Prep for Leca/ Hydroton/ expanded clay.

[Toleman]

From what I have read, you rinse well, then soak in ph adjusted water. You then keep adjusting it as it swing till it remains the same. Then it can be used?

I have 50 litre bags so it will be quite hard to pierce holes in the bag to rinse but was thinking of doing it this way...

Pour into a bucket with lots of small (5mm) drain holes in.
Run the hose through it till it runs clear.
Pour into my 50 ltr reservoir with an air stone in.
When the res is full fill with rain water which varies from 5.5 - 6.0
Leave bubbling for 12 hours then check the ph
(#)Adjust if required to keep it at 6.0 ish???
Leave for another 12 and check again.
Use if ph is still 6.0. Back to (#) if not.

This sound ok? I have 100 litres to do.

Chris

 

[POTAWIE]

Its so hard to rinse the stuff fully, but make sure you do it several times. I've never worried about the pH, it always seemed quite stable for me after rinsing.

 

[Toleman]

Cheers Potawie.

What I will do is soak the first bag and see what it does. I'd rather waste time doing one lot and realising it wasn't needed than getting it up and running - unable to control the ph.

 

[boutros]

Totally. Buckets, one with a buncha holes (sized smaller than the hydroton but largeenough for drain flow) sittin in another. Wash n drain in batches. It is a good step IMO, keeps all the crap outta your equipment too. Got an link to a old post w/ a pic.

http://www.thehotpepper.com/showthread.php?11564-Easy-way-to-rinse-hydroton-or-leca

Good to pre PH to 6.0 too. I do it in the same setup.

 

[Toleman]

Thanks Boutros

 

[boutros]

You got it man. My link was jacked, should work now. You got the idea though anyway.