Media Tests Round 2 | pH & Water Absorption- Bark, Moss, Pumice, Lava & More | Size vs Quality

Hi everyone, it's Annabel, welcome back to my channel! Today we are continuing the media tests I started previously, aiming to fully characterize different types of media, which helps us to understand how their individual properties can be used! Today I will be looking at Bark, Moss, Pumice, LECA, Lava Rock, S-te (kyodama) and superlite black, a type of small round clay substrate from a bonsai supplier. I will be taking pH measurements and measuring water Absorbancy, as well as looking at how media size can affect this.

More info on pH rises in standing tap water- this is quite a beginner friendly website: https://www.happyhydro.com/blogs/news...
For very detailed info on tap water quality and hardness- Here, but not... has an excellent and comprehensive blog post: http://herebutnot.com/watering-orchid...

I speculate a bit here, but after a bit of reading It seems likely that, in this case, it is dissolved carbonic acid in the fresh tap water, converting to CO2 and evaporating over time, raising the pH after it has been standing for 24H.

Link to my last media test video ( seramis, leca, moler, perlite and synthic) :    • Inorganic Media Tests & Characteristics | ...  
Link to my Maxillaria repot video:    • Maxillaria Orchids | Variabilis Haul, Tenu...  
Link to Kaizen Bonsai for more info on the products bought here: https://bit.ly/3aeYKRW
Link to orchid garden media: https://bit.ly/2XZF69i

Time Stamps:
00:00 Introduction
05:05 Media Being Tested
09:32 Starting The Experiment
11:00 Dry Weights
12:45 pH Measurements
13:30 Tap Water pH Changes
14:50 Bark pH
18:45 Moss pH
20:25 Inorganic Media pH
24:00 Graphed pH Results
26:10 Water Absobancy Measurements
29:10 Graphed Water Absorption
29:40 Size differences
29:57 Quality differences


Hope you enjoy the video!

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Instagram:   / the.orchid.room  
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❀ My Orchid Room ❀
UK Spare Bedroom Currently Moving
Temps- 18-35C
Humidity 50-75%.
Artificial lighting, supplemented with daylight
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✩ Plant Products I Use & Love ✩
Quick Disclaimer - These are products I genuinely love, buy and use- I wouldn't list something I didn't use regularly and purchase myself. I've provided links to try and make them easier to find, some of these are Amazon affiliate links. If you choose to purchase any of these products through the Amazon links below, I may get a small percentage towards future purchases, which really helps me out :-) If you choose to not purchase through these links though, I totally understand! I only recommend what I love and use ♡

❀ Inorganic Media ❀
RHS Alpine Horticultural grit or washed gravel- non wicking pebble top layer
LECA - Canna Aqua Brand: https://amzn.to/2Z5sPPy
or IKEA
Pumice : Medium grade ~10mm : https://amzn.to/3aTCIFn Or Kaizen bonsai, small or large grade: https://bit.ly/3aeYKRW
Synthic: UK supplier https://bit.ly/2RCb4oI
US: Glassbox Tropicals : https://bit.ly/2wHy2na
Seramis : https://amzn.to/2QdyP59 or https://bit.ly/2V90RSJ (cheaper)
Perlite

❃ Organic media ❃
Sphagnum moss by Besgrow
Orchiata bark (Both from Orchid Acc. UK: https://bit.ly/3elQItD )
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💧Water & Nutrients🌱
ZeroWater Filter: https://amzn.to/2KaaYjP
Rain Mix:
UK: https://bit.ly/2yaTfX5
Akerne: https://bit.ly/2XEj3W3
Silicon: https://amzn.to/2K41IxJ
Seaweed: Maxicrop Original : https://amzn.to/2VbQ0rv
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💡 Lighting 💡
Lower Light Orchids (Phalaenopsis, Oncidiums)
Cool white LAP '4000K' under cabinet lighting- Screwfix: https://bit.ly/2V5KBlv
IKEA Tertial Lamps: https://bit.ly/2Vs492t
Fitted with Amazon Basics 1500 lumen cool white LED bulbs: https://amzn.to/36RnRsG

High Light Orchids (Vandas, Cattleyas)
GEMMA Lights: https://bit.ly/34CqY7Z , 10% discount with code 'OrchidRoom'
Mars Hydro TS600
MARS HYDRO TS600 Amazon Link: https://amzn.to/3bagRcS

❃ Shelving ❃
Wire shelving, Hartleys direct: https://bit.ly/2REpeWl
Metal shelving IKEA Mulig : https://bit.ly/3bkUjGc

✩ Pots ✩
13cm Buckets Amazon: https://amzn.to/2V92cci (£~20 for 35)
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Cheaper alternatives to Elho outers:
18cm white pot cover: https://bit.ly/3cmwTRb
DIY Self-watering pots:
15cm (White outer) made with IKEA Nejkon outer mask: https://bit.ly/2VuSu2S
and various 15cm clear internal orchid pots
Larger made using elho brussels outer pots: https://amzn.to/2QxPhwT (20cm)
with orchid focus inner pots: https://amzn.to/2ZAW0KX (21cm) Or larger.
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Wick for self watering pots: https://amzn.to/2sMuWM7
Self watering pots with water level gauge: https://amzn.to/2S5o4UL
Lechuza mini deltini: https://amzn.to/2sKHuny
or other brand: https://amzn.to/2S5o4UL

#MediaTests