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Post by Rick Hillier on Mar 15, 2007 13:45:54 GMT -5
Just what the thread title says... I just repotted my big ceph into pure peat and the main part of the plant died off. A couple of cuttings from it that I planted in the same peat are doing just fine.
I am thinking that I should be going to more of a sandier mix for my cephs and possibly for most of my indoor CP.
>>> Rick <<<
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Post by mabudon on Mar 15, 2007 13:50:02 GMT -5
Silica sand, as coarse as I can find- I don't know what it is exactly meant for tho sandblasting would be my guess- it comes in 80 pound (I think) bags and I get it at this contractor supply place around the corner- tho only when the weathers nice, that much sand is hard to ride a bicycle with OH and it costs about 7 bucks a bag, which for indoor use is a LOT of sand for the price- hope this helps (Jay has/had a GREAT source for KILLER sand so hopefully him or PurpLazer will chime in here)
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Post by lloyd on Mar 15, 2007 13:51:47 GMT -5
I generally use whatever mix Savage garden recommends. I bought my sand years ago at Home Depot, I think the playground or sandbox type. I recently washed it in tap and then dehumidifier water but I don't think it was necessary because I checked the wash water with a soil moisture meter and it seemed to have almost no minerals. I also recycle the sand so I will never have to buy it and drag it up the steps again.
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Post by tom on Mar 15, 2007 13:54:27 GMT -5
Pool sand and silica sand: I usually go to the nearest pool retailer store and buy the 50 lbs bag which is used in the pool filter. I used to find my silica sand there but it seems rarer these days. It's the cheapest source of nice quality sand i've found, and the particules aren't too small. Silica is pretty useful to plant in its soluble form (silicon). It improves by much the plants system defense in several case, but do silica sand can solubilize a little/enough to do this effect, i dont know... but it is not expansive and it has a nice granulometry so i dont bother to ask
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Post by Syble on Mar 15, 2007 14:15:42 GMT -5
How funny you should bring this up rick I've got to finish filling my bog and need to find some sand. Wish I could use the stuff from my dads work, but I'm almost 100% sure it's not suitable! He works at a concrete plant! I've definatley got to get moving on it as I want to plant it up by may, Tired of all those sarrs and flytraps taking up like my whole growstand!!! Sib
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Post by jay on Mar 15, 2007 16:04:43 GMT -5
Brick yards or stone yards usually carry silica sand in 100lb bags, mind you the industry is trying to get away from using it . Sand blasting dust causes lung cancer and other breathing problems ..
Most of the time i use a silica peat mix , but i have tryed a new product which is a sub for silica called black lighting , nothing bad happened yet.
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Post by insectivore on Mar 15, 2007 16:53:51 GMT -5
Hey guys! Fafard in Qc has normal horticultural sand and it works fine! Cya
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Post by martin on Mar 15, 2007 19:05:11 GMT -5
I use horticulture grade washed sand for my standard mixes. I also use pure silica sand (white color) for my tuberous sundews because it is very pleasing as top soil.
This reminds me of something stupid I did when I first started CPs. I had repoted all my CPs at the time (VFT, Sarracenia, Drosera) with peat and "sand" that I mixed myself. I had bought a 40 lb sand from Canadian Tire in mid-winter. Months later, I discovered that the "sand" was in fact a mix of sand and salt used to increase adherence in winter!!! I didnt even notice the writings on the bag until I had my whole collection repotted with it! It didnt notice a decline in growth that year, except I again repotted everything the next year with real sand!
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Post by martin on Mar 15, 2007 19:13:55 GMT -5
Tom, are you saying that silica dissolves in water (like NaCl does)
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Post by martin on Mar 15, 2007 19:18:33 GMT -5
Peat does not drain well...it compacts and may sufocate roots that like an airier mix. I have an Alocasia potted in pure peat, and is OK though.
My Ceph is growing in a sphagnum/perlite 2:1 mix and doing fine. I didnt experiment too much with it yet, as I am afraid to kill it. You can call me chicken for that ;D
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Post by Flytrap on Mar 15, 2007 20:31:08 GMT -5
I used to use bird grit... available from agricultural supply stores. There are several grades... from fine to "larger". The grade I had used was "chicken grit". The actual grit was smashed up bits of granite... totally inert and very angular in shape. Chicken grit size was approx. 5mm to 8mm in diameter.
But these days, I just head down to the local Rona and pick up a bag of children's play sand - because I assume the source it from fresh water places (ie. not salty) and also assume they sterilize the material and wash it.
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Post by tom on Mar 15, 2007 20:32:39 GMT -5
Martin: no! not that easily... I'll try to clear some things up and came back to you shortly on this (ie what the difference of silica/silicium/silicon term in english vs french) since i dont want to say something too stupid... By that time, you can try a search on wheat resistance to mildew when treated with silicon, it can clear some things up here is a start on silica solubility www.reefs.org/library/article/r_toonen9.html
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Post by lloyd on Mar 15, 2007 20:58:43 GMT -5
If you're worried about mineral content in sand, just wash it in distilled water and stick one of those $8 "soil moisture meters" in the wash water. The water acts as an electrolyte so the more dissolved solids generally the higher the voltage. If the meter goes above the "0" which it shows for distilled water then there are some minerals. Tap water in Toronto usually shows 6-7 on the scale. When I did this the meter sat around 0-1 for Home Depot play sand.
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Post by barvinok on Mar 15, 2007 23:52:57 GMT -5
Jay, do you have any additional info on "a sub for silica called black lighting"?
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Post by mabudon on Mar 16, 2007 7:57:00 GMT -5
There is another test which takes less equipment than Lloyds BUT I don't know exactly what it "proves"
You can just put vinegar on the sand in question and see if it bubbles, too much bubbles means too much minerals, but again, this is just something I kind of know about and haven't any hard data on- maybe someone better versed could explain what it means??
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