# Perlite or Vermiculite as an alternative to Fluorite



## Ben125 (Dec 16, 2014)

Has anyone ever used these before either as a mix with dirt, a dirt cap, or as a stand alone substrate? I am having trouble finding fluorite readily available, whereas these two I can find at any gardening store.

Perlite









In horticulture, perlite can be used as a soil amendment or alone as a medium for hydroponics or for starting cuttings. When used as an amendment it has high permeability / low water retention and helps prevent soil compaction.[4] Perlite is an excellent filtration aid and is used extensively as an alternative to diatomaceous earth. The popularity of perlite usage as a filter medium is growing considerably worldwide. Perlite filters are fairly commonplace in filtering beer before it is bottled.

Vermiculite









Uses: Waste treatment: the cation exchange capacity (up to 1000 milliequivalents per kg) of vermiculite allows it to be used in fluid purification processes for waste water, chemical processing and the pollution control of air in mines and gases in industrial processes. In addition to its ion exchange properties exfoliated vermiculite will retain liquids within the inter-laminar voids of the individual particles as well as between the particles themselves.

As a soil conditioner: Where the native soil is heavy or sticky, gentle mixing of vermiculite up to one-half the volume of the soil is recommended. This creates air channels and allows the soil mix to breathe. Mixing vermiculite in flower and vegetable gardens or in potted plants will provide the necessary air to maintain vigorous plant growth. Where soils are sandy, mixing of vermiculite into the soil will allow the soil to hold water and air needed for growth.


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## Solcielo lawrencia (Dec 30, 2013)

Vermiculite is not a good idea; it's too buoyant and floats away easily.
Perlite, as a filtration medium, works. Not as a substrate.


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## Monster Fish (Mar 15, 2011)

I use perlite for my Sarracenia. It floats and it eventually crumbles into a fine dust. I wouldn't use it as a substrate.


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## lochaber (Jan 23, 2012)

A long time ago, I used some planting medium that involved some vermiculite amongst other ingredients I can't remember. 

I think it was just stuff I put in a peat-pot and buried in the substrate, so although it was mostly contained, some did get out and it was pretty messy.

I'm not sure about perlite, I think it would be hard to contain since a lot of it would want to float.

Something like Safe-T-Sorb is known to work pretty well as a substrate, and is pretty inexpensive.


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