Got my system cycling today - Need LECA, please advise!!

[Nick Scud]

Got my system plumbed and cycling!!  I cleaned up the area around it with some 16x16 patio blocks and filled the voids with pea gravel.  Now the challenge is sourcing hydroton for a reasonable price..  Anyone have any suggestions?!?  Home depot advertises 50 liter bags for 32 bucks, free delivery over 45 dollars..  I need 8 bags, so delivery would be free.  I've seen them for 20 per bag, but no where close to me.  Anyone have any suggestions (or substitutions) for expanded clay (LECA) or similar growing substrate?!?!  thanks guys, hope the pics look ok!

[Beth Medeiros]

We got our first shipment of hydroton from Home Depot with no issues.  Just make sure that you order enough.  We didn't and when we went to order more, they were out of stock and 2 months out for any new orders.  We ended up having to pay a lot more per bag at a local hydroponics store.

[nimrod bash]

best suggestion is don't use hydroton if your $ important to you there's plenty of lava rock gravel around witch is just as good

[Jonathan Kadish NYC AA Chair]

Expanded shale is another option.

[Jim Troyer]

"Lava rock" - any igneous rock is Lava rock. 

You want volcanic cinders or volcanic ash for the porous light weight and  high surface area qualities.

[Nick Scud]

Beth - were they price competitive at all??  33 bucks a bag is pretty high, I've seen em out there for 18-21..  how much a bag did they charge you guys?  Am I correct in thinking 9 bags with be sufficient for 2 IBC GB's (4.5 bags per bed)  that's what my math gave me..  I'm considering an 11" gravel height (not12)  because I reduced my siphon height 1 inch for timing reasons..  thanks for your reply!!

Beth Medeiros said:

We got our first shipment of hydroton from Home Depot with no issues.  Just make sure that you order enough.  We didn't and when we went to order more, they were out of stock and 2 months out for any new orders.  We ended up having to pay a lot more per bag at a local hydroponics store.

[Nick Scud]

All:  I've heard of expanded shale and volcanic cinders.. thing is, WHERE can I buy those??  I've called alot of landscape supplies etc in the upstate (SC) and have gotten poor responses and "no clue" - Can you suggest a place in the upstate that I can get exp. shale or volcanic cinders, somewhere in the greenville/spartaburg/anderson area??  I'm willing to drive that far, but only drive a chevy malibu so will have to get creative with containers, etc.. to fit it!!    Again, thanks in advance for your input everyone..  I'm excited to get things growing!

-n

Jim Troyer said:

"Lava rock" - any igneous rock is Lava rock. 

You want volcanic cinders or volcanic ash for the porous light weight and  high surface area qualities.

[Beth Medeiros]

Nick, when we ordered from Home Depot, the hydroton was about $20/bag.  I'm guessing that the price has gone up with the demand for clay balls.  We ended up using lava rock in the bottom of two of our beds and adding clay balls as the top half layer.  For us, it was worth paying the extra for the clay balls.  We hated the process of rinsing and working with the lava rock.  My husband sliced his hand with the lava rock and it was super dusty.  The clay balls are easier to plant in, from our point of view.  The only good thing about the lava rock is that it doesn't float like the clay balls.  We have an issue with our one bed of just clay balls of them rising with the water level, along with the pvc around the bell siphon.  So we have 3 IBC beds, one of just clay balls, and 2 beds half lava/half clay.  We used a total of 14 bags (I think they were all 45-50L) of clay balls.

[Alex Veidel]

You could always do a bottom, fill-in media and just do the top 4 or 5 inches with hydroton. I think I'll do that next time I build growbeds :) First time around I bought like 25 bags of hydroton and it cost a pretty penny :/