Has anyone tried HygroStone?

[Connie Star]

Originally Posted by DelawareJim

Has anyone tried HygroStone yet? It's supposed to be more like the old PrimeAgra.

I've been flirting with getting a sample to try out.

Cheers.
Jim

I've just begun growing orchids and have a couple of S/H plants. How is the new Prime Agra different from the Old?

[alternety]

From my reading it appears that the new and old PA are different. I saw tests here. GrowInHydro - Media Comparison

This the site of the guy that was selling Hygrostone. Oddly, he also owns the domain primeagra.

[Becca]

Originally Posted by alternety

From my reading it appears that the new and old PA are different. I saw tests here. GrowInHydro - Media Comparison

This the site of the guy that was selling Hygrostone. Oddly, he also owns the domain primeagra.

I thought that Ray was the creator of PrimeAgra, and the link provided for the media comparison is not Ray's website or part of it. The Hygrostone website is/was owned by someone else and he is no longer in business.

[Connie Star]

While looking at the hygrostone web page, I noticed something called "Swamp Stick" which is a ceramic mount. Has anyone tried it? They also sell ceramic covers for S/H pots. I think I will try some of those, because the S/H pots are hard to move- they flex.
SwampStick Ceramic Orchid Mount - Home

[orchids3]

Is Hydrostone a grey porous rock? I may be using it under another name.

[alternety]

Connie - they are out of business. Don't know if there are other vendors.

Orchids3 - no they are not gray. See the LINK I provided above.

[orchids3]

When I googled Hydrostone I found a whole list of products - plasters, mold materials all made from Gypsum. I wonder if the product you are talking about is made from this material? Gupsum is Calcium Carbonate as is Lime, marble and sea shell. I always add a source of Calcium Carbonate to my potting materials whatever I use because it acts to prevent the media from going Acid (Raises pH). Orchids take up nutrients better if the media is neutral or around pH 7 - could this account for the success you had with the product you used? Has anyone tried Stalite or expanded schale gravel? - I love the stuff and am having good success with it .

[alternety]

Hydrostone is not the name of the product. That is not a useful material.

[Matt]

I agree. Hygrostone seems to be made of some sort of sedimentary stone that is ground to size. I can't be much more specific other than it is not made of clay.

[DelawareJim]

I suspect HygroStone is very similar to AussieGold except it's much smaller.

Since it's sole source is out of business this thread is basically a deadend.

Cheers.
Jim