[Terrapreta] Marketing comment for TP. (was volatile matterandchar)

[Sean K. Barry]

Hi Greg, Gerrit,

I see you mentioning rock wool and coir as wetting mediums in hydroponic growing.  Michael J. Antal mentioned once that Orchids are grown in Hawaii in strictly black carbon charcoal.  Has charcoal ever been used as the wetting medium in hydroponic growing?  Is anyone doing experiments trying it?

Regards,

SKB
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Greg and April<mailto:gregandapril at earthlink.net> 
  To: Terra Preta<mailto:terrapreta at bioenergylists.org> 
  Sent: Saturday, December 29, 2007 11:33 AM
  Subject: Re: [Terrapreta] Marketing comment for TP. (was volatile matterandchar)


   
  I'm just telling you what folks over at the aquaponic list are making well known - and have done so for years.

  They just don't like it because you need fine filtering to keep it out of the pipes and it always needs to be replaced, as it biodegrades and is ending up outside of the grow beds ( in the pipes and such ) - and it's anything but cheap.

  Most don't like to deal with rockwool either, even if it's lighter than pea gravel.

  Coir can suffer from low drainage issues and remain saturated under some conditions leading to root rot, mold, and mildew, that's why plaudariums shouldn't just use it strait without using a false bottom or other bulking material to keep it fluffed up..

  Perhaps there are some new techniques or they haven't used coir long enough in large scale for it to really be an issue yet - there will always be some who think the benefits out weigh the problems and will use it regardless - that's why I think that using pea to marble sized charcoal, would be better than either coir ( as it wouldn't degrade or get washed away ), rockwool ( as disposal and handling wouldn't be such a problem ), pea gravel, expanded clay, expanded shale ( light weight ).



  Greg H.


    ----- Original Message ----- 
    From: Gerald Van Koeverden<mailto:vnkvrdn at yahoo.ca> 
    To: Greg and April<mailto:gregandapril at earthlink.net> 
    Cc: Terra Preta<mailto:terrapreta at bioenergylists.org> 
    Sent: Saturday, December 29, 2007 0:14
    Subject: Re: [Terrapreta] Marketing comment for TP. (was volatile matter andchar)


    Yesterday, a greenhouse grower told me that coir has virtually replaced rock wool as the standard hydroponic medium locally for two reasons: wettability and waste handling.   
    1.  Coir not only holds moistrure better than rock wool, but it also is easier to re-wet if it does dry out.  
    2.  Disposing of rockwool means paying landfill costs; however coir can be re-cycled for free through a local topsoil retailer who just mixes it in with topsoil.


    Gerrit



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