Silica supplement - Volcanic rock dust in sterile hydro?

Chester da Horse

Well-Known Member
Hi, a simple nutrient and trace element availability question

Are the silica and trace elements in volcanic rock dust available to the plant in a sterile hydroponic grow, or do you need the beneficial soil microbe environment to take advantage of this stuff?

I'm growing in 50/50 perlite/vermiculite hand watered pots at the moment. Eventually progressing to an autopot gravity fed system after transplant. I'm looking for a silica boost for my plants that does not include potassium silicate, cos I have loads of potassium in my nutes and am worried about dosing too much.
 
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churchhaze

Well-Known Member
There are very few documented studies on the effects of silicate that show any conclusive results. There are hundreds if not thousands of conclusive studies on the essential elements. There's a reason silicon is considered a non-essential element.
 

Chester da Horse

Well-Known Member
Thank you for posting the full access link.
No contention that it's non-essential in comparison to the majors. But, assuming I can get the macronutrients right (still on the learning curve) there may yet be some benefit in silicate supps - the whole book is based on that claim.

I'll just run some head to head comparison tests myself and see if there is any benefit, will post back in a few months...
 

Chester da Horse

Well-Known Member
I don't know if the silica is getting into my plants, but the volcanic rock dust is definitely working on my test subjects (scotch bonnet chilli peppers in perlite/vermiculite under CFLs) - they are loving it.

Vibrant greenery and explosive foliage growth within a week of application. No other changes were made so I believe the rock dust is working some magic. Good enough for me to try it out on the ganja

A link if anyone else finds this thread in future
http://cascademineralsnw.com/blog/2014/12/incorporating-volcanic-rock-dust-into-hydroponic-systems/
 

mainliner

Well-Known Member
wont it clog everthing up with dust/paste shit?

isn't volcanic rock just purlite? I heard its best to wash perlite to get rid of all the dust milky coloured water ?

i maaaaaaay be wrong :)
 

DirtyMcCurdy

Well-Known Member
The potassium is the useful part of potassium silicate. The silicates part on the other hand...
I had this argument with another member the other day lol. He is convinced that potassium silicate works just like they say it does. A lot of people still buy into these snake oils.
 

Chester da Horse

Well-Known Member
A lot of people still buy into these snake oils.
I don't like paying for crap, so I didn't buy overpriced diluted potassium silicate. I KNOW basic 2 part nutes do not contain all the trace elements that a plant could use as cofactors/enzyme activators blah blah. The volcanic dust promo material says it has bioavailable silica, and it also smells earthy and 'organic' if you know what I mean.

I was looking for a way to supplement these in the media and I'm trying this out. Will post back in 3 months to let you know if I can get some of that 'organic' taste in my hydro buds. Here's to hope!

wont it clog everthing up with dust/paste shit?
Yes it would. But i basically top dressed my media and mixed it into the top few inches and I hope it will be trapped up there and never reach the reservoir and valves. Time will tell. I shook some up in water, and it suspends really well, but it does have gritty bits.

isn't volcanic rock just purlite? I heard its best to wash perlite to get rid of all the dust milky coloured water ?
Yes, perlite is also a volcanic substance and I do wash my pots thru to piss that dusty stuff out. Volcanic rock dust is powdery dark grey/brown and smells like dirt. Its basaltic lava dusty stuff. Full of minerals and trace elements and what not, smells like it too. Totally different to fluffy white perlite.
 

Chester da Horse

Well-Known Member
well I only put it in my grow bags that I'm hand watering... I've got 2 plants in those, and 2 in a reservoir fed bottom feed system which I didn't dust up. So if I get females from both I can have a head to head smoke and make up my own mind!

I'm a hopeful cynic, don't rain on my parade
 

mainliner

Well-Known Member
Just to mention iv got a bottle of potassium silicate and it was £8 ½lt makes 5000lt

11% k²0 23% sio²


and its really high in ph which is good because you can use a tiny bit as ph up :) happy days
 
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