Fytocell - A new medium

I was in a hydro shop the other day and saw a new medium called "Fytocell".
It is white, looks like a bunch of small foam puffs, for lack of a better description. The shop (not my friends shop) was growing some cucumbers and ornamentals in the medium. It it is very light weight, so it is very pourous and maintains excellent aeration. It also stores huge amounts of water.
I picked up a piece about the size of a golfball, it weighed maybe a couple grams, until I squeezed the water out of it, then it was as light as a feather (metaphore). I was really impressed with the aeration and water retention.
Since I do EnF tables,KFB or Recirc DWC 99% of the time the medium is not useful to me. But my immediate thought was all you Hempy guys over here at GK. I think it would make an excellent medium for hempy or a possible replacement for coco hand feed or drip feed systems. More aeration than perilite, and more water/nutrient retention than vermiculite. To me that would equate to less frequent feedings, and increased growth. This of course equates to larger flowers.

I was wondering if any of you had seen or used this medium?
If not, I wonder if any one would do a test run with it? If none of you guys are willing, I might buy enough to fill a 5 gall bucket, and drop a plant in it just to see. But since I dont do Hempy buckets, I have nothing to comapre it against, no baseline as it were. And since I can guarantee the recirc DWC will blow it away, its not much of a comparison on my end.

Anyway, thought I would bring this to your attention, and get any feedback you might have.
Cheers

 

I just went online & check it out sounds great & should work in hempy too probally would need less watering . But I haven't seen it at my hydro store yet & what is the price? I think the price will be a little high perlite is real cheap.-Bud

 

1.5 cu. ft. bags are about $50, and 1 cu. ft. is about $30.


They also have 6" blocks, just like hugos. They are about $4-5 each.


So it seems comparable to rockwool and hydroton.


Perilite is cheaper, but it is going up in price. The huge bags I used to get for about $10 anywhere, are now running $30. I was told the manufacturing costs have gone up drastically recently. Why I am not sure.


Doesnt seem like anyone has tried it here, so, I might have to run a bucket of it. But man thats a huge PITA, I hate hand watering, it goes against my mentality. LOL

 

still,i'm interested to see what you can do with a hempy bucket useless.show us how it's done bro.

 

Well, I wont do a "grow n show" anymore, so sorry up front on that. I dont think you'll see much as far as pics are concerned. I hope you understand, it's been a long time since I posted pics, for my own reasons. I have plenty of pics floating around the net from the years, and many on this site alone.


As for this medium, I was gifted a 25 liter bag today, so I will run a comparison and let you all know how it does.


For the test, I will run clones of either pre 98 bubba kush, katsu bubba kush, SFV OG Kush (this is first choice for numerous reasons) or Daywrecker Diesel. They will be run in 5 gallon buckets. Clones are identical and from the same batch, rooted at the same time, whichever the pair I choose. Identical clones, shared environment, same nutes (although different feed schedule, same PPM on weekly regiments).


I was told by the store owner that a friend who does commercial cucumbers went from 16 fruits per plant to 27 per plant, average. Thats an extra 60% or so increase. A sample of the medium was in a plastic container at the door. It had been wet/fed 1 week earlier and still held significant moisture. Impressive water retention values. Was warned about overwatering. You cant feed every couple days like I am used to. So if anyone else tries this take note. Dont mix nutes strong, and flush, flush, flush. I plan on feeding this medium once a week, where the coco will get everyday or every other day, as needed for both.


Cant think of any other way to make it equal. Input is welcome, provided it is 1) Logical and fitting the test and


2) Feasible for me to incorporate into this grow,


I will keep you all posted as to growth rates and flower production as it progresses. Just no pics. So you can decide for yourself, if the info I provide is credible or not.


Cheers

 

hell i trust your word useless.you've been nothing but helpful to me.let us know how it does,i'm really interested in finding a "super"medium for hempy buckets,this might be it.i've been thinking alot about trying some diatomite in one since someone around here asked about it a little while back.good luck useless(do the og kush!):qbluewacko:

 

The reason I picked th SFV is because it is normally quite lanky, isnt very branchy unless you top her (both will have clones taken from them) and yields are crappy. So if there is an increase in yield compared to the coco I will know right away. Also, I wanted to test the statement of the increase in fruit production per plant. This would mean an increase in branches and therefore budsites. I wonder if the increase in fruit sites is because of the tremendous water retention. You know like a DWC plant is always more bushy than a SOG or soil grown plant. I contribute this to the never ending supply of available nutrients. So the water retention of this medium might act in a similar fashion.


The plants will go into the mediums today. They will veg for about 1-2 more weeks.


The buckets will have a 2-3" layer of lava rock on the bottom and the coco or fytocell filling the remainder of the bucket. They already have 1/2" holes at 2" from the bottom and a 1/4" hole just above that for the drain and airline of my KFB's.


The fytocell bucket will be hand fed through out the grow, the coco will be hand fed until I set up the drip system. But I dont think the drip should change any of the results, it'll just be easier on my back. LMAO.


I will keep you all informed as things progress.


Cheers

 

good luck with it,can't wait to see or read of the results.

 

Well, transplant got delayed by a day.


The coco bricks are over pressed. So they are not absorbing water and fluffing up. Im basically having to tear them apart by hand, dry and fully compressed. Its a huge PITA. After 8 hours of breaking up and kneading coco, only 6 of the 17 5 gallon buckets are filled. LOL


So transplant should be tonight.


I have made a similar thread on 4 2 0 g, and a friend suggested I collect some hard data on the medium. So, in order to compare water retention of a given volume of medium, I will take equal volumes of coco (expanded but fully dried), rockwool and the fytocell. The mediums will be given an equal measured amount of water. I will weigh the mediums dry, and add in the weight of the water. Then I will weigh each medium on a daily basis. This will give a ratio of evaporation compared to each of the other mediums, and conversely, provide water retention rates.


I gotta say, Im kind of surprised more of you hempy users aren't interested in this medium. It seems to me, you hempy guys would benefit the most from it. But I know how it is not wanting to try anything new, or the whole "dont fix it if it aint broken" thought. I myself dont mind running tests on things. I can usually adapt pretty quickly to to different mediums and methods, so the chances of a total loss from chnging things up aren't a concern to me.


Anyways, stay tuned GKer's I'll keep you posted on how things go.


Cheers!

 

They are in their new homes.


Will collect the first batch of data later today.

 

how goes it useless?

 

Good, the transplant was day before yesterday. Havent gone to check them since.


Didnt get the data yet, but will today and post up the first bit of info.


Cheers!

 

sounds like Styrofoam. I was at a very nice nursery the other week and they used this Styrofoam looking substance mixed into their soil.

 

for the delay folks. Been pretty busy, and havent had much time to play. But here is the first bit of data.


I used 1/4 cup of each medium. Instead of adding a pre-determined amount of water, I simply soaked them with as much as they could absorb. That way, we know how much they actually absorbed.


Here go


Rockwool - Dry 2.6g ; Wet 36.5g


Coco - Dry 7.6g ; Wet 35.2


Fytocell - Dry 3.4g ; Wet 18.1g


So, the Rockwool obviously has the maximum absorbtion (sp?) followed by the coco, with the fyto in last place.


Now, I'll weigh each sample over the course of the next week or so, to check out water retention values. Also, I did shake the fytocell once when I was straining the excess water from the media. SO it probably could have held more, I am not too concerned about that. I want to know how long it retains moisture in relation to other mediums. Plus, a good run with it to compare growth a fruit production.


CK -


Here is what it looks like - sorry the pic is so crappy, cell phone camera.


/gallery/files/7/3/Fytocell.jpg


It does look like styrofoam, but it is made from a resin compound of some sort. I have to research it a bit more when I get some time.


Cheers


*edit - sorry, guess no pic atm.


Note to Mods - Really? Still? geeezz...get over it already guys! One love, one plant. (Well, really millions and millions of plants, but you know what I'm saying!) U.N.I.T.Y.

 

Not sure if I had posted the final talley on systems/mediums used for this next round.


There are 12 plants in coco.


1 in Fytocell


and 3 in DWC. muahahahaha


The dwc will win any contest like this, except aero, or KFB (maybe an EnF id done right). So, the Dabney Blu, KKSC, and Puss Kush are in these. These cuts dont have any sibling cuts in this grow, thats why they were chosen for the DWC.


The Fytocell bucket got a Pre'98 Bubba Kush. Simply because the cuts used were virtually identical in branching and height. The SFV OG kush cuts I was going to use had totally different branching structures, so I didnt feel this would be an ideal comparison.


The coco buckets have


SFV OG Kush (x2)


Original Diesel #1 (x2)


Katsu Bubba Kush (x2)


Pre 98 Bubba Kush (the comparison plant for the fytocell) (x1)


PKOD #'s 1-5 ( a cross of the Pure/Puss Kush x Original Diesel #1 I did last year). While I am getting some variation on this cross, I gotta say, the calyxes are packed so tight with trichomes, it looks like they could suffocate themselves. Smells range from a sweet bubblegum type to a full blwon stinky ass afghani, with the diesel fuels terpenes present in varying strength. This is my second run on these, the first was just to test them, and they were flowered prior to reaching full sexual maturity, so I really cant wait to see what they do now. HEHEHE


(the Maui Wowie is not in this run)


Anyway, they are currently sitting around a 400w digital MH, vertical, no reflector in a stadium configuration. They will have cuts taken from them on Monday, vegged for an additional week, then flowered.


Cheers

 

jesus useless,you must have a "mother warehouse".i'm locked in and waiting for the results.if you don't mind me asking,just how many strains do you have?from here it sounds like you're the king of the "clone only's".and thank you on behalf of all the hempy growers for checking this new medium out,much appreciated and good work

 

I do keep a few mothers around from time to time.


Actually, my selection is on the low side atm.


I currently have


Pre 98 Bubba Kush


Katsu Bubba Kush


SFV OG Kush


Original Diesel #1/Daywrecker/Underdawg/Headband Diesel. (LOL all those names for one cut!)


Kyle Kushman Strawberry Cough


Dabney Blu


Pure/Puss Kush


ECSD


Juno - a freak sativa esque Romulan cut


All original, verified clones/clone only's.


From seed Im working with the PKxOD cross I mentioned, and a totally thai dominant line from Maui. The Maui line I believe to be the real Maui Wowie.


The seeds were collected by my uncle, from a grower friend on the island. The grower said he never had a name for it, just that it was the best he'd seen and had been growing it since the early 80's. My uncle smoked a joint, said he was high for 5 hours, and since this is coming from the guy who taught me how to roll 2 grams in an orange zig zag 20 years ago, I gotta believe its pretty damn good. The time line fits, as well as the descriptions. The leaves look very very thai, with super defined serations and almost droopy leaves with skinny leaf blades. This fits with the descriptions of the real MW. They are virtually identical in structure, with very slight differences in leaf color, and blade width, leading me to believe the line has been inbred for some time.


for babbling on, I have high hopes for this line, and get a little over exhuberent when talking about it. LOL

 

A couple of the manufacturers notes on fytocell -


It is actually made from an amino plast resin. It is sterile and Ph neutral.


Water holding capacity - 60%


Air volume throughout depth of medium - 37%


100% bio-degradable.


Flush easily.


Can be added to soil to help retain moisture.


Almost impossible to overwater.


More info and MSDS is here -


www.fytocell.com.au

 

feel free to babble all you want,it's plenty interesting and sounds like you have quite a collection.do you know what makes the fytocell break down since it's biodegradable?a certain period of time or what? i checked out the faq on the link and it said nothing about it,just that it is biodegradable.it also mentions setting cuttings in rockwool cubes on top or just slightly into the fytocell because of it shedding excess water into the rockwool in case you didn't consider it.it sounds like an almost perfect medium though

 

I do not know how or what causes it to break down.


Good tip on the rock wool on top. I could see the r/w becoming over saturated and casuing root or stem rot.


Mine were originally in organic soil mix, in 16 oz. cups. I just tapped off the excess soil, gave the root mass a good swirling in some water I treated and planted directly into the medium. Same with the DWC plants I did.


I wasn't going to run dwc, but after shredding 40 bricks of coco, and only filling 12.5 five gallon buckets, I said fuck it and went DWC for the last 3. All have taken the transplant very well, and show no signs of shock at all.