How to Clean and Sterilise LECA Clay Balls

[@MichaelSmithAU]

Hoocho - do you have a camera my house? Yesterday I was down in the shed figuring out how I was going to reuse all the clay balls from the last grow!!! 🤣🤣 If this happens again, I'm going to start being concerned.

[@Hoocho]

😳😂

[@a.b.8606]

🎉

[@questateyahoo]

Great show, thank you. An FYI. As a prior cryogenic production specialist. Oxygen is not flammable, though it supports fire greatly. It can be explosive (liquid oxygen) if it comes in contact with oil / grease and an impact. For instance oil on the head of a hammer and you hit a bead of oxygen running along the floor.

[@SlfarrowXYZ]

Hi Hoocho, love, the video! Another option for cleaning and sterilizing is hypochlorous acid. Bought from the Hydro store, it is a rip off. However, you can generate hypochlorous yourself with an electrolysis cell, pickling salt, and 5% vinegar. I am a Plant Scientist working for an aeroponics automation company in the states - many of our customers generate their own hypochlorous to clean our equipment after harvests.

[@downunderfulla6001]

Nice, I bet Hoocho would have a lot of questions for his research part of All the gear no idea’ channel 👍

[@GGoffroad2]

Hoocho do a video on THIS

[@GrahamCrannell]

To burn off the roots, you could just make a small campfire and set the root ball in there. Then you'd have a pile of ash with leca balls in it and you can just wash off the ash

[@DanielSMatthews]

Yes, a simple mud brick kiln like structure and a bit of firewood seems like the cheapest method.

[@frenzyshah]

Agree I do a similar thing and clean it with H2O2 as a precaution. It's easiest with least efforts. But adding carbon footprint

[@DanielSMatthews]

@@frenzyshah There is no carbon footprint from burning wood that is harvested sustainably, such as in traditional coppicing. Not that CO2 is really an issue, because you are growing stuff, so pulling CO2 out of the air in the first place. More science and less ideology is a good thing.

[@pete3011]

Yeah, I was gonna say a fire pit or putting them in something over a burn barrel would take care of it.

[@ethankaufman8577]

I figured a weber kettle grill, toss your root ball on the grill and the clay balls will be right on top. Charcoal chimney to get it all going and you're set

[@semosesam]

Really appreciate the follow up video, Hoocho! Always love your dedication to experimentation.

[@deborahtemptingtanglesdesi1511]

This was the best one yeet - entertaining and helpful - you are a star!!

[@JasonCarr1979]

I said this in the last video but I want to repeat this here. Do this same technique but with perlite, and then just toss or compost root balls. Also you can just leave everything in the flood table and run peroxide in the reservoir and flood and drain the table a bunch of times to stearlize'ish everything all at once. Obviously don't do this with plants in the table. Do this after every harvest.

[@glennscott3267]

Thanks for the video Hoocho!

[@geesicks_]

Great video, as always Hooch

[@brucerogers8281]

I use household bleach (sodium hypochlorite) that I buy at the dollar store for about $1.50 a gallon. I don't skimp on it and I soak for a day or two then rinse and sun dry.

[@CatHamster-wf5xs]

Nice 1 Mr Hoocho. Looks like a twin tub washing machine from the hard rubbish would be a ideal processing plant. Great vid keep up the great work.

[@richjageman3976]

I have a solar dryer I use. Scrap plywood bottom and 2x4 frame (interior painted jet black) with some clear plexi on top It gets hot enough that any residual water from the rinse turns to steam.

[@stephenrogers2683]

HI, good video. after separating the balls I put them in a laundry bag and put them in the washing machine with a good biodegradable detergent and do a very hot wash. worked really well and removed all the salts and green fungus. give it a try.

[@harleysdad8352]

I've baked them in the oven before with pretty good success.

[@a.b.8606]

Can you boil them in s big pot/kettle? Would the heat sterilize and get rid of the roots?

[@959leo]

Welcome to hoocho🤠🤠🤠

[@mikec3820]

i missed the video yesterdy but i did post in the fb group. thnks hoocho hpy hydr'in

[@meotch420]

Love the name of the video

[@SkyfishArt]

I have been finding clay balls in the community compost. I get them our by tossing the dirt into a bucket of water then siphoning them off with a sieve. after you have turned your balls in the mixer, you could just compost the last part and get the balls out from the finished compost at a later date. Not sure how to scale it, but if one wants to get every ball, that way could work.

[@romulomendes6942]

Excelente conteúdo. Estou pra iniciar isso aqui na minha cidade. Espero que dê certo.

[@thekbshouse]

I've washed my balls for years by having few tubs of water, letting the crap fall to the bottom, progressively changing the water out to get rid of the crap and shifting through the floating balls on top moving them from bucket to bucket until in the end the balls are clean of roots and leaves. I've used soap made of pine oil (Mäntysuopa in finnish) to wash away possible pests once when I had infestation on my capsicums, but apart from that just water.

[@snuffoutrouge5109]

I am using kitty litter trays from bunnings and drilled holes in them. Then I can rest the trays on top of hydroponic tubs and dry out the vermiculite/ perlite media. When dry I remove the roots and separate media from roots.

[@purpledoggy3010]

Hey, how about this - if you’ve got a junky charcoal grill, just light it up with stuff from the garden and a little wood. Spread the roots all over the grates and let it burn. You can sift the balls from the ashes the next day and throw the ash right into the compost. EDIT: Do it right after you’ve grilled some fresh veg! That way you’re just letting it burn out with the BBQ, no waste

[@snuffoutrouge5109]

I think a clay flower pot with wire mesh around it to hold it together with a wood fire in it and put mouse mesh on top to hold the clay balls on top would work.

[@ethankaufman8577]

My exact thought! The grill would work a treat and probably wouldn't let any leca through

[@tjevarts9525]

Awesome Video! Question, what do you think of using a capped vertical 1.5m pvc pipe as a tomato kratky so the vines fall down over the edges of the pipe towards the ground. maybe stick the pipe in a concrete cinder block to keep it vertical?

[@MasterCommandCEO]

Great video. One thing I think is that they meant just an actual fire pit and campfire then throw the roots with the clay balls on top lol A lot of those walmart and home depot backyard campfire bowls usually actually come with a tight steal mesh cover too which would contain everything from popping out of the bowl like embers and busted clay balls.

[@charlyfree7626]

The best for me it to put it under the sun for a month toi live the roots dry to remove it by saking after. Thanks for your vidéo Always the best 👍🌱

[@srtswpak47]

I have hydroton that's been used 10+ years, indoors and out. I don't bother with cleaning them at all anymore despite growing root monster plants like broccoli. I spend about 2 minutes getting roots out after harvesting and that's it. The debris builds up slowly overtime and doesn't seem to cause any issues.

[@mfrederikson]

I just rinse them off and take out most of the old rootstock after useage but thats it. The bacteria and fungi can eat the rest :p

[@criscoregelo]

I did use a brick oven once but the leca was popping like crazy and the ash was easy to screen but I found the pan took ~1hr to burn all roots when medium was wet

[@williammaxwell1919]

Does Bunnings know they are a sponser of your channel? LOL

[@pallettime]

Hello hoocho Can you try some hydroponic fresh hops, would be amazing 👍🍻

[@GordGonzola]

Thanks for the table idea aswell eh. Reorganization before setup.

[@HayenMill]

Could you make a video on how to clean/sterilize the coco coir/perlite mix for those of us with few space in our apartments?

[@DanielSMatthews]

DIY autoclave, i.e. a pressure cooker.

[@zoixdark]

Use a steel trashcan like a 5-10 gallon one. Put the roots and clay balls in it and the put it over a camp fire. It should just cook off the roots and leave just pure carbon behind.

[@mauxuwon6252]

Hey hoocho!!! I was wondering IF YOU can do an experiment with homemade charcoal as a growing medium in dutch bucket instead of perlite, coco coir or leca balls???

[@kingjezer4688]

Question. Im trying to grow veggies and herbs in an apartment for my girlfriend and I. Whats the best way to grow? We dont have a public hose near us so I have to fill up water jugs with water from the tub or sink and water my plants

[@schtauffen-plays]

i plan to use 2 5 gallon buckets and drill holes in the bottom of one so i can easily pull the leca out of the water

[@kellywanklin7674]

Try hanging the root balls over a bucket/pot when you burn them.. use wire to hang them. things will fall off, exposing underneath

[@GordGonzola]

I use peroxide on Both!

[@saucebox11]

I just put mine in a aluminum foil container in my pellet grill and set it to high, and let 500+ degrees cook everything off. seems to work if you have one.

[@ethankaufman8577]

When you were getting all of the roots loose from the clay balls in the water. I'm shocked you didn't throw some air stones in the bottom and use it to bubble the roots loose! Better yet, attach some pvc to the outflow of a shop vac and you can make an easy bubbler manifold by drilling holes in the pvc

[@megaflux7144]

i mean.. 5 gal bucket and one of those plaster or paint stirrer things may be a cheaper version of the cement mixer technique. fire you could have maybe used plain old window screen.

[@BP-bx6si]

Throw them in the mixer .edit, commented before watching full video 😮

[@CriticoolHit]

My current technique is I do not clean them. I add southern ag GFF at water changes and that's it. It eats the dead roots over time and the material is washed away in water changes or decomposes into more plant food. My rez is crystal clear and my leca flood and drain has been in service for 3 years no pumping out 2 competition sized heads every 2 weeks. Also that jug of Hydrogen peroxide is 281 dollars shipping to my doors so that's not going to happen. Other than removing the dust when you buy them I had no idea people actually tried to clean these. I would imagine it would ruin the PH stability honestly.

[@larrystrayer8336]

How about boiling/ pasteurizing?

[@unmeaninglessly143]

Solar dehydrator would be the best method i guess. Paired with hair clipper/cutter for dense root (after drying). Just a suggestion tho. I prefer cheap stuffs

[@Raymond_Inc]

How about just boiling the balls in a large turkey fryer. 30 qrts (28 liters) pot and propane kit cost around $100. Cook it long enough, the roots will cook off and pathogens will also be killed off.

[@downunderfulla6001]

Not having a dig but it’s funny hearing a big pot called a turkey fryer. Here we bake turkey and call the large pots crab cookers👍👌🍺

[@JOSEPH-vs2gc]

I like the idea of laying them in a shallow greenhouse type box. just let it cook and sterilize on its own.

[@rollercity]

Can you try soaking a rootball in a 5 gallon with Effective Microorganisms/EM-1?

[@Jon-yh3gb]

Might be able to sun bleach the roots off if you're about to be distracted with a shiny new system. I'd expect the roots to weaken enough once dessicated that you could manually remove the media by crushing the dried out rootball. Then hose it off with the basket and call it a day. But keep in mind that I am basing that on the system I neglected 😅

[@magnumjgjg]

YEEEEEESSSS

[@masondawson4061]

Can they be boiled to sterilize them?

[@oregondave5011]

Will boiling them get them hot enough?

[@trayce3]

A rock tumbler would work. (Like for polishing stones.)

[@MijosSalamanca]

Boiling water works also for most pathogens that h2o2 works for. But there are some both don't work for. Since you are most likely concerned about pythium these die of at 50 C. A large metal pot and a lid and an electric kettle is an entry model of steam sterilisation.

[@Raggzzaug11]

Maybe to heat treat them by finding an old water heater tank or the like and figure out how to heat it up slowly to a temperature that would kill off all pathogens but not break down the clay balls then soak in a peroxide solution or something else to float out/settle out debris.

[@Zahaqiel]

The gas-powered flamethrower seems like overthinking the whole "dry out and then set on fire" process?

[@davidg487]

just wait until it drys out, the roots will just crumble away

[@muddymaker3721]

Heating that pot with a gas torch at nurrie height is fraught with all sorts of dangers hahaha

[@skydiverbc]

FYI, Oxygen is not flammable, it is an oxidizer. 100% oxygen will not burn, but if you introduce a flame to it, the flame will become much bigger and hotter.

[@nevanalthaus2387]

👍

[@Philmoon69]

I dont want to tempt fate byt i just leave them to dry in sun (qld) i tried hydrogen peroxide but it wastes too much water

[@icemage21k]

"cleaning my balls" im so old i think like Beavis and Butt-Head

[@tomklar9584]

To drain them I found a colander too tedious. I would get a large piece of cheese cloth or fine netting and put that in my big washing tub and poor the balls over it. Then scoop it all up in the netting sack and drain the off big bunches at a time.

[@hgw90026]

Let the rooted clay ball dry out in the sun and then encase them in a metal container and fire it. Make biochar from the roots while sterilizing the clay balls at the same time.

[@not-one-not-two]

Hey mate, just wondering if you could do a video on safe plastic types to use for hydro? Been doing some research and believe some of the parts that are used to be pretty toxic?

[@Yelonek1986]

Look for food-safe plastic and it should be fine. If you know someone who works in a restaurant that gets food in buckets, that would be a gold mine. IANA expert.

[@medicmike4906]

@@Yelonek1986 If you have a Firehouse subs near you, they have pickle buckets, they usually sell them for $5.00

[@not-one-not-two]

I read articles backed by scientific studies that showed how "food safe plastics" still leak into food in a strong sun? So many microplastics in this world. The say we eat a credit cards worth a week!

[@dragnardrake8633]

I think if the roots had been dry and want to burn I think it would been easier to burn.

[@kevinmiller5467]

You set everybody off when you said, "It will be real easy to reuse" meanwhile there were 1 million root.

[@Holodomor4.0]

Yeah I just add small amounts of hydrogen peroxide/silver into the res when in use to minimise algae and after a harvest I will cycle the system with stronger hydrogen peroxide a few times and manually remove any root structures and compost them…

[@tamiespe4164]

Does the salt build up do any harm when reusing the leca?

[@frenzyshah]

Yes it interferes with the TDS and pH as the salts get resolved in the next cycle.

[@tamiespe4164]

@@frenzyshah thanks!

[@owen2507]

I literally just started to clean a some leca an hour ago, I would be a little scared if I weren't on the other side of the world

[@belleomalley1022]

Brb grabbing industrial sized hydrogen peroxide

[@ozzypunk1]

I would have thought you would have dried it off in the sun and blow the dry roots off with a compresser

[@minepolz320]

Ozone?

[@iamhe981]

Why dont you just leave root ball to dry out before doing anything? Hydroten clay balls will just fall out & you can set fire to it as well. Also its much cheaper & easier to use Dry Hydrogen Peroxide from Home Brew shops.

[@Suchtzocker]

"clean your balls" 😂

[@steveandtedssmallspacegard8587]

Does any one else use a pressure washer to remove the main roots

[@Alan_CFA]

A click-baity title, but a great video.😁

[@rjaquaponics9266]

you forgot the best method. It's sun dried! you figured it out. Don't reuse balls for anything!

[@rgrant991]

Let them dry once clean put them in the oven.

[@bigonprivacy2708]

"I know we're all being victimized by clay balls"..................LOL!

[@Dawn_McNair]

I boil mine.

[@williammaxwell1919]

"Slow cook" the rootball so all the organic matter becomes slush... sieve the results

[@williammaxwell1919]

Or make "weed tea" out of it (using a fish tank bubbler to produce aerobic decomposition, so the clay balls dont5stink)

[@gpsawyer]

Personally I prefer LIGMA to LECA.

[@chinoto1]

"How to Clean and Sterilise Your Balls", a missed opportunity. Oh well, the actual title is more informative.

[@Oddone64]

I use soap and water…. oh wait, oops. 😊

[@dylandesmond]

I put a copper rod in my water... problem solved... I never sterilise anything.... EVER....

[@Vunderbread]

Baking works of course, super simple But your kitchen will smell like @$$ for hours

[@snuffoutrouge5109]

if you want to keep good with your kitchen partner buy another electric oven to do this.

[@TyWooly42]

Wear Eye Protection !!

[@thomaslindell5448]

I just wash them with bleach rinse well then bake them in the oven for an hour or so

[@danj285]

i'm using hospital grade bleach, then rinse until ppms are very low - 0. i really like the cement mixer idea!