DoubleAtotheRON
Well-Known Member
I got plenty of that!
Wetting Agent for Peat Based Soiless Media?
- Thread starter Overgrowtho
- Start date
CatHedral
Well-Known Member
It means the chemical agent that gets water (with its inherent surface tension) to get into a substrate that is hydrophobic (duck’s back), like peat media.
DoubleAtotheRON
Well-Known Member
Hard to say... maybe more peat based users?, we're always finding solutions to problems? IDK. Im gonna give my next round of clone feeding a drop of Dawn per 3 gallons and see how well it breaks the surface tension.
OneMoreRip
Well-Known Member
correct. What is wrong with just water? Always works for me, water slowly, maybe twice if soil not holding water
m4s73r
Well-Known Member
Thats it. I bought the small one and it takes less than a 1/8 teaspoon. Had it for a year and still have over half the pack.Is it this stuff? This stuff seems expensive.
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3 runs using Saponin for the last year.
CatHedral
Well-Known Member
I have wrestled with hydrophobic media. So, lucky you.
OneMoreRip
Well-Known Member
just put water on it and wait, don’t wrestle it. That may be your problem
CatHedral
Well-Known Member
I had a peat-based medium that shed water in beads, like a duck’s back. I had to use the blue dish soap to rescue that grow.
DoubleAtotheRON
Well-Known Member
Too much of a pain in the ass for 100 plants.
OneMoreRip
Well-Known Member
I wouldn’t suggest using dish soap (or any ‘wetting agent’), that I have seen on plants, just use water, it makes things wet, sometimes it takes a little time. Works everywhere.
CatHedral
Well-Known Member
I say otherwise.
OneMoreRip
Well-Known Member
And what evidence do you have that water does not make things wet?
DoubleAtotheRON
Well-Known Member
Like he said.. sometimes peat based mediums have such surface tension, that it rolls off the soil like water off a ducks back.... no matter how much water you pour on a duck.... she stays dry.
OneMoreRip
Well-Known Member
I have and have used peat, water makes it wet. If it dries completely it will take more time
DoubleAtotheRON
Well-Known Member
I suppose if you set a 5 inch pot in a 5 gallon bucket for a couple of hours, it might penetrate. But otherwise, it can be problematic.
CatHedral
Well-Known Member
The phenomenon is called hydrophobicity.
DoubleAtotheRON
Well-Known Member
OK...cool.
Milky Weed
Well-Known Member
I don’t know if it’s economic for you but some peat sellers sell their mix with whetting agent built into it. I tried a bale of pro mix bx and it seems to work well so far, but I’m curious if it washes out over time. If you mix your own media you could possibly add it yourself next run
DoubleAtotheRON
Well-Known Member
Im gong to do a side by side test with video to see if this works with the Dawn. I'll take 2, 5 inch pots (no plants) and feed them equal amounts of water. One with Dawn, and one without. I'll then break them down and see if there are dry pockets/sides.