Rock Wool Medium

[DirtyCoconuts]

Perlite can mess you up. Those particles are deadly

[DirtyCoconuts]

What a wealth of knowledge!! Thank you for taking the time to share all that!

[Ray]

That's interesting, Camille.

I took the cubes right out of the box, filled the plastic food container with RO water and capped it. About 36 hours later, the pH was 5.4

"Splain that one"

---------------------------

By the way, "dust" is really not an issue with the stuff I have. Having tiny pieces of glass fiber poke your fingers is possible, but seems to only be an issue when dry.

Sure, it is possible that there could be airborne fibers, but that appears to be a very small likelihood unless you start tossing the stuff in the air.

[camille1585]

You got me there Ray! And I can't find information on why that's the case. I did find a passing mention that major manufacturers are now pre conditioning their rockwool before it leaves the factory.

[Tim P.]

I grow my phrags exclusively in rock wool. It is the same brand that you are experimenting with, and they love it.

Word of caution. Moisten it before use. Glass fibers in the lungs last forever.

One other issue I have with it, is that it loves to grow moss in my clear pots. Other than that, I really like it. I have yet to use it on anything other than phrags. What plants were you going to use it on?

[Ray]

Originally Posted by Tim P.

I grow my phrags exclusively in rock wool. It is the same brand that you are experimenting with, and they love it.

Word of caution. Moisten it before use. Glass fibers in the lungs last forever.

One other issue I have with it, is that it loves to grow moss in my clear pots. Other than that, I really like it. I have yet to use it on anything other than phrags. What plants were you going to use it on?

My paphs and phrags do very well for me in semi-hydroponic culture using LECA, so I won’t be messing with that. I grow my phals in sphagnum, so they seem to be likely candidates, but I have a couple of bollea/warczewiczella/pescatorea intergenerics (also currently in moss) that might be the first choice.

I’m not too concerned about the handling. I’m a ceramic engineer who has worked with all sorts of glass, powder & chemical manufacturing, including radioactive powders since grad school, so I’m pretty well trained in safe handling.

[DirtyCoconuts]

Originally Posted by Ray

My paphs and phrags do very well for me in semi-hydroponic culture using LECA, so I won’t be messing with that. I grow my phals in sphagnum, so they seem to be likely candidates, but I have a couple of bollea/warczewiczella/pescatorea intergenerics (also currently in moss) that might be the first choice.

I’m not too concerned about the handling. I’m a ceramic engineer who has worked with all sorts of glass, powder & chemical manufacturing, including radioactive powders since grad school, so I’m pretty well trained in safe handling.

Yeah, but now your retired and there’s that beer in your hand and those beautiful birds to distract you. We just want you to be careful cos we care

I treat perlite like it is radioactive powder lol

[SouthPark]

My two phrags are growing in rock --- not rock wool. Scoria that is, and doing great. The rock wool definitely sounds workable - but the fibres in fingers and/or lungs - even 'low risk' is still a risk of some sort. But if safety precautions are followed, and one knows what they're doing - then maybe ok. As they say - it's not the low probability that people are scared of. It's the event of an unwanted occurrence actually happen and come true - is what some people should be scared of. Such as a slip-up or something.

Although - for a very experienced grower such as Ray ----- he would likely be careful, and everything should be ok. It's other growers that don't understand the risks - is a bit of a concern.

[WaterWitchin]

I got some to mix in toward top of LECA in some of my SH pots. Experimenting with lowering evaporation rate.

[camille1585]

Originally Posted by WaterWitchin

I got some to mix in toward top of LECA in some of my SH pots. Experimenting with lowering evaporation rate.

How is that working out so far?