Clearex Salt Leaching Solution

[Candace]

Since the Clearex is supposed to help flush salts, it wouldn't do anything for mineral deposits then, right?

Thanks, Jon. At least we know it doesn't hurt orchids. What medium are you mainly using?

 

[PaphMadMan]

I think that it helps flush the salt buildup out of the pot. I check with my TDS meter & after using the Clearex & flushing with RO it drops a lot more than with just plan RO.
Jon

Thanks for offering a verifiable observation (the change in TDS vs. RO alone). That's the first thing that makes me think this stuff might be more than bullshit and wishful thinking. The product descriptions I've found online are great exercises in scientific sounding hyperbole but almost devoid of actual information. Still, I'm pretty sure you could get the same benefits from much cheaper products.

PaphMadMan (Kirk)

 

[Roth]

The judge meant for sure haYDite, not halite... Then it makes sense. That's a kind of product that looks similar to Leca.

Many people tried haydite for orchids, there were even big advertisements in the orchid reviews woldwide for its use, but what was odd, the plants would make roots and grow to eventually collapse some years laters.

 

[JDY]

Since the Clearex is supposed to help flush salts, it wouldn't do anything for mineral deposits then, right?

Thanks, Jon. At least we know it doesn't hurt orchids. What medium are you mainly using?

Bark mix for Phrags, Coconut for just about everything else.
Jon

 

[Elena]

I've read about people soaking coconut husks first in epsom salt and then in Calcium Nitrate solutions to leach salts.

 

[Candace]

Thanks, Sanderianum. Off to google HAYdite now...

 

[NYEric]

So now in addition to Epson salt, lime and oyster shell I should add sugar water!?! Sounds like a weird margarita!
BTW, H.P. Norton stopped using coconut chip products due to yellowing leaves, and problems in Phals. I'm going to change my mix up to include less CHC and more fir bark, or was it pine bark? ??

 

[Brian Monk]

Hopefully one of our chemists will comment on the use of muriatic acid.

I'm not sure I would use Muriatic Acid (hcl) to clean the media that the roots actually grow in. It would be good to clean the pots as you do but I think it may turn the calcium carbonate deposits into calcium chloride which would be an undesirable compound in the growing media. Especially for leca which would hold the solution within the pebbles.
I'm not sure about this, this is just what I think.
Also the fumes may be somewhat explosive? (hydrogen gas?

Yes, it does turn Calcium carbonate into calcium chloride. Which is soluble in water, as it is a souble salt. So any amount of rinsing would work. I don't recommend using muriatic acid straight. As you have noted, it is hydrocchloric acid. However, it is sold as muriatic acid in much lower concentrations (about 30%) as a swimming pool product. I would think that any number of pesticides would be of a greater danger to your average grower.

 

[Brian Monk]

I think that it helps flush the salt buildup out of the pot. I check with my TDS meter & after using the Clearex & flushing with RO it drops a lot more than with just plan RO.
Jon

Huh? No offense, but this "test" holds no water. TDS measurements measure Total Dissolved Solids. So the measurement should be HIGHER after using Clearex because the product supposedly helps dissolve the salt build-up.

 

[Candace]

I got a gallon jug of vinegar at the grocery store to try. Any suggestions as to how much to use per gallon of water?

 

[MoreWater]

Similar question - I think I heard someone say the ph needs to be 4.5 (or was it 4?) for salts to be dissolved - T or F?

 

[Brian Monk]

Candace -

I did try vinegar at first, but the concentration had to be very strong. I would start at 50%, and work up from there.

 

[Candace]

I think I heard someone say the ph needs to be 4.5 (or was it 4?) for salts to be dissolved - T or F?

I'm talking about dissolving mineral deposits, not salts. See, I'm not the only one.

 

[John D.]

Candace
What Brian said is a good place to start with vineger. It is a "weak" acid and is diluted to only about 5% as it is sold in the grocery. With the calcium deposits (calcium carbonate etc.) and acid what happens is a chemical reaction to produce the more soluble salts. The acid is consumed as the reaction takes place. The carbonates are also more soluble in weak acids than pure water, solubility increases as concentration increases. The hardness in water is from what is dissolved as the water passes through the soil or rock. Water has Carbon dioxide gas dissolved in it from the air. This makes a weak acid (carbonic)

 

[JDY]

Huh? No offense, but this "test" holds no water. TDS measurements measure Total Dissolved Solids. So the measurement should be HIGHER after using Clearex because the product supposedly helps dissolve the salt build-up.

I'm sorry I should have explained it in more detail the TDS was higher at first but at the final flush the TDS was lower on the plant I used the Clearex on. Both plants were Odonts potted at the same time & same size pots. Soaked for 20 minutes then flushed with 2 gallons of RO water each.
Jon

 

[PaphMadMan]

I'm talking about dissolving mineral deposits, not salts. See, I'm not the only one.

Actually, the 'mineral deposits' in question are at least mostly salts, just not readily soluble ones.

 

[Candace]

Actually, the 'mineral deposits' in question are at least mostly salts, just not readily soluble ones.

O.K. Lance said they're good. Now they're bad?

 

[MoreWater]

O.K. Lance said they're good. Now they're bad?

:rollhappy: Quite honestly have not been staying focused on this thread. I remember it being said that minerals are fine, so I assumed you wanted to dissolve salts, not minerals. But whatever it is, does it really matter? Either they are bad or they look bad, so they have to go pronto. Yes, I'm being a bit simplistic, but I'm having one of those days when I'm thinking I spend way too much time reading/talking/thinking/watering/grooming/mounting/repotting/tossing plants.

 

[smartie2000]

Candace I agree with Lance. If they are calcium deposits,which is likely, you are fine. If any deposit has low solubility I cannot see how it can do much harm anyway since it can only go into the plant via water.
My university's entire plant collection (including orchids) are in old clay pots are all covered in nasty looking deposits and they grow fine.