Anyone Sanitizes their LECA for reuse with a Pressure Cooker

[Orchid Whisperer]

Originally Posted by Subrosa

You want small leca? You got small leca!
RK2 Systems - Clay Pellet Media

Interesting, but I had to laugh when I read that RK2 calls their clay pellet media "organic".

Clay, by it's very nature, is inorganic. Yeah, I get that the company is using (misusing) organic in a different sense here. I've always felt that using "organic" in this sense represents a poor word choice.

[WaterWitchin]

Originally Posted by Orchid Whisperer

Interesting, but I had to laugh when I read that RK2 calls their clay pellet media "organic".

Clay, by it's very nature, is inorganic. Yeah, I get that the company is using (misusing) organic in a different sense here. I've always felt that using "organic" in this sense represents a poor word choice.

I'm still waiting to see some Artisanal Organic LECA.

[hypostatic]

Originally Posted by WaterWitchin

I'm still waiting to see some Artisanal Organic LECA.

Umm, I only take my LECA free-range and without all those GMOs, thank you very much

[emmajs243]

SUBROSA!!!! You totally rock!!!!! I don't know if I will need it or not but I REALLY hate the feeling of not knowing if I can get more of something that I might need! That's why I have been hoarding all the small LECA I have just in case!

And Ray, I didn't even know it was a thing to try and add a deeper reservoir and then also make your LECA above the reservoir deeper too...that seems to defeat the purpose....then again I would think that if you have a 1" reservoir per 6" of LECA, and add an inch of each...instead of being in a 1:6 ratio we are talking a 2:7 ratio so wouldn't that do something just be substantially less effective? You know what, if that's a completely idiotic thought process just completely ignore it! I literally just finished my last midterm so I am fairly certain my brain is operating at its maximum capacity at the moment and hasn't yet fully recovered!

Either way, I did not do that! I left my total volume of LECA the exact same and simply increased the reservoirs volume at the expense of the unsubmerged LECA's volume....if that makes sense. If not, I apologize! I'm running a tad sleep deprived at the moment!

[zipykido]

Originally Posted by emmajs243

SUBROSA!!!! You totally rock!!!!! I don't know if I will need it or not but I REALLY hate the feeling of not knowing if I can get more of something that I might need! That's why I have been hoarding all the small LECA I have just in case!

And Ray, I didn't even know it was a thing to try and add a deeper reservoir and then also make your LECA above the reservoir deeper too...that seems to defeat the purpose....then again I would think that if you have a 1" reservoir per 6" of LECA, and add an inch of each...instead of being in a 1:6 ratio we are talking a 2:7 ratio so wouldn't that do something just be substantially less effective? You know what, if that's a completely idiotic thought process just completely ignore it! I literally just finished my last midterm so I am fairly certain my brain is operating at its maximum capacity at the moment and hasn't yet fully recovered!

Either way, I did not do that! I left my total volume of LECA the exact same and simply increased the reservoirs volume at the expense of the unsubmerged LECA's volume....if that makes sense. If not, I apologize! I'm running a tad sleep deprived at the moment!

Seachem Fluorite can also be used as small leca if you're doing S/H.

[emmajs243]

Oh! Why thank you zipykido!!!!! NEVER would have known that!! Great to know there are some options out there just in case!

[zipykido]

Originally Posted by emmajs243

Oh! Why thank you zipykido!!!!! NEVER would have known that!! Great to know there are some options out there just in case!

It comes from the aquarium hobby so it's no super cheap but it's pretty readily available. Eco-complete would probably also work.

[emmajs243]

Well I have just learned all sorts of new stuff today thanks to everyone on here! Thanks guys!!

[Ray]

Unfortunately, Emma, you're learning some "bad" stuff.

It is totally unnecessary to use finer grade LECA for semi-hydroponic culture of any plant, and you probably want to avoid anything as fine as aquarium sand.

The finer the product, the smaller the gaps between the particles. The smaller the gaps, the easier it is for surface tension to hold water between the particles, and it is that interstitial water that suffocates roots and kills them.

[zipykido]

Originally Posted by Ray

Unfortunately, Emma, you're learning some "bad" stuff.

It is totally unnecessary to use finer grade LECA for semi-hydroponic culture of any plant, and you probably want to avoid anything as fine as aquarium sand.

The finer the product, the smaller the gaps between the particles. The smaller the gaps, the easier it is for surface tension to hold water between the particles, and it is that interstitial water that suffocates roots and kills them.

Seachem Flourite and Eco-complete aren't fine soil sand, it's expanded clay just like regular leca. They're just a bit smaller and not as uniformly round (more of a gravel size and consistency). While smaller particles may not be ideal, the substrates I mention fall into the "smaller expanded clay" and "readily available" category that the OP wanted in case they wanted to test it out.