Sunleaves Rocks vs Hydroton

Sunleaves Rocks are a reusable growing medium with serious H20-holding power for use in any kind of garden. They're made by superheating shale to temperatures up to 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit, rendering them pH-neutral and chemically inert. Gardeners can make their lives a little easier, take care of their plants, and take it easy on the planet when they grow with the rock that doesn't roll! Mined and manufactured in the United States.


anyone tired these? how do they compare to hydroton?

here are the benefits i can see although i have not tried them yet but a buddy just put them in his Ebb and Grow.

• heavier! a bag is over 60lbs. more weight means plants stand up without support better.
• Cheaper
• the shape and porus exterior makes me think they will retain more solution after a drain
• CHEAPER!
• cleaner - very easy to clean for the first time unlike hydroton, also reported by store owner to be easier to clean after a cycle
• dont roll around when you spill a few!

just looking for some feedback from someone who has used them especially in a ebb and flow setup. any input from guru's who have not used them is always welcomed as well but please state if you have used them or not!

they look legit

yeah they sure do which is why I've been looking for a journal using them just to see a users report of pros and cons. I'm tired of those little balls rolling around my floor getting stepped on and turning to dust. plus cleaning them is damn near impossible. hell afterwords I'd throw these outside around a tree and they would just look like landscaping rocks if i chose not to reuse lol.

they got these at my local dro store might pick em up i hate hydroton & these are dirt cheap also

Looks groovy, I get a little annoyed at rocks too, washing them has gotten a bit old even though I love planting new plants.

Anyone have more information on these?

My hydro store guy is suggesting it over hydroton for the ebb and grow I'm about to start, and I think that I'm going to use them. They are about half the price of hydroton and supposedly 10x easier to clean.

I purchased the sunleaves rocks based upon my local shops advice. Besides being a lot cheaper, they are made here in the United States of America. The hydroton is produced in germany and shipped over here...

I noticed inconsistency between bags. One bag I purchased had much smaller pebbles. The next bag I purchased contained larger rocks. Both bags are labelled identically.

I like how they feel in my hands and they dont float.

Cant wait to try them out in my Titan ebb n gro.

These things might be worth a shot, you should also look into Hydro Corn and Hydro Korals, they are similar to Hydroton but odd shapped like the rocks so they dont roll, fit together better, etc... I'll see if I can grab a free sample at the Indoor Garden Expo in SF this weekend!

i use them and the work great.. i run a vertical system and they wick the water much more better than the regular hydroton. but the best thing is when you drop them they dont roll EVERYWHERE..but you do still have to clean the shit out of em. i am actually running a 50/50 mix now (50% hydroton, 50% grow rocks)and im getting some pretty decent rootballs going.

@Noris. Thanks for the info. I think I'm going to experiment a little.

I am going to try this medium, how to you clean it? Hydroton I lay out on a cookie sheet and bake @ 400 with a mess cover on them for about 12 minutes, when warm roll around to loosen the dried roots and shake out with a collard.

The lady at the local Worms Way suggested rocks over hydroton and I am sure glad she did. I fill up "Smart Pots" with the rocks and use a flood and drain setup. Many years later and I still use this setup, though I do not reuse the rocks (or the pots.)

Grab an old colander (not the one your wife uses for pasta!!) and fill it up 1/2 way and rinse in the sink.