do not hold moisture very well. In a recovery system, it flows out as quickly as it is pumped in. With hydroton, this is less of a concern. The physical structure of the pebbles actually allows them to hang on to a small amount of moisture, which can be greatly helpful in making your gardening experience a little bit easier.
Easy to Stabilize pH - the ideal range for the pH in your nutrient solution is anywhere from 5.6 to 6.3. If it fits outside of this range, you are going to run into some serious nutrient uptake issues. Hydroton makes your task in stabilizing the pH level a little bit easier by being completely pH neutral. It is not acidic or alkaline, so it will not cause the pH level to drift in the grow tray. While you should check regularly your pH level and use pH adjustors regularly to guarantee optimal uptake, hydroton can just make your job a little bit easier.
Plenty of Air - Of course, holding moisture will not do you much good if your hydroponics systems is totally drowning. This is where hydroton also excels. It provides your hydroponic system with all of the air you need for your roots to grow thick, large, and complex
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