GS-1 Hydro Stone is the perfect media for your hydroponic garden. Even though you’re growing hydroponically, your roots still need a stable and well-drained foundation for maximum stability and growth. GS-1 provides that perfect foundation with a highly porous, non-compacting non-clogging substrate, which facilitates aeration of the root environment. Roots will grow and be ready to take full advantage of the dissolved nutrients and oxygen.

GS-1 is the larger size stone in the range; perfect as stand-alone medium or can be added to coco or soil for powerful 60/40 or 50/50 mix.

Why Use GS-1 Hydro Stones

• Holds the perfect balance of air and water
• Delivers 40% more aeration than other mediums
• Holds 3 to 4 times more water content than clay pebbles
• Helps nutrients and oxygen flow more freely
• Ultra light-weight and easy to handle
• Simple to prep for pH stability
• Slow release of Silica
• Highly porous with large and small pore size
• Each pore acts as a ‘Micro NFT system’
• Ideal environment for roots, micro-organisms and Mycorrhizae

Why Roots Love Growstones

The great advantage of porous media is its ability to provide simultaneously sufficient levels of oxygen and water to the roots. Water is mainly held in the small pore space of the medium while rapid drainage and air entry depends on the presence of large pores. So a good distribution of small and large pores is essential for a good growing medium.

Growstones highly porous and uneven shape provide just that a balanced combination of small pores inside each aggregate and large pore spaces between aggregates. This determines Growstones capacity to store water, air, and the ability to provide them to the plants.
But what’s truly unique about Growstones is the combination of pore size distribution and pore interconnectivity. Pore interconnectivity results in a large surface area available for roots to grow in and around. While larger pores between aggregates, assure rapid drainage and air exchanges, which guarantees oxygen is rapidly dissolved in the water and supplied to the roots, small pores are filled with fresh air and covered by a film of oxygen-saturated water. As a result, after irrigation each pore acts as a ‘micro NFT system’ and the combination of small and large pore spaces creates an ideal environment for roots and microorganisms to thrive which is full of oxygen-rich water and nutrients. Growstones pore size and connectivity results in good wicking ability. Growstones absorb and retain moisture over 100mm above the water level. This wicking ability has multiple advantages, all associated with creating a constant moist and highly aerated environment for roots above the water level. These conditions promote continuous development of hairy roots, which considerably increase the absorption area of the root system. Growstones wicking ability also has practical implications on growing. With Growstones, in flooddrain tables the water level need only to be raised up to 50 75mm below the surface of the medium. The upper layer of Growstones will keep moist and filled with air. This eliminates the possibility of excess moisture at the surface of the medium reducing chances for fungus gnat infestations and algae growth.

Growstones pore size and interconnectivity also facilitates horizontal water diffusion leading to uniform moisture distribution, which in turn induces uniform root growth allowing you to take advantage of the entire volume of growing medium you paid for.

From the growing management point of view, Growstones drier nature in comparison to other growing media has multiple advantages. It makes it easier to change root zone nutrients, pH and moisture levels as quickly as desired. As a result, with Growstone it is easy to transition your plants from vegetative to bloom. Being drier, also allows taking advantage of frequent feedings with no risk of over-watering or root rot, and it reduces plant’s susceptibility to Pythium and other fungal diseases.

Finally, because Growstones are made from recycled glass, its surface leaches out silica in a form roots can uptake monosilicic acid (H4SiO4). Plants that accumulate silica have higher resistance to stresses such as drought, salinity heavy metals, and pathogens. In summary, with Growstones, roots have a larger available surface area, which retains water and loads of aeration at container capacity. Its unique pore structure promotes the growth hairy roots, assures uniform root growth through the entire medium, easy drainage, high leaching effect compared to other less clean substrates, leaving fewer residues behind. Its dry nature makes it easier to control moisture and nutrient levels, and to change them as quickly as desired making it easy to transition between development stages. It also reduces susceptibility to fungal diseases. For all these reasons, Growtones roots are not just healthier. They are healthier longer.

Growstone 101:

Everything You Need to Know About Growstones

Growstones are breakthrough, high-performance growing mediums that are made from 100% recycled glass and 100% American made.

Aeration and Drainage

Growstones highly porous and uneven shaped aggregates provide a balanced combination of small pores inside each aggregate and large pore spaces between aggregates. This determines Growstones capacity to store water, air, and the ability to provide them to the plants.

What’s truly unique about Growstones is the combination of pore size distribution and pore interconnectivity. Pore interconnectivity results in a large surface area available for roots to grow in and around. While larger pores between aggregates assure rapid drainage and air exchanges, which guarantees oxygen is rapidly dissolved in the water and supplied to the roots, small pores are filled with fresh air and covered by a film of oxygen-saturated water. As a result, after irrigation, each pore acts as a ‘micro NFT system’.

The combination of small and large pore spaces creates an ideal environment for roots, microorganisms, and worms to thrive—full of oxygen-rich water, and nutrients.

Water retention

Growstones can hold up to 30% of its volume in water after irrigation.

Its pore size and interconnectivity also facilitates horizontal water diffusion leading to uniform moisture distribution, which in turn induces uniform root growth, allowing you to take advantage of the entire volume of growing medium.

Capillary Action

Growstones pore size and connectivity results in good wicking ability. Growstones absorb and retain moisture four inches above the water level. This wicking ability has multiple advantages, all associated with creating a constant moist and highly aerated environment for roots above the water level. These conditions promote continuous development of hairy roots, which considerably increase the absorption area of the root system. Growstones wicking ability also has practical implications on growing. With Growstones, in flood- drain tables, the water level need only to be raised up to two to three inches below the surface of the medium. The upper layer of Growstones will keep moist and filled with air. This eliminates the possibility of excess moisture at the surface of the medium, reducing chances for fungus gnat infestations and algae growth.

Easy root zone control — High steerability

Growstones drier nature in comparison to other growing media has multiple advantages. It makes it easier to change root zone nutrients, pH and moisture levels as quickly as desired. As a result, with Growstones, it is easy to transition your plants from vegetative to bloom.

Frequent feedings with no risk of root rot and fungal diseases.

Growstones drier nature also allows taking advantage of frequent feedings with no risk of overwatering or root rot, and it reduces the plant’s susceptibility to Pythium and other fungal diseases.

Silica release

Because Growstones are made from recycled glass, its surface leaches out silica in a form roots can uptake— monosilicic acid (H4SiO4). Plants that accumulate silica have higher resistance to stresses such as drought, salinity heavy metals, and pathogens.

Lightweight

Growstones are super lightweight with a bulk density of 0.20 g per cc.

Versatile

Great fit for Hydroponics, Aerator in ‘soil’ blends, Bonsai blends, Aquaponics, Green Roofs, and more.

Made from recycled glass. Made in USA.

How To Use GS-1 Hydro Stones

As with all grow media; the more time taken to prepare a substrate pays off by giving you a pH-stable nutrient solution, which will be easier to correct and maintain later on.

How to prepare Growstones for Hydroponic Use

Growstones are an ideal substrate to grow a wide variety of crops in different hydroponic systems. Grow-stones are very flexible, simple to use, and they can be used in all types of hydroponic systems – from simple manually irrigated containers, to advanced automatically irrigated ones such as top-drip systems,

Ebb-Flow or NFT tables. Also, Growstones drain extremely well and have many opened pores. This increases oxygen diffusion between environment and root zone. For this reason, plants growing in Growstones cannot be over irrigated, and thus the irrigation schedule can also be quite flexible and easy to adjust to potential limiting situations. For example, if you don’t have an irrigation timer and you are continuously irrigating, you can safely grow a healthy crop using Growstones, with no risk of root rot, or lack of oxygenation in the root zone.

Before using Growstones for the first time, it is recommended to prepare the medium. Below are simple recommendations for best results.

Fast & Simple

The fastest and simplest way to prepare Growstones is to simply rinse it for about 5-10 minutes. This will eliminate any dust created during shipping. However, it will not allow you to take advantage from the pH buffer Growstones contains, because in order to activate it, a soaking period is required.

Soak Poke & Drain

For first time use, the “Soak Poke & Drain” method described below is recommended.

It is simple, easy and mess-free.

1. While Growstones are still in its plastic lined bag, open a small hole at the top of the bag.
2. Fit a water hose, and fill the bag with tap water. Let soak upright. Ideally let soak overnight.
3. After this time, poke small holes at the bottom of the bag and let the water drain away.
4. Rinse and drain once more to eliminate any dust remaining inside the bag.
5. Place the wet Growstones in your Hydroponic system with the reservoir filled with water only (Growstones and water only, no nutrients).
6. Measure water pH (pH initial) with a calibrated pH meter and allow your recirculating system to operate for a few hours.
7. After this period, measure pH of the recirculating water.
8. Add all nutrients.
9. Let the system run for a while again for about 10 – 15 minutes (Growstones, water and nutrients).
10. Measure pH of nutrient solution. If necessary, use pH down/pH up to adjust pH to between 5.5 and 6.5.

The time you’ll spend preparing Growstones this way, totally pays off by giving you a pH-stable nutrient solution, which will be easier to correct and maintain later on.