Leca Gravel

[Simon Cole]

Does <leca gravel> absorb moisture? ...does leca?
I am using Manado at the bottom of my propogators and sitting plant pots on top, but this is cheaper.

 

[simon_the_plant_nerd]

I use Leca in a few of my house plants as a planting medium. It wicks moisture up from a reservoir but if the reservoir runs out it dries out fairly quickly. The smaller stuff that you have linked to may hold moisture for longer and there’s less space for air to get in.

If it’s just in the bottom of a propogater how about use capillary matting and a reservoir?

 

[simon_the_plant_nerd]

A photo of your set up might help to understand what you’re doing. I’ve never used leca for anything other than semi-hydro really.

 

[Simon Cole]

@simon_the_plant_nerd Thank you.

Inside the tray I use Manado to encase the heat mat and to wick moisture to the roots. I also top dress plant pots with it. I got through 25 litres rather quickly this year.
I did look at reservoirs and wicking mats but decided that I prefer something granular.
Leca gravel (grit) works out as only £3.25 cheaper per 25 litres compared to Manado. I will have a brew and decide, but both are cheap enough.

 

[simon_the_plant_nerd]

Nice set up you’ve got there. If it’s working for you and the difference is only £3 I’d stick with what you have. What plants are you growing?

 

[Simon Cole]

@simon_the_plant_nerd Thank you.

Most of that tray is meant to be Bucephalandra belindae, but my guess is that it is not so I am going to have to take it to flower to get an identification.
The square pot is Bucephalandra var. mini needle "Tropica". It started invitro and about 6 months in became infected so I have had to <bleach> this little sample. I lost 95% of the rest. The plants were innoculated with Trichoderma viride but this was ineffective againt the oomycetes that had infected them.
The round pot is Anubias nana var. pangolino. I have another tray of this one and it is a beefcake.
By the cable there are two pots of Cryptocoryne lutea var. Hobbit.
The labelled plants (and ferns) are Bolbitis sp. Gua Angin, Bolbitis heteroclita cuspidata, Crepidomanes malabaricum, some other filmy fern, and Pteridophyta sp. "Niah".

... it's a fairly mixed propagator, just repotted yesterday. The substrate beneath the manado is Jacks Magic compost. I'm building stock up for some planted tanks later in the year.