Black lable custom mix 80/20 in ebb n flow?

With the new drop of hydroton. I need to rethink my flo n gro medium. So asking anyone that has tried the gold label custom mix 80/20. What you think of it. Would I need to flood less and do I need a screen to stop the coco from running in my pumps. I'm looking for the good and bad info. If I don't go this way I will be going with the gold lable hydro korrels. Need some answers fast. I will changing next week. Thanks

Edit. It's Gold label 80/20 sorry

This question is going to be asked alot very soon. And I have to change things I'm going to try something different if there isn't draw backs already know. Hell I'll be the guenypig if need be. After all it's only 20 bucks more with the bucket liners.

Instead of a screen I'd suggest a table of smartpot material. If your trying a coco base its gonna get messy near the pumps. In my reading I've seen people use smart pots in their ebb and flow bucket systems to keep coco out of the pumps/res, not sure how it worked past theory though. Have you checked out grodan? HR has been testing different mediums, if he doesnt chime in throw him a pm.

The Titan has a smart pot like lining for 4 bucks. Just wondering how bad the coco would drain thru. The grodan cubes for my size would kill me in price. And going to a table at this point isn't going to happen.

Ok cool wasn't sure if you were already doing a table setup or not. I've ran coco runoff and in ebb and grow buckets(hydroton of course )... From my point of view if I would have used coco in the buckets it would have clogged shit up (just from experience with open holed hard pots in coco.) Now that i've moved into smart pots after the first couple waterings the runoff is pretty much debris free. If the liners are cheap enough to be a realistic application I'd go with that, my .02

Good call on the frequency of this question being asked in the near future... Who doesn't love washing those little fucking clay pebbles!!

I still have little hydroton bits in my driveway from a "spill" last year.

EDIT: Btw a coco E&F is a setup Id like to get into, when time and $$ permit.

The major supplier of hydroton is gone. So there are a few others out there but twice the price. And when you deal with 150-200L every 6 weeks. Something needs to change. I never thought hydroton would be a limited item.

Yeah read something about that, a german supplier I think? I remember it being 40-45 for 50l at my local growshop.. But that was about a year ago. I REALLY don't want to check it out now. I was really hoping for someone to chime in with more experience. My rootballs weren't too impressive but even then I would be pissed if I had to wash and reuse.

Good luck man.

New drop of Hydroton?

And from what I herd today alot of growers where having major issues with the last batches of hydroton. Lower grade and heavy in salts. That could of been my problem with this crop but not going to blame it on them yet. Talked to tom at sunlight he's said it and so lady at hydrofarm. R&M still has alot but if that was my problem I don't think I will try and find it. Just trying to stay away from cubes. My dehumidifier is already running all out. And perlite I can't realy hide piles in my yard.

If HR hasn't Tryed this I will.

I'm running a 4x4 flood drain table, and using straight river rock from Lowes. No ph swings, no EC rising. It works great. Heard of people using it before, and I couldn't see paying the same price as hydroton for rocks from the hydro store. I flood every 2 hours with lights on, and the plants love it. Cheap, and easy.

At this point don't think anyone has used this yet. So I'll be the first. Gonna order it tomarrow. And start a grow next week. In 10 weeks I'll say how it works.

But I think I'm going to have to drop my ppm. I run higher then most with hydroton. 1600 ppm last week befor flush. Gonna cut that down to 3/4 or 1/2. Plants will tell me.

This is changing everything for me. If it works I got alot of changes to make.

Well I switched to the 80/20 Monday. I tested ppm of my res water. It was at 15. I let the system run 5 times over 24 hours. Retested the water. It's now at 180 ppm. Not bad. So I added my vegging plants in 3" rockwhool into the pots. Sence the rockwhool is holding some of my veg nutes I didn't add any to the res. They where looking good this morning. Retested the res this morning. It's now at 190ppm. So that's 175 more then what I started with. Not bad thinking when I used hydroton it was 200-300 jump. And I'm only going to need to change the watering times. It wicks very well. Drains good but the coco holds water longer. Going to add 1/2 nutes tonight sence this dose have some npk in it. Well according to the bag. And let the plants veg under the MH a few weeks. Only draw back is grow bags are needed for a liner. But no per soak and washing was needed. And the plants have a very stable place to grow roots. I'm thinking I won't need to add stakes like I was with plane hydroton. Almost a soil consistency. As of right now I'm happy. So everyone that uses hydroton keep a eye on this and I'll keep you informed. Sence it's going to be a pain getting hydroton soon if not now.

65 pounds of Sunleaves Rocks for $22. Expanded shale. Looks like a PITA to clean.

When dealing with 150L at a time any cleaning is a PITA. That's why I don't. New everygrow. Also feel if something was wrong in the media last grow it could carry over to the next. I know this realy isn't a big deal for the guys growing 2-4 plants but for the ones doing 12 or more it is. Just cleaning the rooms is a all day thing. Who has time to spend 2 or more days washing drying cooking washing drying 100L+ of hydroton or rock? Not me. Hell I have 450L sitting in the gerage needing dumped.

Just add my veg nutes. Ppm is now at 675. Set flood to 1 hour after lights on and 12 hours after that. I'm still on 18/6. Ph is around 5.2-5.9. My digital gauge needs battery's. Had to use drops. But with the coco making the water darker then befor that's not very true. So battery's tomarrow. And after 1 day plants arnt showing signs of transplant stress.

I was at my local store yesterday and they were running sediment tests on a couple products. They had the stuff I mentioned earlier, very minimal sediment. Just needed a quick rinse. Also, Botanicare Hydrolite. Same deal, quick rinse, no sediment. I'll be calling them in a couple days for the results of the pH test.

Cool. I be running test on this. Post what you find. That way we can know alternatives to the hydroton we once knew. I'm currently changing my veg table up so I can run just rockwhool 4" cubes. Can't run coco in this system. Well I could but I'm not going to. To much work at this time.