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nrgfx
Enthusiastic Beginner


Registered: 09/19/13
Posts: 35
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Would Magical Crystal soil made from polymer gel be better than using perlite in a FC?
#18953530 - 10/09/13 10:02 AM (10 years, 4 months ago) |
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I'm just wondering if using Magical Crystal soil made from polymer gel be better than perlite for moisture since it can absorb up to 300x it's original weight in water. I think it has no nutrients so polymer gel may be more resistant to contaminates. Has anyone experimented with it and seen better yields?
Here's more info on the crystal soil: http://www.crystalsoil.com/crystalsoil
Thanks!
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skippydude
Myco-curious



Registered: 09/08/12
Posts: 1,827
Loc: "Alice's Wonderland"
Last seen: 9 years, 2 months
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Re: Would Magical Crystal soil made from polymer gel be better than using perlite in a FC? [Re: nrgfx]
#18953551 - 10/09/13 10:11 AM (10 years, 4 months ago) |
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I use polymer gel crystals for my roach colonies that feed my tarantula collection. The water/crystals stagnate very easily, so I'm guessing that they are not contaminate free. If they were contaminate free IMO they would still be a bad idea, the reason perlite works to create humidity is because of the many surfaces, nooks and crannies it has and its ability to release moisture. Gel on the other hand is designed to retain its moisture and not release it.
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nrgfx
Enthusiastic Beginner


Registered: 09/19/13
Posts: 35
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Re: Would Magical Crystal soil made from polymer gel be better than using perlite in a FC? [Re: skippydude]
#18953572 - 10/09/13 10:18 AM (10 years, 4 months ago) |
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Quote:
skippydude said: I use polymer gel crystals for my roach colonies that feed my tarantula collection. The water/crystals stagnate very easily, so I'm guessing that they are not contaminate free. If they were contaminate free IMO they would still be a bad idea, the reason perlite works to create humidity is because of the many surfaces, nooks and crannies it has and its ability to release moisture. Gel on the other hand is designed to retain its moisture and not release it. 
Great advice:) Thank you! I see why now I don't see people using it. It was just an idea I had. Plus, I love decorating my place with funky colors so I thought it would be a nice change to make the FC look colorful and funky with the gels. I'll stick with perlite.
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TrentBoyett
Aspiring Mycologist



Registered: 11/29/12
Posts: 16,000
Loc: Kazakhstan
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Re: Would Magical Crystal soil made from polymer gel be better than using perlite in a FC? [Re: nrgfx]
#18953612 - 10/09/13 10:27 AM (10 years, 4 months ago) |
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Quote:
nrgfx said:
Quote:
skippydude said: I use polymer gel crystals for my roach colonies that feed my tarantula collection. The water/crystals stagnate very easily, so I'm guessing that they are not contaminate free. If they were contaminate free IMO they would still be a bad idea, the reason perlite works to create humidity is because of the many surfaces, nooks and crannies it has and its ability to release moisture. Gel on the other hand is designed to retain its moisture and not release it. 
Great advice:) Thank you! I see why now I don't see people using it. It was just an idea I had. Plus, I love decorating my place with funky colors so I thought it would be a nice change to make the FC look colorful and funky with the gels. I'll stick with perlite.
You can always just dye your perlite?
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nrgfx
Enthusiastic Beginner


Registered: 09/19/13
Posts: 35
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Re: Would Magical Crystal soil made from polymer gel be better than using perlite in a FC? [Re: TrentBoyett]
#18953623 - 10/09/13 10:29 AM (10 years, 4 months ago) |
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Quote:
mjmihalov said:
Quote:
nrgfx said:
Quote:
skippydude said: I use polymer gel crystals for my roach colonies that feed my tarantula collection. The water/crystals stagnate very easily, so I'm guessing that they are not contaminate free. If they were contaminate free IMO they would still be a bad idea, the reason perlite works to create humidity is because of the many surfaces, nooks and crannies it has and its ability to release moisture. Gel on the other hand is designed to retain its moisture and not release it. 
Great advice:) Thank you! I see why now I don't see people using it. It was just an idea I had. Plus, I love decorating my place with funky colors so I thought it would be a nice change to make the FC look colorful and funky with the gels. I'll stick with perlite.
You can always just dye your perlite?
Cool! How would I go about doing that safely without harming the cakes?
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TrentBoyett
Aspiring Mycologist



Registered: 11/29/12
Posts: 16,000
Loc: Kazakhstan
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Re: Would Magical Crystal soil made from polymer gel be better than using perlite in a FC? [Re: nrgfx]
#18953659 - 10/09/13 10:39 AM (10 years, 4 months ago) |
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Just pour some diluted dye in with the perlite and mix it up. Do it when there are no cakes in the chamber and put your tub in the bathtub when doing this so you don't stain anything, make sure to clean out bathtub when done so you don't stain it as well.
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skippydude
Myco-curious



Registered: 09/08/12
Posts: 1,827
Loc: "Alice's Wonderland"
Last seen: 9 years, 2 months
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Re: Would Magical Crystal soil made from polymer gel be better than using perlite in a FC? [Re: TrentBoyett]
#18953749 - 10/09/13 11:04 AM (10 years, 4 months ago) |
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I am still using the recycled perlite from my first grow  Between grows I toss it in the PC with some water and sterilize it. This would be the perfect time to sneak in some food coloring
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skippydude
Myco-curious



Registered: 09/08/12
Posts: 1,827
Loc: "Alice's Wonderland"
Last seen: 9 years, 2 months
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Re: Would Magical Crystal soil made from polymer gel be better than using perlite in a FC? [Re: skippydude]
#18953762 - 10/09/13 11:07 AM (10 years, 4 months ago) |
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On a side note, I have considered adding the gel crystals to my PF or bulk recipes. Always wondered if the extra water would equal bigger mushies???
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bodhisatta 
Smurf real estate agent



Registered: 04/30/13
Posts: 61,890
Loc: Milky way
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Re: Would Magical Crystal soil made from polymer gel be better than using perlite in a FC? [Re: skippydude]
#18953836 - 10/09/13 11:23 AM (10 years, 4 months ago) |
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Quote:
skippydude said: On a side note, I have considered adding the gel crystals to my PF or bulk recipes. Always wondered if the extra water would equal bigger mushies???
Try it sometime and document it well. The PF recipe didn't come out perfect the first time I'm sure.
I don't think it would leach water and support myc growth as well as verm does but who knows.
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maddchef
Vaginal escape artist



Registered: 09/04/09
Posts: 5,602
Loc: Your mom's vag
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Re: Would Magical Crystal soil made from polymer gel be better than using perlite in a FC? [Re: bodhisatta]
#18953999 - 10/09/13 11:56 AM (10 years, 4 months ago) |
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There is a grower here who uses polymers like such in his bulk substrate but I've not heard of him having any grand results from it.
-------------------- In the land of the blind, the one eyed man is king. All mushrooms are edible, but some only once..... Easier than cakes I do science and shit.
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