I recently ran across an article in Urban Garden about growth mediums. One section that caught my eye was an article about using silica stone. Results were from the magazine, not the company that produces this product, so it seems to be a viable and accountable article, not slander. Anyway, the article proposed using a 50/50 mix with silica stone and hydroton, which produced a much better root mass and tighter node spacing. Of course this experiment was not done with our subject, I think it was tomatoes. So I was just wondering if anyone have tried/seen this done before and can account for such results.

Also, I did go for the bag of silica stone at the hydro store this past weekend, it was a little more expensive, but not much. So, sooner or later I can produce such results myself. But curious till then if anyone has some experience.

I imagine silica stone would help quite a bit! Silicon is very abundant in the topsoil of most of the earth. I believe its the second most abundant in the earths crust. Si (silicon) is often in higher concentrations than N or P in some plants leaves. Other plants though have very Little Si. There are no studies that show how much Si cannabis uses, but i imagine its pretty high since there is tons of anecdotal evidence of Si helping cannabis.
Si is shown to help prevent disease and fungi attacks, as well as destroy them if they do invade. Si is shown to accumulate in the cell walls and at the base of trichomes so its theorized that it thickens the cell wall and helps attack that way as well as provide less transpiration. Also Si flters out UV so that the plant can survive under more direct light without burning or overheating. Also Si is shown to help the creation of phenols that are antifungal, and will attack invaders.
Si also helps to fight off toxicity of metals, by binding to them and helping them become 'more' mobile, and thus help spread them out evenly. Also its shown to help with salt toxicity.
So i believe all of that combined would definatly be some of the reasons why plants are helthier with silica stone. Way less stress. Si is like a plants way of smokin a doob, they can finally relax. Lamp

This is exactly what biochem and ochem tells me so it's got to be worth the shot. At least it can replace the silica gel if anything. Now I'm hoping for good results.

i played with it, i have a 5 gallon bucket of it sitting in the corner, if your not in a flood and drain, its garbage
i also dont like that the edges are jagged, it can mess up the roots

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I was also worried about the jagged edges... The article suggested to crush up and break down the stone a bit. And it will be used for a flood table. holmes did you ever try it or just leave it in the bucket?

yes i did, i tried it 100% stone, but not in a flood and drain. that was stupid of me, i should have know better. but i thought since the stone holds over 100% of its weight in water, then it would be cool cause there would always be a supply of water to the roots. It was crappy growth to say the least. rinse it well, and dont let it dry up in between waterings, the stone is chalky and will leave a residue in your rez. Because of it slow release of silicone and other trace minerals, i suspect it might good in a automated hydro system. good luck.
O, just in case you were wondering about sure to grow, the fluffy white pillow stuffing. This is also garbage alone and probably better off on an automated hydro system. I ran it alone, and with a coco mix. The ones with the coco mix, all the strong root growth has been in the coco, the sure to grow medium areas have very poor roots.

the best root growth so far ive seen has been in coco.

peace

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Don't wait for things to be right in order to begin. Change is messy. Things will never be just right. Follow Teddy Roosevelt's timeless advice, "Do what you can, with what you have, where you are."

So it sound like is a great soure od Si, but it seems you people that have used it say it can damage roots. So for now i would say no go, dont use it...YET. After they get 1000 complaints and saild plummit, they will be forced to come of with a some smooth silica aggregate.

Also though whats new with powdery residue, i get that shit with hydroton, cocoa, diatomacious.

Also diatom mix is very sharp too, actually its so sharp that it kills insects and flys when they land on it, yet somehow they also claim better growth because of the abundence in trace elements like silicone. Roots are tuff and will grow in razor blades. Its only when you bisturb or move the pot that the roots get cut, you with these sharp mixes you need to be delicate with them.

Holmes you were saying it dries up quick? I kinda wanna know more about it. It holds alot of water though? Lamp

the diatomite?, it holds a good bit of water, if you place a dry rock in a small puddle, it will suck up the water very quick. It stays moist to the touch. But unless roots are heavily developed around the rock with straws to suck on it, it simply wont due shit for you outside of a flood and drain table. If it does dry up, then it gets chaulky, very dusty. Better to have it wet all the time. What else do you want to know, swing by and pick up the bucket if you like
i wouldnt say that
it doesnt seem like a root friendly environment

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Don't wait for things to be right in order to begin. Change is messy. Things will never be just right. Follow Teddy Roosevelt's timeless advice, "Do what you can, with what you have, where you are."

Actually there are alot of Gardering magazines that have pictures and the money to use clones and equal lighting (not an advertisy). But from what ive seen, they look much better. No mess about @35% bigger yields. But the plants look way! healthier. And the rocks are so sharp (on a microscopic level than it actually cuts most insecs (gnats) on contact. Larvae cant move in it also. Again it has lots of micronutes to. But dtudies show its good stuff. No miracle aggregate, but definatly another option.

I still think silica stone needs to improve there rocks though.

get a finer grade of it. I got the medium size, too big i think. the next size down will be more like perlite

__________________
Don't wait for things to be right in order to begin. Change is messy. Things will never be just right. Follow Teddy Roosevelt's timeless advice, "Do what you can, with what you have, where you are."