Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I can source 50L bags of expanded clay for much cheaper than hydroton. Here's a pic of the stuff here:


Question is, is it worth it in the long run? eg does cheap (I presume chinese made) expanded clay have disadvantages compared with hyroton such as:

1) disintegrates over time
2) not round so settles over time
3) not so porous so does not wick or provide as much surface area for bacteria
4) ???

Would welcome anyones ideas/experience - its about 65% the cost of hydroton so a fair bit cheaper, just trying to work out if there is any problems with it.
Thanks
Matt

Depends......

Different manufacturers produce different quality product.. Most of the product coming out of china is pretty poor, as a few members will attest to, generally from the aspect that it disintegrates and is full of muck.. There's the odd supplier that produces a reasonable product, but I think it's more of the exception to the rule.

A lot of this stuff is made in India, not uniformed in size and floats more than the true stuff. They also brand their bags as Made in or Product of Australia.

Does the bag say where it was made/produced?

The quality, and cleanliness of the Chinese stuff.. has certainly improved over time...

But I'm still not convinced it's worth it...

As to it disintergrating over time... that's my biggest concern...

Put a ball on the ground and stomp on it.... it'll crumble... try it with hydrotron... and you'll bruise your heel...

The stuff pictured is the "Nutrafield" product... which is Chinese... or at least was always...

I've seen some stuff recently from Thailand.... but it's uneven, dusty as hell... and floats like polystyrene beads...

Thanks - I'll go and check it out and see how it copes with a foot test, float test and a wash test.

Yeah, maybe buy 1 bag and try it out..

Trust you will report back, how much per bag is it costing you?

Hasn't hydroton closed down?
Might need to start testing the Chinese stuff to find the exception to the rule...

I've been told that the original report that they had closed production due to issues with the clay supply may have been wrong...

And that it was more due to a dispute between the business partners... with one partner now buying out the other... and the business to resume production...

(Not sure if the tradename remains the same)

I would avoid nutrafield like the plague. I filled a bed with it and the whole lot floated and stayed that way. It is only good for topping up beds that have sunk over time
Most of what I bought is on the paths around my systems. It fills in the cracks between the stones and makes for quite a nice path

Damn, I just picked up 2 bags of some 'cheap stuff' being sold just South of Perth for $25/50L bag... not sure what it is but my 3yo son can crush it under his feet. Unlikely that it would hold up for long in beds with roots.