Hydroponic Growing Media: Expanding Your Options

Perhaps the best-known and one of the most popular hydroponic growing media types is expanded clay. The spherical shape of clay pebbles naturally creates an abundance of air pockets, offering unmatched levels of aeration. Despite their lightweight nature, clay pebbles retain a significant volume of liquid. However, as a largely free-draining hydroponic growing medium, much of your nutrient solution will run straight through the substrate. This characteristic makes standalone clay pebbles an excellent choice for use with recirculating hydroponic systems, like the Origin System, though they are versatile enough to deliver great results with a variety of hydroponic systems.

Clay pebble and coco blends are gaining popularity. The 60/40 clay-coco mix offers the benefits of expanded clay, but with a bit of extra water retention. This growing medium combines the water retention and nutrient availability of coconut husks with the great aeration and lightweight qualities of clay pebbles, providing a great environment for plant roots.

Rockwool, another cornerstone in the hydroponic growing medium category, is discussed in more detail in our Rockwool section.

For further advice on choosing the right hydroponic growing media, whether it be clay, rockwool cubes, or coco coir blends, visit one of our stores or call 0333 003 22 96 to speak to an expert advisor at GroWell.