Expert Tips on Using Hydroton and Hydroton Nutrients

Hydroponic growers who want to try and get the most bang for their buck when choosing a hydroponic medium usually look to hydroton and hydroton specific nutrients. Hydroton is a kind of expanded clay pebble which is typically manufactured in Germany. Hydroton is a fantastic medium because it is totally reusable, which means that you do not have to have a huge budget for your medium in order to maintain a hydroponic garden. It is also porous, and somewhat absorbent, so you can have confidence that your plants are going to get enough hydroton nutrients.

Here are some easy ways to get the most benefit from your hydroton pebbles.

Clean Thoroughly – One of the main reasons why hydroton can really cut down on your hydroponic budget is because you can reuse it many, many times. While other growing media might fall apart after a while, you can always count on being able to use hydroton next growing season, which prevents you from having to spend so much more on your growing medium.

However, a lot of growers make the mistake of not cleaning their hydroton pebbles thoroughly enough. A lot of organic material and hydroton nutrients can get stuck in the pores, so you have to use isopropyl alcohol in order to really prepare your hydroton for next use.

Don't Use Larger Pots - While it is true that hydroton is more absorbent than certain other reusable media, such as perlite, it still is not quite as absorbent as a lot of other media. This is why it would be a mistake to use hydroton in larger pots. If you do this, the hydroton nutrients just will not be able to be distributed evenly in between feeding cycles.

However, if you instead user smaller pots, the hydroton nutrients have a much better chance of being absorbed by every section of the roots. So there would be a much smaller chance of suffering from any kind of lack of water or hydroton nutrient deficiency.

Combine Media - Many hydroponic growers combine two or more media in order to enjoy the benefits of all of them. Especially in drip irrigation hydroponic systems, it is smart to combine your hydroton with another, more absorbent hydroponics medium in order to ensure maximum hydroton nutrient absorption. One media that many hydroponic growers choose to combine with hydroton is coco coir. This totally organic medium is extremely absorbent, while still offering plenty of air to your roots, which makes it an almost ideal complement to your hydroton.

Know What You are Buying – The best hydroton pebbles are usually manufactured in Germany and fired in kilns at extremely hot temperatures. This process is what gives hydroton its characteristic porousness, and is why they can soak up the hydroton nutrients that they can then feed to the plants. However, there are a lot of cheaper clay pebble media out there that just do not give you the full benefits of true hydroton. It is understandable if you want to save a few bucks on your medium, but with hydroton already relatively cheap, it is best to spend a little extra to make certain that you are getting the best product for your hydroponically grown plants.

Using hydroton as your growing medium of choice has many benefits. They can be found in the grow rooms of virtually every style of hydroponic grower, but they are particularly favored by growers of flowers and growers of certain vegetables for their valuable properties. It is important to always use hydroton specific nutrients if you are going to use hydroton as your growing medium in your hydroponics garden. Good luck!