here we will be learning about Zeolites, a little-known type of rock that has a bright future.....the art of growing plants using zeolites, or zeoponics, is extensively studied in many countries with Japan leading the way in research.
The greek word, “Zeo”, means to boil, and “lithos” means stone, thus zeolite means the rock that boils. Because of their unique porous properties, zeolites are used in a variety of applications .
What are zeolites ? Zeolites are honeycomb like small rigid crystals working much like a sponge. When heated, the pores open. Acting like squeezed sponges, zeolites filter substances by trapping large molecules. This helps some chemical reactions to take place. For instance, zeolites in laundry detergent exchange magnesium and calcium ions from hard water with their own sodium ions. That exchange improves the lathering effect of the detergent in the water, which has now become soft due to the exchange of ions. Referred to as molecular sieves, zeolites contribute to a clean, safe environment in various different ways. They are often used to remove toxic wastes, in water softening and purification, and in the separation and removal of gases and solvents. They are therefore used to filter air and water to help clean up the environment..
In golf courses, zeolites help hold water and distribute plant nutrients throughout the grass. The crystal structures can be loaded with nitrogen and potassium required by the plants and combined with other slow-dissolving salts such as calcium and phosphorus. The zeolites store this multivitamin combination for plants and release it slowly as and when needed for growth. This method has the added advantage of preventing loss of water and nutrients to the ground.
the first picture is a diagram of the zeolite molecule....the honeycome structure of the molecule provides an incredible amount of surface area which provide hundreds of tiny "docking sites" that facilitate the exchange of nutrient ions....maybe some of you have read about synthetic vermiculite and its usefulness in growing media as the site of "cation exchange".....well zeolites serve the same function with the added benefits of being a natural product that provides cation exchange at a much higher rate than vermiculite.....all this without dangers of breathing in vermiculite (always wear a mask when dealing with dry vermiculite......you don't have to wear a mask with zeolite)
here is more info on zeoponics:
ZeoponiX Inc. Revolutionizes Plant Growth
The miracles of crystals are touted by New Age spiritualists and savvy hucksters. But the prowess of one natural crystal is grounded in science and technology, not by fast talk and fashionable mystique.
Zeolites are naturally occurring crystalline minerals with adsorption and ion exchange characteristics. By manipulating these properties, they can be loaded with plant nutrients or treated as tools for hazardous waste cleanup.
By combining the nutrient-loaded zeolites with other proprietary ingredients, ZeoponiX Inc., a spinoff company of Boulder Innovative Technologies (BIT), will produce a complete, nutrient-balanced plant-growth medium superior to existing products. This new science, called zeoponics, is a field NASA has researched for its space program since the late 1970s.
"Rather than man trying to second-guess the exact timing of nutrient needs for the plant, with zeoponics, the plant does the regulating of the nutrients as it needs them," says Richard D. Andrews, founder of ZeoponiX. "With only the addition of water, plants will grow in the zeoponic medium for multiple growth cycles."
Seeking ways to adapt the technology to earthbound applications, NASA's Johnson Space Center (JSC) solicited Andrews' help through BIT in late 1992. ZeoponiX subsequently was formed to commercialize the technology, which targets floriculture and horticulture, areas that involve greenhouse crops and potting mixes for house plants. The company has applied for a non-exclusive license to commercialize the patent pending technology.
Through a proprietary zeoponics manufacturing process, developed in part by NASA and Texas A&M University scientists, zeolite is treated for a particular crop. Under a Small Business Innovation Research contract with JSC, scientists from ZeoponiX and BIT are researching 32 plant-growth zeolite blends. ZeoponiX will develop improved manufacturing processes in a pilot plant and conduct greenhouse trials this fall.
"The value of the improved zeoponics media is improved plant quality, higher yields and shorter production cycles," Andrews says. "Higher, faster yields mean less bench time from seedling to commercial product, which means increased profitability to the commercial grower.
Valued assistance for ZeoponiX's start-up, he says, rests on the shoulders of the Mid-Continent Technology Transfer Center's University of Houston-Clear Lake office. The MCTTC helped the company conduct technical data searches and formulate a business plan. It also facilitated ZeoponiX's relationship with JSC.
"What we did, primarily, was laboratory interface," says David Wicks, MCTTC project manager. Wicks helped prove BIT's credibility to NASA and clarified to BIT the kind of partnership JSC sought.
Working with Andrews on continuing development of this technology is one of its co-inventors, Dr. Earl Allen. Allen is the director of soil and plant tissue laboratories at Oklahoma State University and vice president of ZeoponiX. Andrews and Allen both are internationally recognized experts in applied zeolite science. Backed by their experience and reputations, they are cultivating international technology and business relationships.
Another partner in the company provides the bulk zeolite that ZeoponiX manipulates. ZO Mines owns a mine in West Texas that contains easily accessible zeolite featuring the strong particle integrity necessary for the blending process.
Marketing ZeoponiX's products to the plant-growth industry, though, will take a well-developed educational effort, Andrews says. Virtually no commercial zeolite ventures exist in the United States, although the products have received limited attention at trade shows and conferences.
"Once the value of the products is understood and demonstrated in the marketplace," he says, "the advantages will translate into an irresistible product line."
so just say ZEOLITE and throw away those clay pellets! -gp
by the way everyone......it is important to choose the right kind of Zeolite that is useful for horticultural applications......some kinds of zeolites are used in odor control and will cause Calcium and Sodium imbalances in your medium....the zeolite you want to use are the ones that adsorb Nitrogen and Potassium (N and K).....but the companies that sell them know which ones you need and will package them in the right package.....
did you know you could even use zeolites in place of that activated carbon to get rid of unwanted cannabis odors in your room? you could even use it for cat litter! and, while you're at it, you can use zeolites to dispose of nuclear waste! oh so many uses for zeolite.....just don't eat them! -gp edit
The greek word, “Zeo”, means to boil, and “lithos” means stone, thus zeolite means the rock that boils. Because of their unique porous properties, zeolites are used in a variety of applications .
What are zeolites ? Zeolites are honeycomb like small rigid crystals working much like a sponge. When heated, the pores open. Acting like squeezed sponges, zeolites filter substances by trapping large molecules. This helps some chemical reactions to take place. For instance, zeolites in laundry detergent exchange magnesium and calcium ions from hard water with their own sodium ions. That exchange improves the lathering effect of the detergent in the water, which has now become soft due to the exchange of ions. Referred to as molecular sieves, zeolites contribute to a clean, safe environment in various different ways. They are often used to remove toxic wastes, in water softening and purification, and in the separation and removal of gases and solvents. They are therefore used to filter air and water to help clean up the environment..
In golf courses, zeolites help hold water and distribute plant nutrients throughout the grass. The crystal structures can be loaded with nitrogen and potassium required by the plants and combined with other slow-dissolving salts such as calcium and phosphorus. The zeolites store this multivitamin combination for plants and release it slowly as and when needed for growth. This method has the added advantage of preventing loss of water and nutrients to the ground.
the first picture is a diagram of the zeolite molecule....the honeycome structure of the molecule provides an incredible amount of surface area which provide hundreds of tiny "docking sites" that facilitate the exchange of nutrient ions....maybe some of you have read about synthetic vermiculite and its usefulness in growing media as the site of "cation exchange".....well zeolites serve the same function with the added benefits of being a natural product that provides cation exchange at a much higher rate than vermiculite.....all this without dangers of breathing in vermiculite (always wear a mask when dealing with dry vermiculite......you don't have to wear a mask with zeolite)
here is more info on zeoponics:
ZeoponiX Inc. Revolutionizes Plant Growth
The miracles of crystals are touted by New Age spiritualists and savvy hucksters. But the prowess of one natural crystal is grounded in science and technology, not by fast talk and fashionable mystique.
Zeolites are naturally occurring crystalline minerals with adsorption and ion exchange characteristics. By manipulating these properties, they can be loaded with plant nutrients or treated as tools for hazardous waste cleanup.
By combining the nutrient-loaded zeolites with other proprietary ingredients, ZeoponiX Inc., a spinoff company of Boulder Innovative Technologies (BIT), will produce a complete, nutrient-balanced plant-growth medium superior to existing products. This new science, called zeoponics, is a field NASA has researched for its space program since the late 1970s.
"Rather than man trying to second-guess the exact timing of nutrient needs for the plant, with zeoponics, the plant does the regulating of the nutrients as it needs them," says Richard D. Andrews, founder of ZeoponiX. "With only the addition of water, plants will grow in the zeoponic medium for multiple growth cycles."
Seeking ways to adapt the technology to earthbound applications, NASA's Johnson Space Center (JSC) solicited Andrews' help through BIT in late 1992. ZeoponiX subsequently was formed to commercialize the technology, which targets floriculture and horticulture, areas that involve greenhouse crops and potting mixes for house plants. The company has applied for a non-exclusive license to commercialize the patent pending technology.
Through a proprietary zeoponics manufacturing process, developed in part by NASA and Texas A&M University scientists, zeolite is treated for a particular crop. Under a Small Business Innovation Research contract with JSC, scientists from ZeoponiX and BIT are researching 32 plant-growth zeolite blends. ZeoponiX will develop improved manufacturing processes in a pilot plant and conduct greenhouse trials this fall.
"The value of the improved zeoponics media is improved plant quality, higher yields and shorter production cycles," Andrews says. "Higher, faster yields mean less bench time from seedling to commercial product, which means increased profitability to the commercial grower.
Valued assistance for ZeoponiX's start-up, he says, rests on the shoulders of the Mid-Continent Technology Transfer Center's University of Houston-Clear Lake office. The MCTTC helped the company conduct technical data searches and formulate a business plan. It also facilitated ZeoponiX's relationship with JSC.
"What we did, primarily, was laboratory interface," says David Wicks, MCTTC project manager. Wicks helped prove BIT's credibility to NASA and clarified to BIT the kind of partnership JSC sought.
Working with Andrews on continuing development of this technology is one of its co-inventors, Dr. Earl Allen. Allen is the director of soil and plant tissue laboratories at Oklahoma State University and vice president of ZeoponiX. Andrews and Allen both are internationally recognized experts in applied zeolite science. Backed by their experience and reputations, they are cultivating international technology and business relationships.
Another partner in the company provides the bulk zeolite that ZeoponiX manipulates. ZO Mines owns a mine in West Texas that contains easily accessible zeolite featuring the strong particle integrity necessary for the blending process.
Marketing ZeoponiX's products to the plant-growth industry, though, will take a well-developed educational effort, Andrews says. Virtually no commercial zeolite ventures exist in the United States, although the products have received limited attention at trade shows and conferences.
"Once the value of the products is understood and demonstrated in the marketplace," he says, "the advantages will translate into an irresistible product line."
so just say ZEOLITE and throw away those clay pellets! -gp
by the way everyone......it is important to choose the right kind of Zeolite that is useful for horticultural applications......some kinds of zeolites are used in odor control and will cause Calcium and Sodium imbalances in your medium....the zeolite you want to use are the ones that adsorb Nitrogen and Potassium (N and K).....but the companies that sell them know which ones you need and will package them in the right package.....
did you know you could even use zeolites in place of that activated carbon to get rid of unwanted cannabis odors in your room? you could even use it for cat litter! and, while you're at it, you can use zeolites to dispose of nuclear waste! oh so many uses for zeolite.....just don't eat them! -gp edit
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