Grow Mediums I want to try hydro, you want to do hydro with me?

[Journey Man]

I've got ANs Rhino skin. Will have a look after the pro-tekt if it's in my region.

 

[Gauge Steel]

what does silica do? isnt that sand?

 

[MedGrower]

IMHO Dyna-Gro Pro-tekt is the best silica out there.

Seems interesting. I am curious what does make it the best in your opinion? Is there some property to this that elevates it above the others?

I've got ANs Rhino skin. Will have a look after the pro-tekt if it's in my region.

I've used AN's Rhino Skin too. I loved that it doesn't change the pH of the solution once you add it. Typically potassium silicate products are very alkaline and tend to raise pH quite a bit once added. I love it that Rhino Skin uses combination of Potassium Silicate and Silicon Dioxide so there are variability to the source of silica all in one bottle. Only thing I don't like in it that it costs so much. I will get some more of that one day when I get a change to again (hard to get in my location due to limited selection) but I have tons of regular silicone product (Hydrogarden Essentials Silicon+)

what does silica do? isnt that sand?

Silica in its bioavailable form is readily used by the plant. It is present always in soil and in hydroponics they are starting consider it as almost essential. It provides building blocks for the plant to create thicker and more robust stems that can support the plant better and make it stronger overall. There are positive studies proving that it also helps in photosynthesis, i guess this is through various ways but one that I have understood is overall boost in volume of chlorophyll. In top of that there are also studies that show that plants can use silica in order to fight against some certain bacteria and fungi

There's some science reading to support the latter claim:
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1016/j.femsle.2005.06.034/pdf
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5418358/
https://revistas.unal.edu.co/index.php/agrocol/article/view/17395/37400

 

[Journey Man]

What an answer you come with. Thank you for taking your time giving that.
I was going to copy-paste an answer, but you had it all in there.
I was told the silica would raise the PH, but when I added it, it did not affect PH. Perfect.
@MedGrower, sounds like you like the Rhino skin and the only negative is the price. I don't really have a budget but overall ANs nutrients are expensive. I want to hear the answer from @Mañ'O'Green why he like the dyna-gro pro-tekt best. I did however not have it in any of my grow shops.

MedGrower, without looking at your history of growing I know you are legit. I also know @Mañ'O'Green know his thing. I like to listen to people that can explain why something is good or bad.
When people can't back it up, I have a tendense to not listen.

Appreciate you taking your time guys.

 

[MedGrower]

What an answer you come with. Thank you for taking your time giving that.
I was going to copy-paste an answer, but you had it all in there.
I was told the silica would raise the PH, but when I added it, it did not affect PH. Perfect.
@MedGrower, sounds like you like the Rhino skin and the only negative is the price. I don't really have a budget but overall ANs nutrients are expensive. I want to hear the answer from @Mañ'O'Green why he like the dyna-gro pro-tekt best. I did however not have it in any of my grow shops.

MedGrower, without looking at your history of growing I know you are legit. I also know @Mañ'O'Green know his thing. I like to listen to people that can explain why something is good or bad.
When people can't back it up, I have a tendense to not listen.

Appreciate you taking your time guys.

Its my pleasure. Thank you for your kind words bro. I think Rhinoskin is pH 5.7 straight from the bottle so thats why it wont affect your solution. However most, if not all other products based on potassium silicate are quite alkaline. Acts as a nice pH up, by the way

 

[MedGrower]

Oh and if you want to check my grow history, this would be worth checking:
https://www.autoflower.org/threads/medgrower-does-blue-automazar-ms006-hs1-dwc.49470/

 

[Journey Man]

You could be correct about the PH, If ph changed, it changed 0,01 down .
I'll go and snap some photos of the small ones... I hope they pick up speed soon as days are ticking.
I'm not really in to how they grow-pattern look like.

 

[Journey Man]

How do you get the roots grow so Fast? What am I doing Wrong? Your day 10 kicks my day 15...

 

[MedGrower]

How do you get the roots grow so Fast? What am I doing Wrong? Your day 10 kicks my day 15...

I am pretty sure it is the rhizotonic magic. Also Remo's VeloKelp works wonders with root development but I think at that particular grow I just got lucky... It doesnt always go that nice for me either bro.

 

[Journey Man]

It's day 15...

Hmm.. starting to be little worried they will turn out like runts... but one thing is that they are the same size. So they could just be slow in the start ?