I think hydroton works just fine in bubble buckets because you don't have a whole lot of it sitting in your water, and after the taproot hits the reservoir you generally lower the water level to below the hydroton. I would keep an eye on it though. River rock works great. They are now selling "Hydro Rocks". It all works. If you do have a problem, and switch back to rock, just check your ppm levels and watch to see that they don't consistently rise. I'm not geologist, but imagine there could be certain minerals and stuff in the rocks that could release into your nutrient solution. I've kept that in the back of my mind everytime I've used a different bag of River Rock from Lowes, but so far it has not happened at all. Just some thing to keep in mind I guess.
You should do fine with hydroton. If not and you still want to use it, try soaking it overnight in 1:4 vinegar, and water before use.
I stuck with the river rock because I know it works without any issues.
You should do fine with hydroton. If not and you still want to use it, try soaking it overnight in 1:4 vinegar, and water before use.
I stuck with the river rock because I know it works without any issues.