DWC medium question; hydroton vs pea gravel

I ended up just ordering a premade DWC 8-site w 3" net pots & air pump/stone off of ebay for probably cheaper than if I DIY'd it. However, there was some fine print down at the bottom that I missed.

It was set up so that they send you 2" RW cubes with*out* Hydroton rocks by default, which I got. But if you specified via email, they would send 1.5" cubes *with* Hydroton instead, but honestly I was high and overlooked it. I've been planning on using Hydroton this whole time, and now I feel like I'm missing a crucial part to my setup.

My question is since I live in a place where hydro stores are non-existent, would it be okay to use pea gravel from, say, Home Depot instead? Or should I go online and order some Hydroton? Are there major advantages to using Hydroton instead? And regardless of which I pick, should I cut the RW down to 1.5" so that I can put more medium in the net pot? The 2" RW pretty much takes up the whole pot.

All I've seen around here is Hydroton, Hydroton, Hydroton, & Soil.

But for hydroponic stores being non-existant, that's what I thought until I just googled "hydroponics (location)". give it a shot u might come up with a couple.

i4204lyfe8424 said:

All I've seen around here is Hydroton, Hydroton, Hydroton, & Soil.

But for hydroponic stores being non-existant, that's what I thought until I just googled "hydroponics (location)". give it a shot u might come up with a couple.

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Yea I've already exhausted google and yellowpages. The only things we have around here are lawncare services, florists, and (greenhouse) nurseries.

People around here probably don't even know what hydroponics is, hell they probably couldn't even say it.
hi-dur-o-whattas?

But yes everyone seems to use hydroton so I'm just assuming its pretty much necessary for a proper grow.

dankyouverymuch said:

Yea I've already exhausted google and yellowpages. The only things we have around here are lawncare services, florists, and (greenhouse) nurseries.

People around here probably don't even know what hydroponics is, hell they probably couldn't even say it.
hi-dur-o-whattas?

But yes everyone seems to use hydroton so I'm just assuming its pretty much necessary for a proper grow.

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Go to petsmart they have them they are called hydro rocks in blue bag where substrates are. They even sell coco fider in all forms their last I checked to.

snail240 said:

Go to petsmart they have them they are called hydro rocks in blue bag where substrates are. They even sell coco fider in all forms their last I checked to.

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Hey thanks dude!

I'm bumpin this thread because I went to petsmart and this was the only thing related that they had. Will this suffice or should I order some hydroton online instead? I'm pretty sure its pH neutral but I'm not certain.

bump.

this stuff traps phosphates, nitrites, and nitrates. Is this what I need for a DWC bubbleponic? I know everyone uses and swears by hydroton but I need to start my grow asap and don't really have the time to wait for it to ship.

You want your medium to trap and hold oxygen and have good capillary action. Not sure if pea gravel would be the best choice...I have used red lava rock successfully (used for landscaping, available at most Home Depot's). Just make sure you rinse it well and sterilize it.

The shit I was talking about comes in a blue plastic bag. I dunno about that stuff it could work. What all does it say it has in it? If its just rocks try it if it looks like something that would hold nutes and get nasty I dunno.

Stuff I seen was in a blue bag and people use it on the bottom of cages of frogs that needs humid cage. Its hydroton just called hydro rocks.
http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3678501&lmdn=Reptile

snail240 said:

The shit I was talking about comes in a blue plastic bag. I dunno about that stuff it could work. What all does it say it has in it? If its just rocks try it if it looks like something that would hold nutes and get nasty I dunno.

Stuff I seen was in a blue bag and people use it on the bottom of cages of frogs that needs humid cage. Its hydroton just called hydro rocks.
http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3678501&lmdn=Reptile

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I went back and they didn't have that. Our petsmart sucks haha. I'm just going to use pea gravel. It holds moisture just like hydroton, and I already have some. So Imma see how it does.

I use pea gravel, and I use lava rock.....Lava rock is a bitch to wash.....where as pea gravel the dirt just rubbs off with a gentle dish soap....only one drop!! IMHO Hydrotron is just too expensive (I'm a cheap bastard, my whole set up cost me less than 75 bucks...lights included ...I scrounge everything and only pay for genetics)) You can go to Lowes and find a torn bag of Lacva Rock, bring it up to the front and tell them you'll buy the damaged bag, they'll sell it to ya for one dollar!