A bag of Rocks

[swords]

I was at the Hydroponics shop getting some net pots for my soon-to arrive HL Nepenthes and I found this new product they are carrying called simply "Rocks"

25 dry liters for $14.99

The bag says it's inert shale that has been heated to 2200*F until it expands and shatters. I've wanted something larger than APS/Turface but not as large as Hydroton balls and this is just about right with 1/4 - 1/2" pieces. I will probably get a 3/8" metal screen to use as a sieve and separate the finer from larger bits but I was curious if any of you media mavens have played with this stuff yet?

 

[mass]

hmm.. I'll have to take a look at it when I go into the shop tomorrow.

 

[swords]

From the look & feel of it, it's like black pumice. I'll bet my succulents would groove on this stuff mixed with APS and little bit of peat as a binder! I need to repot them anyway....

 

[Smitty]

Nice find! That looks to be a similar product to Dyna-Gro, Dyna-Rok II (Medium). But a heck of a lot cheaper! 15 dollars a bag is much better than 75 they want for that!

 

[swords]

Yeah, they had bags of Dyna Rock II beneath this stuff and they had no price tag on these bags just a flag saying "new product". I found a guy and asked him what the price was but while he was looking it up I was thinking "I ain't buying it if it's the same price of THAT stuff!" I could hardly believe it when he said the price cos that's 1 1/2 times more media than a bag of APS for the same price at the pond shop. I think I spent less than $25 for two dozen 3" net pots and this bag of media & sales tax.

 

[Smitty]

I will have to request some in the next time I am in there. All they had was the Dyna Diamond rok. No one even looks at it... I shake my head at it.

 

[RSS]

I've wanted something larger than APS/Turface but not as large as Hydroton balls and this is just about right with 1/4 - 1/2" pieces.

Google for expanded clay and you can find a smaller size and different shapes.

 

[seedjar]

Whoo! I found that the other day too! I think my shop had it for $15 too - with the discount they usually give me it'd be a little over $10. Not really competitive with the price of scoria around here but nice to have options. Still, if I weren't in a place with abundant lava rock this stuff might have a place in special applications like building bio-filters.
As for something between Turface and Hydroton, they actually have a 4mm-8mm grade (I think that's the size - I know it's smaller than the normal stuff) of Hydroton too, it just comes in smaller bags so it isn't quite as good a deal. If they don't stock it at the hydro shop, ask the person who does the ordering and they may know about it or at least should be able to find it in their catalogs.
~Joe

 

[Not a Number]

I wonder if you can trademark "Rocks". Probably not.

 

[raccoon city]

I saw the topic, "A bag of Rocks" and I thought to myself, "Must be a Charlie Sheen update!" Seriously, though, $15 for 33 lbs of carnivorous plant media looks like an excellent deal.

 

[seedjar]

Not as good of a deal as $15 for 50lbs though. XD
~Joe

 

[TheFury]

I saw the topic, "A bag of Rocks" and I thought to myself, "Must be a Charlie Sheen update!"

BAHAHAHAHA WELL PLAYED SIR

 

[Not a Number]

In Charlie's case it's more like a box of rocks...