Hydroponic grow mediums?

Hey guys first post I have a few questions about hydroponic grow mediums. I can order online but I am impatient it would take about 3 weeks to deposit money to bank then paypal then order then ship. I already have my own design of bubble buckets set up and my plants are ready to be transplanted now but I am unsure about what medium to use that is readily available at walmart or a normal plant nursery as there are no hydroponic stores I can make it to.

I was thinking rocks as they seem to be a comon medium but I imagine it would be damageing to the roots. What type of rocks would be suitable?

Sand I have herd dose not let sufficent oxygen to the roots to be able to stedaly grow and I want fast uninhibited groth.


open to any sugestions as I am at a loss. Thanks for your time guys.

Perlite, vermiculite, or a 50/50 mix of each. Easily obtainable at any horticulture store or your local wally world.

Thanks but pertile floats right? Would it be usable in a bubble bucket? I know Im new at this but it seems the stuff floats but a 50 50 mix seems it might work as long as it stays evenly distributed. Also my seedlings roots arent quite long enough to reach water without a good bit of the medium being submerged too.

Floating isn't a huge problem as the water level should never be that high. Don't submerge your medium, the water line should be just below (or just touching) the bottom of your basket where the bubbling action will throw water onto your medium and wick it up.

Hand water, drip, or use a recirculating pump (clear tube in attached picture) until the roots can reach your reservoir, it shouldn't take long.

Dang wish I read that before going to walmart and getting pertle and some aquarium gravel I think it should work. The tube seems like a really good idea but my bubble bucket design dose not use any water pumps just air I have fill and drain pipes on valves for easy water drainage and refilling but I should be able to add one with out too much problem as it will just be regular water not nute water flowing on the seedling.



the bottom of your basket where the bubbling action will throw water onto your medium and wick it up.

I didn't quite understand that I get I dont want my medium submerged but "wick it" up what dose that mean Im new to the growing lingo

i would try some aquarium gravel or some lava rocks. or maybe even some coco chips (they are sold as orchid planting medium). all of these should be available at wal-mart/hardware/garden stores. i personally run a bubble bucket and am currently using hydroton but im looking forward to trying out silica stone next time around.

hydroponic said:

Dang wish I read that before going to walmart and getting pertle and some aquarium gravel I think it should work. The tube seems like a really good idea but my bubble bucket design dose not use any water pumps just air I have fill and drain pipes on valves for easy water drainage and refilling but I should be able to add one with out too much problem as it will just be regular water not nute water flowing on the seedling.



the bottom of your basket where the bubbling action will throw water onto your medium and wick it up.

I didn't quite understand that I get I dont want my medium submerged but "wick it" up what dose that mean Im new to the growing lingo

Click to expand...

Wicking, or capillary action, is where liquid is drawn to dry areas of a substance. The bottom gets wet, and capillary action in the medium draws the liquid to the top. Rock by itself isn't porous enough to draw water to dry areas, so use more perlite than aquarium stone, a 30/70 mix (stone/perlite) would probably be about right.

using recycled safety glass .get two sliding glass doors be careful busting !now tumble glass in cement mixer 48 hrs . rinse clean put in bole microwave 5 min now you have a totally reusable medium.