Is This Hydro Clay Safe For CPs?

[Trapper J]

Recently I purchased a bag of hydro clay balls (8mm -16mm in diameter). I often read about clay bits in the forums but haven't seen them in stores before - so it was an impulse purchase. I'm preparing to repot some overgrown CPs and thought they could be useful in managing moisture. Looking closer at the package there are images of the clay balls in green, and red. My pkg has white ones. Broken pieces show dark clay inside. It occured to me that whatever is used to coat the exterior of the clay could be harmful to CPs. I soaked some in water overnight. There was no evidence of colour or cloudiness in the water the next day. However, I don't know if there is a chemical change in the water. On the back of the pkg there are notes regarding salt, phosphate, potassium, and magnesium content. If I were to use them they would be soaked and rinsed several times with distilled water as I do with all CP media. Don't know if they can be microwave heated.

Has anyone used these with their CPs? Is the coating safe?

 

[Lloyd Gordon]

I've used the terracotta coloured balls at the bottom of Sarr pots for years with no problem. You could soak them in distilled water for a few days and measure the TDS.

 

[Daremo]

I use hydro balls as a base layer under my sphagnum moss and it has served me well so far.
Had to wash then first though due to a lot of dust in the bag.

 

[Trapper J]

Thanks for the feedback. Sounds like a clay ball approval. I don't have a TDS meter ... yet. In the meantime the clay will have a thorough soak and several rinses. I'll try it out first on "expendable" (did I really say that?) CPs.

 

[jackie quan]

I made a suggestion to concoct some material to made a special "pon" material substrate for carnivorous plants. It is possible when someone wrote back on another forum..I did not pursue it further. . The company "lechuza" invented pin for plants and contains 6 ingredients plus fertilizer and people swear by it. Good for most plants such as hoyas, androids etc. It replaces some leca /hydro balls which was a craze some years ago.